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Heather May Herrick Scholarship Program

2024 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

The scholarship is named in memory of Heather May Herrick.

Heather received outstanding care, including palliative care and pain management from a Nurse Practitioner, which made a huge difference to Heather and her family. 

After a long battle with cancer pain, thanks to a Nurse Practitioner, her last 2 months of life were comfortable. 

In appreciation for the unique role of the Nurse Practitioner in Australia and the outstanding work that they do, Heather’s family has funded a scholarship program aimed at supporting more Nurse Practitioners and Advanced Practice Nurses to deliver services to people like Heather in the areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, New and emerging NPs, Rural and Remote NPs, Intensive Care Nurses and Oncology, with a particular focus on End of Life Pain Management, Palliative Care, Aged Care and Working towards Advanced Practice or a Nurse Practitioner role.

The objective is to connect future and new Nurse Practitioners and Advanced Practice Nurses with a network in order to build these roles within the communities and assist people like Heather. It is also challenging for Nurse Practitioners and Advanced Practice Nurses in rural and remote areas to attend the ACNP National Conference due to cost and travel requirements.

PRIZE: 

5 x scholarships to be awarded. Each scholarship is valued at up to $2,000.
Recipients will be awarded a $1,500 scholarship, with an additional $500 available to those travelling to the conference from a Rural or Remote area. 

The scholarship funds to be used towards registration and travel fees associated with attending the 2024 ACNP National Conference, to be held 8-10 November 2024 at the Cairns Conference Centre, Qld.

The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) & Palliative Care Australia (PCA) would like to thank the Herrick Family for their generous support aimed at supporting more Nurse Practitioners and Advanced Practice Nurses.

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Heather May Herrick was born in Maitland, NSW on 27th July 1945.  Her parents were prominent dairy farmers in the Hunter Valley.
In her high school years she was a champion high jumper and on leaving school went on to senior secretarial positions in the Commonwealth Bank.

She and Stephen were married in 1967 and their son Andrew was born in 1973. Heather looked after the administrative aspects of Stephen’s legal and mediation practices. 

In 2005, she was diagnosed with the first of four primary cancers, two of which were rare. The last two cancers led to significant issues with pain. Her doctor was limited in the amount of addictive drugs she could be given due to legislation designed to curb prescription drug shopping. In a chance meeting, we became aware of a Nurse Practitioner, Anne Booms, who took over the pain management issue. By this time, it was clear that Heather was in the palliative care segment of treatment. As a consequence of Anne’s support and skill, her last days were much more manageable. 

Heather’s response to the terrible disease she was confronted with was nothing less than heroic.

She was a wonderful mother and wife and is sorely missed. 

The scholarships will be awarded in the following categories:

  • Advanced Practice Nurses intending to become Nurse Practitioners according to the priorities listed
  • Nurse Practitioners in the first 2 years of practice according to the priorities listed
  • Nurse Practitioners or Advanced Practice Nurses in rural and remote areas according to the priorities listed
  • Nurse Practitioners or Advanced Practice Nurses working in a Community Setting according to the priorities listed

The scholarships are weighted with the following criteria:

  • Essential Criteria:

    • End of life pain management
    • Palliative Care
    • Aged Care
    • Working towards Advanced Practice or a Nurse Practitioner role

  • Desirable Criteria:

    • Oncology
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
    • New and emerging NPs
    • Rural and Remote NPs
    • Intensive Care Nurses

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
1. Must be a financial member in any category, of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners or Palliative Care Australia (PCA) at the time of submission, presentation and utilisation of the scholarship prize
2. Must be an Australian Citizen or hold a Permanent Resident visa and be registered with AHPRA
3. Complete the online application form and attach all supporting documents in PDF form
4. Must meet at least 1 of the essential/desirable listed
5. Applicants wishing to apply for the additional $500 due to travelling from a rural or remote area must outline this at the time of application
Rural and Remote is defined by the Modified Monash Model classifications MM6 and MM7 - Click here to download Modified Monash Model – fact sheet | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

TIME FRAMES:

  • Nominations open 18 March 2024
  • Nominations close 27 May 2024
  • Recipients will be notified by 15 July to enable booking of transport and accommodation for attendance at the ACNP National Conference, 6-8 November 2024 at the Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns, QLD.
  • Official presentation at the ACNP National Conference Gala Awards Dinner, 8 November 2024.  

JUDGING:
The judging will be conducted by the Heather May Herrick Scholarship Committee consisting of two (2) ACNP board members and two (2) Palliative Care Australia board members.
A maximum of one (1) board member from each association can nominate a proxy to stand in on the committee.
Applicants with essential priorities will be given more weight than those with only desirable priorities.
Please note that the judge’s decision is final.

PRIVACY:
Applicants' submissions are provided only to the judging panel.

