The Awards aim to encourage skills advancement and excellence in the nursing profession by awarding outstanding nurses from each of the following three categories:

HESTA Professional Development Scholarships

Awards three outstanding nurses scholarships to fund further education or training in a specialty of their choice. Nominations must be made by a senior staff member supporting their application to further studies in their chosen field. Scholarship funds up to $5000 will be awarded to the successful candidate with two finalists receiving up to $2500 each.

National Care Awards

The National Care Awards seek to recognise and reward excellence in nursing practice. Nominations are made by patients, the families and friends of patients and colleagues of nominees who wish to acknowledge the provision of care they considered to be excellent.

Seven state finalists are awarded prizes and an overall national winner is announced at the ceremony. The state finalists will receive $500 each and the national winner $1500.

sanofi-aventis Student Achievement Awards

Three Awards will recognise excellence in final year undergraduate students in nursing, nominated by their university. The finalists will receive $500 each.