ANZSVN AWARDS.
The ANZSVN Awards provide encouragement and acknowledgement for qualified Vascular Nurses who show excellence in their field.
The two awards are available for current Members of the ANZSVN each year are outlined below and the relevant criteria for nominations.
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There are 3 ANZSVN Conference presenter awards recognising the role of presenters in developing knowledge and capability in the speciality.
ANZSVN
Sheri Sandison Encouragement Award
This annual award, first presented in 2011, recognises the key role Sheri Sandison played in the formation of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Nursing and in serving as the inaugural Chairperson/President. While now retired, Sheri continues to be a role model and someone who made a difference in the lives of people with vascular disease. This annual award is for an individual member who identifies vascular as a career pathway. It is a valuable opportunity to recognise ANZSVN members who are “coming up through the ranks” in their workplace.
A call for nominations will be made via email to members two months prior to the annual conference and will close one month before the conference.
Nominations can be received from any individual, but the nominee must be an ANZSN member.
The nomination form is available on the ANZSVN website and is to be sent to the secretary by the closing date.
In the event that more than one nomination is received, executive members of ANZSVN will vote by a private poll conducted by the secretary. The recipient of the SHERI SANDISON ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD will receive a certificate, trophy and $500.
Nominations for 2026 will be open in the near future.
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Download the Sheri Sandison Encouragement Award Nomination Form here
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The Winner of the 2025 Sheri Sandison Encouragement Award is Michael Balladeo from Brisbane, Qld.
ANZSVN
Nurse of the Year
Award
This award was established in 2009 to publicly acknowledge the achievements of vascular nurses and encourage professional development. Open to Nurse members of ANZSVN who are working in any vascular-related clinical field role.
The nominee must have contributed to advance vascular nursing practice within their clinical area, display a commitment to the profession of vascular nursing, actively share their knowledge with their peers and undertake self-directed learning. A call for nominations will be made via email to members two months prior to the annual conference and will close one month before the conference.
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Nominations can be received from any individual, but the nominee must be an ANZSVN member.
The nomination form is available on the ANZSVN website and is to be sent to the secretary by the closing date.
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In the event that more than one nomination is received, executive members of ANZSVN will vote by a private poll conducted by the secretary. The recipient of the ANZSVN NURSE OF THE YEAR AWARD will receive a certificate, trophy, honour board (for the workplace), plus $750.
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Nominations for 2026 will be open in the near future.
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Download the Vascular Nurse of the Year Nomination Form here
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The Winner of the 2025 Vascular Nurse of the Year Award is Rebecca Aburn from New Zealand.
ANZSVN
Janice Caine Best Presenter Award
Janice Caine is a Melbourne based Vascular Surgical Nurse who was an inaugural member of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Vascular Nursing. Janice served many years on the ANZSVN committee, with her most notable contribution as Membership Officer – a traditionally high-workload role.
Janice resigned from the committee in 2019 and in acknowledgement of her significant contributions to our society we have named our conference ‘best presenter’ award in her honour.
The Janice Caine award is provided to the best nursing professional presentation as part of the combined surgical and nursing annual scientific meeting – typically hosted in the latter half of the year. The award is judged on the attached criteria.
All nursing professionals who provide a presentation at the annual conference are automatically entered into the running for this award, so there are no application forms required. Please note that this award excludes first-time nursing presenters – these individuals are entered into the Best Novice Presenter Award (see below). Award candidates must hold a current ANZSVN membership.
The award is only provided to those nurses who provide their presentation ‘in person’ (can include a pre-recorded presentation and/or live online presentation).
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The award is typically accompanied by a monetary sum (determined by conference sponsors) and is announced at the closing of the nursing plenary sessions at each annual conference.
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The winner of the 2025 Janice Caine Best Presenter Award is Dr Sue Monaro from Sydney, NSW.
ANZSVN
Best Novice Presenter Award
The Best Novice Presenter Award is an annually awarded accolade for the nursing professional presenting for the first time at the annual ANZSVN conference. This award aims to encourage debutant nursing professionals who are taking their first steps into the world of scientific presentations.
First-time presenters who provide a presentation at the annual ANZSVN conference are automatically eligible for this award. There is no need to make a formal application for this award.
The award is judged on the attached criteria.
The award is only provided to those nurses who provide their presentation ‘in person’ (can include a pre-recorded presentation and/or live online presentation). Award candidates must hold a current ANZSVN membership.
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The award is typically accompanied by a monetary sum (determined by conference sponsors) and is announced at the closing of the nursing plenary sessions at each annual conference.
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The winner of the Best Novice Presenter for 2025 is Courtney Finch from Brisbane, Qld.
ANZSVN
Karen Suminov Best Education-related Presenter Award
The Best Education-related Presenter Award was inaugurated in 2025 in memory of Karen Siminov. Karen was a long-standing member of ANZSVN and an outstanding nurse educator from South Australia. It will be awarded to the best education-related presentation at the annual ANZSVN conference. This award aims to encourage vascular nurses who are developing and sharing capability-building programs in the speciality.
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Presenters who present an education-related topic, including case studies or projects, at the annual ANZSVN conference are automatically eligible for this award. The award is judged by a panel comprised of ANZSVN executive members who are not presenting. Presenters are judged based on the attached criteria. The award is only given to nurses who present ‘in person’.
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The award typically includes a monetary award of $250 and is announced at the close of the nursing plenary sessions at each annual conference.​