RECIPIENT OBLIGATION
Successful applicants must be able to attend the ACNP National Conference in the same calendar year of attaining the scholarship, and are required to submit a brief report to the ACNP Board within three months of attendance, outlining how the scholarship benefited them.

ACNP and Palliative Care Australia are pleased to be working together, to administer the ‘Heather May Herrick’ Scholarship program aimed at supporting more Nurse Practitioners and Advanced Practice Nurses to deliver services with the following priorities.

This scholarship is in conjunction with the Palliative Care Australia (PCA).

Please note: awarding of the Heather May Herrick Scholarship to previous recipients may occur after a three-year break.

2024 Scholarship Criteria Form - Heather May Herrick

 

Applications open 15 March 2024
Online applications only, please use link to access the online application form

 

APPLY NOW

Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2023 Heather May Herrick Scholarship awards.

Nurse Practitioner in the first 2 years of practice

  • Bonita Blight (VIC)
  • Jenna Stewes (SA)
  • Jomy Kuriakose (NSW)

Advanced Practice Nurses intending to become a Nurse Practitioner/Candidate

  • Jose Joseph (QLD)

Nurse Practitioner/Candidate or Advanced Practice Nurses in a Community Setting

  • Sue Berry (VIC)

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Previous Winners

Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2022 Heather May Herrick Scholarship awards.

Nurse Practitioner in the first 2 years of practice

  • Jenelle Mackay (NP) Nurse Practitioner Locum Services
  • Noriko Ogo (NPC) Perioperative
  • Patricia Zerha (NP) Emergency and Trauma

Advanced Practice Nurses intending to become a Nurse Practitioner/Candidate

  • Marlise McEvoy (NPC) Acute Emergency Care
  • Felicity McLaren (NP) Vascular Access Transitional Care
  • Annette Nuich (NPC) Urgent Care

Nurse Practitioner/Candidate or Advanced Practice Nurses in rural and remote areas

  • Kirrily Bennett (NP) Primary care
  • Carly Martin (NP) Paediatrics

Nurse Practitioner/Candidate or Advanced Practice Nurses in a Community Setting

  • MaryJane Hulls (NP) Diabetes
  • Cara Taheny (NP) Sexual Health

HMH 2022

2022 recipients with Stephen, Andrew & Amelia Herrick, with President Leanne Boase

2021 Recipients

Congratulations to the following Recipients of the 2021 Awards year Heather May Herrick Scholarships.

  • Nurse Practitioner/Candidate in the first 2 years of practice
    • Carl Livingstone - Victoria (NP) Emergency & Acute Care
  • Advanced Practice Nurses intending to become a Nurse Practitioner/Candidate
    • Emma Collins - South Australia (NPC) Emergency & Acute Care
    • Emma Knowland - Queensland (NPC) Sexual Health
    • Mark Young - New South Wales (NP) Hospital in the Home 
  • Nurse Practitioner/Candidate or Advanced Practice Nurses in rural and remote areas
    • Kate Ryan - New South Wales (NPC) Diabetes 

Carl Livingstone emma Collins Emma K nos Mark Young Kare Ryan

2021 Conference Recipients

Congratulations to the following Recipients of the 2020 Heather May Herrick Scholarships.

  • Brigitte Karle - New South Wales (NP) Palliative Care
  • Emma Lane -  New South Wales (NP) Rural / Remote
  • Fay Tomlin - Queensland (NP) Pain Management
  • Melanie Rose - Victoria (NP) Rural / Remote Aged Care

Emma Lane Fay Tomlin Bridgette Karle Heather May Herrick Scholarship Recipient 2021 

2020 Recipients

Congratulations to the following Recipients of the 2020 Heather May Herrick Scholarships.

  • Priscilla Peart – Victoria (NPC) Emergency & Acute Care
  • Sruthy Raju – Queensland (NPC) Chronic Disease
  • Natalie Spence – South Australia (NPC) Aged & Palliative Care
  • Samantha Mulholland – Queensland (NPC) Primary Health
  • Karly Carruthers – Victoria (NPC) Emergency & Acute Care
  • Sally Evans – Victoria (NPC) Emergency & Acute Care
  • Ruth Ikobe – Victoria (NP) Aged & Palliative Care
  • Lynley Buckley – Queensland (NP) Aged Care

HMH rec

  • The following members were unable to attend the 2019 presentation, and joined the 2020 receiptents for formal acknowledgemnt.
    • Khera Kim – Queensland (NP) Aged Care
    • Melanie Press – New South Wales  (NPC) Primary Care

2019 Recipients

Congratulations to the following Recipients of the first Heather May Herrick Scholarships.

  • Amor Kisling
  • Elizabeth Hristov
  • Fiona Gillanders
  • Khera Kim
  • Kylie Cross
  • Melanie Press
  • Melissa Hanson
  • Monica Attard
  • Robyne Hingeley
  • Sue McDonald

HMH group with Herricks 2019      

Awardees with Stephen Herrick (Centre) and Andrew Herrick (Right)