Celebrating Extraordinary Acts of Compassion

NCCY Award FAQ’s

general

What is the National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year (NCCY)® Award?

The National Compassionate Caregivers of the Year® Award recognizes extraordinary healthcare professionals from across the country who embody the characteristics of compassionate care and whose professional achievements have helped to create healing healthcare environments for patients, families, colleagues, and communities. Up to six award recipients will be chosen by a national review committee. 

Who is eligible?

Nominees may include healthcare professionals and interdisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals. We welcome nominations for clinical and nonclinical providers, administrators, educators, and others who provide direct or indirect care to patients, families, and/or healthcare staff.

Please note that family caregivers are not eligible for this award. We recognize the instrumental role a family caregiver plays in providing compassionate care; however, we are currently unable to extend our selection criteria for the NCCY award beyond that of caregivers who are healthcare professionals. Please read more about our criteria here.

Who can nominate?

Anyone can nominate a healthcare professional or team with direct patient care for this award. Nominations may be submitted by patients, family members, peers or colleagues.

What are the NCCY Award benefits?

Healthcare professionals are nourished and energized when they know they are appreciated. It takes just a few minutes to nominate someone, but it can have a lasting impact on their life and the lives of those around them. The NCCY Award includes the following benefits:

  • Formal acknowledgement of excellence in compassionate healthcare
  • National recognition of the caregiver’s organization
  • Celebration of the caregivers at the Schwartz Center’s 2021 virtual gala
How are NCCY Award recipients and finalists honored?

Up to six recipients will be honored at the virtual Annual Kenneth B. Schwartz Compassionate Healthcare Dinner on December 4, 2021. They also are featured on our website and promoted widely.

if you are nominating

Can nominations be submitted anonymously?

No, anonymous nominations are not accepted. All nominations require the nominator’s name and contact information.

Will the nominee know they have been nominated for this award?

Yes, the nominee will be informed that they have been nominated and by whom. They will be asked to answer a few short questions and submit optional supplementary materials to complete the nomination packet.

When will nominees be notified about their standing for the award?

All nominees will be notified of their standing by the end of October 2021.

if you are nominated

What is required of me as a nominee?

Nominees are asked to complete a personal statement and submit optional supplementary materials.

If I am selected for the short list, what is required of me?

If you are selected for the short list, you will be asked to complete a video interview. We will work with you and your organization’s PR team to ensure the process is as easy as possible. From this short list, up to six recipients will be selected.

If I am selected as a recipient, what is required of me?

If you are selected as a NCCY Award recipient, we will work with you and your organization’s PR team to include a few quotes and images in a video that will be shown at the virtual Annual Kenneth B. Schwartz Compassionate Healthcare Dinner on December 4, 2021.

Can I email my materials to you?

We request that all materials be submitted through the online nominee form. Nominees will find a unique link to their form in the email they received from the Schwartz Center. If you have issues with the form or can’t find your unique link, please contact us at nominations@nccyaward.org.

How do you define a team?

A team is a multidisciplinary group of three or more individuals working together on an ongoing basis.

If I’ve been identified as the team leader for my team, what are my responsibilities?

Team leaders are responsible for completing their team’s nomination packet and acting as the team’s representative who will communicate with the Schwartz Center on behalf of the team. The team leader will be responsible for making sure the nomination packet is completed and submitted.

What is considered an optional supplementary material?

Nominees are encouraged to submit optional supplementary materials. We recommend submitting materials that cite specific examples of interactions that highlight the caregiver’s compassion.

These materials may include:

  • Previously received thank you letters or notes from patients or family members
  • Letters from patients or family members that discuss their relationship with the caregiver
  • Letters from peers and colleagues within or outside your organization
  • Written or video interviews featuring the nominee
  • Newspaper or newsletter articles featuring the nominee

A maximum of four materials will be accepted per nominee.

How should I submit letters of support?

Nominees should submit their completed nomination packet, including their letters of support, through the online nominee form. Nominees can access this form by using the unique URL they received in their email from the Schwartz Center. If you can’t find your unique link, please contact us at nominations@nccyaward.org.

What file types can I submit?

We prefer PDFs, but we also accept Word and JPEG files. Please submit each letter individually, and not in one combined PDF.

How can I submit handwritten letters?

Please scan any handwritten notes and send them to nominations@nccyaward.org.

Can a patient’s nomination letter also count as an additional letter of support from a patient?

No. The original nomination letter does not count as an additional letter of support, but will be reviewed along with the other materials.

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