Student Nurse of the Year: Children

This award aims to recognise and acknowledge the excellent communication skills as well as good clinical knowledge needed to care for this group of patients. The judges will be looking for a final-year student nurse who can advocate for children undergoing acute treatment or with long-term conditions, and their parents or carers. Entrants should be able to demonstrate a high level of nursing knowledge and a special set of skills to help them win the trust of this patient group.

What are the judges looking for?

The judges are looking for exceptional final-year students who can demonstrate excellence in the following:

• Developing trusting relationships with children and adolescents;
• Knowledge of and competence in clinical skills;
• Understanding of the rationale behind evidence-based practice, treatment choices and care pathways;
• Interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to use them with patients, families and carers;
• An ability to act with compassion and empathy;
• Active listening, responding and personalising care to meet patients’ needs;
• Academic achievement;
• Acting as a role model for student nursing;
• Team playing and an appreciation of the role of nursing within the wider multidisciplinary team;
• Use of reflection and the confidence to question practice even if they may challenge others.

Please attach any supporting evidence to your application that you feel is relevant. This can include testimonials, mentor or university staff feedback or student evaluations or any other appropriate evidence.

Please note: you must be a final-year student on a children’s nursing pre-registration course when the awards take place in April 2020 or have graduated in the six months prior to this to enter this award.

Should you be successfully shortlisted for this award, please ensure you are available on Monday 16 March to present to the judges. 

Take a look at what our 2019 winner had to say about winning the award: