Frequently asked questions

Do you have a question about the RCN Nursing Awards? We hope you find the answer below.

Do I have to be a member of the Royal College of Nursing to enter the awards?
No. You do not need to be a member of the RCN to enter the awards.

Is there a fee to enter?
No. All entries are free and must be received by Friday 28 April 2023.

Is there a limit to how many entries you can submit?
There is no limit to the number of entries that can be submitted. You can enter as many categories as you wish.

Who can enter?
This is dependent on the category, as listed below:

• Patient's Choice Award
  Entries for this category are accepted from patients and members of the public only. Entries from nurses or colleagues of nurses will not be accepted. Nominees do not need to be a member of the RCN.
• Nursing Support Worker Award
  Entries for this category are accepted from individual nursing support workers such as healthcare assistants, nursing associates and assistant practitioners. Entrants can also be nominated by colleagues such as nurses, managers or consultants. Team entries are accepted for this category. Entrants do not need to be a member of the RCN.
• Learning Disability Nursing
  Entries for this category are accepted from learning disability nurses or learning disability nursing teams. Non-nursing colleagues such as managers or consultants may also nominate their nursing colleagues for this award. Entrants do not need to be a member of the RCN.
• All other categories:
  Entries are accepted from nurses nominating themselves or their own teams or can be submitted on behalf of another nurse or nursing team. Non-nursing colleagues such as managers or consultants may also nominate their nursing colleagues. Entrants do not need to be a member of the RCN.

How to enter
Entries must be submitted online via the ‘enter’ button. We recommend nominators write the body of their entry in a separate document first, then copy and paste it into the entry form, to avoid the risk of submissions being lost. To submit an entry on our website with ease, we suggest using the internet browser Chrome.

What is the entry deadline?
All entries must be received via the RCN Nursing Awards website by Wednesday 28 April 2023.

Can I view my entry after the deadline?
No, once the deadline has passed, you will not be able to view your entry. If you have any query about your submission(s), please contact the awards team on awards@rcni.com

When will I know whether my entry has been short-listed?
All entrants will be notified via email to confirm whether their entry has been successful or not in July. If applicable, the entrant’s nominator will also be notified via email at the same time.

Will I get feedback on my entry?
Our judges kindly give up their time to judge the awards voluntarily. The high number of entries received means that individual feedback on each entry is not possible.

When will I find out if my entry has won?
The category winners and overall RCN Nurse of the Year will be announced at the RCN Nursing Awards on Friday 10 November. Winners are not notified before the ceremony.

When is the ceremony for 2023?
The RCN Nursing Awards will take place on Friday 10 November.

Where will the awards ceremony take place?
The RCN Nursing Awards 2023 will be held at the Liverpool Cathedral, St James Road, Liverpool L1 7AZ.

What is the dress code?
Black tie.

If you have any further questions, please contact us on: awards@rcni.com