SELECTION CRITERIA
Address the selection criteria by downloading the Selection Criteria form and attaching it to your online application
1. Be registered with NMBA as a Registered Nurse with NP endorsement and be working as a NP
2. Demonstrates a contribution to the ACNP and/or the Nurse Practitioner profession
3, Excellence in clinical care and patient outcomes
4. Evidence of mentoring and professional leadership to others in the clinical team
5. Evidence of participation in research or quality improvement activities 
6. Other attributes contributing to the worthiness of the award being bestowed

TIME FRAMES:

• Nominations open 30 April 
• Nominations close 30 June 
• Recipients will be notified by 27 August
• Official presentation is at the 2025 ACNP National Conference, to be held 29-31 October 2025 at the National Convention Centre, Canberra, ACT.

JUDGING:
The judging will be conducted by the ACNP Awards and Scholarships Committee.
Final recommendations will go to the National Board for endorsement.
Please note that the judge’s decision is final.

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

TERMS & CONDITIONS:
1. Late submissions will not be accepted
2. Submissions that do not address the criteria will not be considered.
3. All applications must be made via the online application forms with attachments uploaded in PDF format.
4. All recipients must be a financial member of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners at the time of submission, presentation and utilisation of the award prize.
5. Board and Council members are not eligible for any awards or scholarships while in an official ACNP position.
6. All announcements are to be held in confidence until the formal presentation at the ACNP National Conference Gala Awards Dinner.

2025 Award Criteria Form - NP of the Year

APPLICATIONS HAVE NOW CLOSED

Jason Harrison

Jason Harrison, is a highly skilled Nurse Practitioner with over 15 years of experience in addiction medicine. Since graduating with a Bachelor of Nursing from Central Queensland University in 1995, Jason has been dedicated to advancing his education and expertise in his field. In 2013, he completed a Master's degree in Nurse Practitioner in chronic disease management from the University of Queensland.

Jason is an active member of several professional organizations including DANA, ACNP, and the QNMU NP branch. He is committed to advancing the role of Nurse Practitioners in the Australian healthcare sector and advocates for the recognition of their unique skillset and contributions.

Within his clinical practice, Jason specializes in treating patients with opioid use disorder and chronic pain conditions in the context of an opioid treatment program. He is skilled in drug withdrawal management and the provision of Hepatitis C treatment. Patients can count on Jason's compassionate care and expertise to help them achieve optimal health outcomes.

HESTA representative with Winner Jason Harrison and ACNP President Melanie Dunstan

Peter Jenkin

Peter Jenkin is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner working for nearly eleven years with Resthaven, a large South Australian aged care provider.  He was the first and remains one of only a few ‘in-house’ specialists palliative care NP’s in Australia employed by aged care providers.  Peter has worked in various clinical, research and education roles in specialist palliative care for more than 25 years, developing an interest very early on of the interface between aged care and palliative care.  A big change indeed from his early career as an ambo and ED nurse.  He is a member of the National COVID19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce: Care of Older People and Palliative Care expert panel and was responsible for two national webinars early in the pandemic, giving practical advice for aged and palliative care front line staff to plan for the potentially catastrophic effects of COVID in residential and community settings.  Peter remains actively involved at a local, state and national level working to improve the care of older Australians as the approach the end of their loves.  He spends any spare time channelling his inner Peter Cundall in the veggie garden and poring over maps, planning his next overseas holiday.  Peter has, however, curtailed his adventure cycling expeditions since surviving a potentially life-ending accident in 2021.  This miracle has allowed him to enjoy becoming a grandparent earlier this year.

Peter Jenkin 2022 winner with his certificate

2021 Recipient

• Dr Leanne Brown - Renal Nurse Practitioner, QLD

Dr Leanne Brown is a Nurse Practitioner for Cape York Kidney Team.  Leanne is recognised nationally as an expert in renal nursing and was awarded the Continuous Quality Improvement Award with the Cape York Kidney Care Program.  Leanne completed her PhD in Chronic Kidney Disease and in 2019 received the Emerging Researcher Award by Palliative Care Queensland. Leanne is always working to improve the health and wellbeing of clients with chronic kidney disease living in Cape York. She has improved how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island clients access kidney care; improved education and the data reflects improved outcomes for hypertension management and attendance.

Leanne is a strong leader who inspires the people she works with.  She loves to educate everyone on learning about the kidneys and regularly speaks at conferences and courses about kidney related issues. Leanne’s nominator states “You just have to be in the clinics to see how busy and how well attended their clinics are to see the outcomes Leanne and her team is achieving. Leanne spends time with everyone at and educates them on how we can improve our care on the ground in the communities. The program has only been running a short while, but already outcomes are improving, and Leanne has a big part to play in that.  It doesn’t matter how busy she is, she always has time to stop and answer questions, teach others and listen.”

2020 Recipient

• Carol Douglas – Aged & Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner from WA

Carol works as a Residential Care Line Nurse Practitioner at The Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth.  Carol’s role included the creation of the NP led sustainable RCL outreach service model and was designed to prevent avoidable presentations to the Emergency Department.  Carol has expert clinical skills and is shown to provide excellence in clinical care and patient outcomes.  Carols demonstrated evidence of mentoring and leadership both during her clinical time and through her role in developing local and national Governance frameworks. Carol is also a member of the WA ACNP Committee and is involved in other peak bodies and was thought by the Awards Committee to be a very worthy recipient of the award.  Congratulations Carol.

2019 Recipient

• Chris Helms, Primary Healthcare Nurse Practitioner, ACT

Recipient Chris Helms (right) with 2018 recipient Tash Jennings (left)

Chris Helms has worked tirelessly to improve and support the role of Nurse Practitioners in Australia.   Over the last 12 months Chris has completed his PhD in an area of research which will improve the implementation of the NP role in Australia, by developing meta-specialties of practice. Chris has continued to represent the role of NPs on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, on the Nurse Practitioner Reference Group as part of the review of Medicare and Chris also became a fellow of the ACNP in 2013.   Congratulations Chris. 

Past Recipients

2018 - Tash Jennings - Emergency and Acute Care Victoria

2017 - Tom Crowley SA

2016 - Saroja Nazareth WA

2015 - Lesley Salem - Rural & Remote NSW

2013 - Margo Asimus - Wound Management NSW

2012 - Laura Black - WA