The National Florence Nightingale Award is presented by the President of India to outstanding nursing personnel. Eligibility criteria cover different nursing categories and recognize exceptional service in various healthcare settings.
General eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the award, a nominee must be an outstanding nursing professional. Specific requirements include:
Categories: The award is open to Registered Nurses and Midwives (RN & RM), Registered Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives (RANM), and Lady Health Visitors (LHV).
Experience: Generally requires a minimum of 10 years of experience in the respective field, though this can be relaxed for exceptional performance.
Employment: Nominees can be from Central or State Government institutions, Union Territories, or private, missionary, and voluntary organizations.
Work setting: Eligible nurses serve in hospitals, community healthcare, educational institutions, or administrative roles.
Selection criteria for nominees
The selection process focuses on extraordinary contributions and performance that go beyond routine duties. Specific examples include:
Community service: Exemplary work in public health areas, especially among vulnerable populations, or significant contributions to national health programs.
Hospital service: Implementing innovative practices or developing nursing units that improve patient care.
Heroic acts: Performing life-saving techniques or providing heroic service during emergencies like accidents, floods, or famines.
Administrative excellence: Introducing innovative changes that improve administrative setups and influence nursing care quality.
Nursing education: Developing educational materials or innovative curricula that are used widely and bring recognition to the nurse’s institution.
Challenging areas: Providing service in tribal, remote, or difficult geographical areas.
Publication and research: Contributing to nursing through research, articles, publications, or presenting papers at conferences.
How to apply
The process for nomination involves selection committees at both the state and central levels. Nurses cannot apply directly for themselves.
State-level nomination: Nominations are invited from government, private, and voluntary organizations within each state or union territory.
Selection committee: A state-level selection committee, typically headed by the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, reviews and recommends a panel of candidates.
Required documents: Nominees must submit their bio-data, qualification certificates, evidence of their achievements, and a citation.
Submission to INC: The State Selection Committee then forwards the selected nominations to the President of the Indian Nursing Council (INC).
Final selection: A central-level committee makes the final selection, and the awards are conferred by the President of India.