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EiPN Individual Award

The Excellence in Perioperative Nursing (EiPN) Individual Award is presented to an ACORN member who has made an outstanding contribution to perioperative nursing. 

The award is one of high profile recognition with no monetary value. However, the recipient will be entitled to complimentary registration and complimentary accommodation for two nights for the ACORN conference. 

The award is presented at the biennial national conference where the recipient receives the EiPN perpetual medallion with their name bar added to the ribbon.  The recipient will also receive a personal medal and certificate and automatic recognition as a Fellow of the college.

The perpetual medallion is retained for two years and returned to ACORN prior to the next biennial national conference. 

The nomination is made by a Local Association or by the ACORN board. 

Nominations close on 12 June 2024.

Nomination guidelines

The nominee must have current full membership of their state or territory Local Association. 

The nominee must demonstrate:

  • an active involvement in perioperative nursing

  • leadership in perioperative nursing

  • an involvement in evidence-based research that supports, modifies and updates the ACORN standards

  • an involvement in broadening ACORN's membership base to include all nurses who practice perioperative procedures

  • an ability to promote perioperative nursing and enhance recruitment to the specialty

  • an outstanding contribution at state, national or international level.

Nomination procedure

The call for nominations will be advertised in The Oak from September in the year prior to the conference. Local Associations will be notified in October that nominations are open.

Nominations must be made on the designated nomination form (available from the link below) and:

  • address the selection criteria

  • provide two referees

  • include a statement detailing specifics of the outstanding contribution the nominee has made to perioperative nursing.

Nomination forms must arrive at the ACORN office no later than 31 January of the year of the conference (for consideration at the board meeting in February) and include all information requested. Late or incomplete forms will not be considered.

Download the nomination form

Selection procedure

The recipient will be chosen by a selection panel made up of the Award Chair and three board members, selected by the current board chair. The Award Chair is the immediate past-president / board chair of the College.

Note: If any member of the selection panel is nominated for this award the member must either decline the nomination or withdraw from the selection panel.

Copies of nomination forms and selection criteria will be forwarded electronically or by express post to the selection panel prior to the February board meeting.

Nominations are given a score out of 200. Only nominations that score 150 or above are considered. The award is presented to the nominee with the highest score. (In the event of a tie, the board chair will cast the deciding vote.) If no nominations score 75 or above, it may be decided that no award will be presented.

The selection panel completes selection before the February board meeting and makes their recommendation at that meeting for the board to ratify.

The successful nominee will be:

  • contacted personally by the board chair

  • sent a letter of invitation and advised of the details relating to the timing of the award and accommodation.

Nominations remain confidential and unsuccessful nomination forms will be destroyed.

Unsuccessful candidates may be nominated in following years with a new submission form.

Recipients of the award are not eligible for nomination in subsequent years.

EiPN Individual award recipients

2004            Menna Davies (NSW)

2006            Dr Judith Berry (SA)

2008            Carollyn Williams (Vic)

2010            Sally Sutherland Fraser (NSW)

2012            Ruth Melville (Qld)

2014            Dr Brigid Gillespie (Qld)

2016            Dr Patricia Nicholson (Vic)

2018            Phyllis Davis AM (NSW)

2020            Jenny Cubitt (NSW)

2022            Tracy Kerle (NSW)