Celebrating Extraordinary Acts of Compassion

Criteria for Nomination

The National Compassionate Caregivers of the Year (NCCY)® 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 five award recipients will be chosen by a national review committee. Nominees include healthcare professionals who are clinical and nonclinical providers, administrators, educators, and others who provide direct or indirect care to patients, families, and/or healthcare staff.

If you would like to nominate a program or initiative, instead of an individual caregiver, please learn more about our Corman IMPACT Honors award.

NCCY Areas of Impact

HEALING
  • Supports all aspects of patient and family well-being and quality of life
  • Possesses excellent clinical skills appropriate to caregiving role
  • Listens attentively and communicates in a way the patient and family can understand
  • Demonstrates care for the patient as a whole person
VISION
  • Possesses the sensitivity and skills to perceive and address an unmet need for compassion among patients, families, or healthcare staff
  • Has empowered others to develop and implement an innovative program, practice, or policy that has had a meaningful impact on healthcare experience and/or outcomes 
  • Is regarded by colleagues, patients, and families as a force for positive change on an organizational or systems level
  • Works as a member of an integrated healthcare team that values others’ contributions
EQUITY
  • Has created programs, practices, and/or policies that enable equitable access to compassionate, high-quality healthcare for underserved communities
  • Has created programs, practices, and/or policies that address, reduce, and dismantle historical inequities in healthcare
  • Implements collaborative, systems-level responses to advance health equity

Please note that family caregivers are not eligible for this award. We recognize the instrumental role family caregivers play 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.

If you would like to nominate a program or initiative, instead of an individual caregiver, please learn more about our Corman IMPACT Honors award.

If you have questions about the award, please visit our FAQ page or contact award@theschwartzcenter.org 

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