2026 CATEGORIES

Incontinence can have a profound impact on the quality of life of the people it affects. Continence nurses and bladder and bowel specialists play a vital role in developing treatment pathways and maintaining both the physical and mental wellbeing of the patient. This Award is open to an individual or team who have made a significant impact on patients in their care.

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Gastrointestinal nurses carry out vital work across a multitude of specialisms and duties, including improving patient outcomes, promoting self-management and educating individuals on the nature and course of their conditions. This award recognises an individual or team who have made a significant impact in the provision, assessment or development of gastroenterological, liver and IBD-related care.

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Children identified as having a learning disability are living longer, more fulfilled lives into adolescence, adulthood and older age. Learning disability nurses play a vital role working across the whole life span in both health and care settings. Learning disability nurses help improve or maintain a person’s physical and mental health, reducing barriers to them living an independent life while supporting the person in living a fulfilling life.

Learning disability nurses may also help people to learn the skills needed to find work. This can be significant in helping them to lead a more independent and healthy life where they can relate to others on equal terms.

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With one in four people experiencing a mental health problem every year in the UK, the NHS is heavily reliant on mental health nurses. The work they do, day in, day out, is invaluable and this will be recognised by the Mental Health Nurse of the Year award.

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This highly prestigious Award will be presented to an individual who has made an outstanding achievement in nursing this year.

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This award recognises an outstanding Nurse/Team of nurses who have made a significant difference to the development and/ or delivery of high quality education to those who deliver/ aim to deliver health care.

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The oncology nursing award will recognise nurses who care for and treat patients with cancer. The important work within this specialty should be recognised and any nurse who has made a special impact on oncology nursing should apply or be nominated. Many people's lives are touched by cancer, and whether they practice in hospitals or the community, nurses will find themselves caring at some stage for adults with cancer. This Award will recognise an individual or team who have made a demonstrable improvement to the delivery of cancer patient care.

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Prevention is better than cure. Public health nurses protect and improve the nation's health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. The work they do, day in, day out, is invaluable and this will be recognised by the Public Health Nurse of the Year award.

The formation of a stoma can be a distressing and painful experience for a patient. The stoma care nurse plays a vital role in ensuring they are well informed and after care is managed appropriately. The BJN Stoma Care Nurse of the Year award champions these nurses and the excellent work they are doing in looking after these patients.

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Nurses providing wound and pressure care play a vital role in the patient’s treatment pathway. Wounds such as pressure ulcers, chronic wounds and burns can negatively impact on a patient’s quality of life, and the prevention, treatment and care given by health professionals will make all the difference to their experience and outcomes. This award recognises nurses and/or teams providing excellent, innovative, and life-changing care to patients with a variety of wounds.

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Diabetes Specialist Nurses are central to good patient care and outcomes including confident self-care management. Evidence shows that diabetes specialist nurses are cost effective, improve clinical outcomes and reduce length of stay in hospital. This Award will celebrate diabetes practitioners who have made an outstanding contribution in their clinical practice, geographical region, or area of research.

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Infection prevention is probably the most important aspect of nursing – it is essential across every single aspect of healthcare and the role of the infection control nurse is invaluable. Without it, care provision would be impossible. This award recognises the vital contribution nurses make to infection prevention in healthcare through innovation, evidence-based care and vigilance in the workplace.

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Professionals working in the field of chronic oedema serve a vital role in ensuring patients can access timely, effective and appropriate treatment, and advancing the profile of the condition within the NHS. The Award will celebrate Lymphoedema and Lipoedema practitioners who have made an outstanding contribution in their clinical practice, geographical region, or area of research.

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Nurses are fundamental in providing nutritional support and information to patients. Nursing staff are in the frontline when it comes to identifying and addressing the nutritional needs of patients. This award will recognize a nurse who has made a significant difference in nutrition nursing this year.

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Paediatric nurses are essential in the provision of specialised care to infants, children and adolescents. Their work is both transformative and life changing, often profoundly impacting individuals and families throughout care delivery and beyond. This award recognises the outstanding contributions made by paediatric nurses in the field, and celebrates the efforts of an individual or team in to deliver high-quality care.

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The BJN Renal Nurse of the Year Award celebrates the hard work and dedication of nurses working in clinical practice across all areas of kidney care.

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This award seeks to recognise a nurse or team of nurses who have made an exceptional contribution to promoting sustainability and green issues within their field of nursing (for example via innovative use of products or patient education etc).

Vascular access is a specialised field of clinical care that is being carried out in an expanding range of inpatient and community locations. This Award will recognise achievements of vascular access nurses who have been responsible for progress, continued professional development and improved patient care within vascular access.

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Urology nursing both in primary and secondary care is a vital element of care provision. The work urology nurses are doing both at home and internationally is vital and deserves recognition, be it in infection, uro-oncology or long-term conditions. This award will be presented to a nurse who has achieved excellence or shown a flair for innovation and translated this into measurable improvements in patient care in urology.

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