Rhonda Sanders Professional Development Grant

The Rhonda Sanders Professional Development Grant provides members of ACCCN with an opportunity to enhance their professional development through attendance at educational development activities or visits to relevant institutions.

Key dates

• Application open 1st August – 12 September every year
• Applications must be submitted before 11:59pm (AEST) on 12 September of the relevant year
• Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted

Guidelines and Application Information

Please read these Guidelines carefully prior to completing the online Application Form.

Applications will be considered for travel, registration, accommodation and meal expenses used to attend a professional development activity relevant to critical care nursing up to a total value of $2,000. Applicant must complete the supplied application form. The suitable professional development activity includes, but is not limited to, conferences, courses, and site visits. The education activity must be for professional activities occurring after the closing date. Retrospective funding will not be granted.

To be eligible the applicant must be a current full financial member of ACCCN who have been a paid financial member for the last 2 years. Applicants must submit all required documentation as part of their application by the due date. Successful applicants may re-apply for the Grant 2 years after previous successful grant applications.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in the applicant being classified as ineligible.

Preparing an Application

• Ensure you have the appropriate leave approval for the time of the professional development activity.
• If you are intending to have a site visit, contact the site and seek a preliminary agreement for your visit.
• Obtain quotes for travel, accommodation and registration costs and estimate the budget.

Submitting your Application

All applicants must complete the online application and include relevant attachments by the due date (the conference program and registration costs; estimated meal and taxi fares; travel itinerary; quote for flights).

Please note:

• The online applicaiton form will be available via this page during the application period. 
• You must be logged in as a member in order to access the Online Submission Form.

Review Process and Selection Criteria

The ACCCN Quality Advisory Panel will assess applications and determine the successful applicant. All decisions will be final. Members of the ACCCN Quality Advisory Panel must declare a conflict of interest if they are applying for the grant and may not take part in review of any grant applications while a conflict of interest exists.

The ACCCN Quality Advisory Panel will consider each application that is received by the due date for each round based on the following merits:

• Relevance and significance of the professional development activity;
• Proposed benefit of the professional development activity to the applicant / critical care nursing;
• Previous funding support to the individual from ACCCN;
• Contributions to ACCCN by the applicant; and
• Plans to share information / lessons learnt from the proposed professional development activity.

ACCCN may contact grant applicants to seek clarification on points or to request further information.

The ACCCN Board reserves the right not to allocate the grant on a given year.

If for any reason the participant cannot undertake the professional development activity the funding is to be returned to ACCCN. The ACCCN Board has the right to award the grant to another applicant.

Notification of Application Outcome

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application via email.

Grant Recipient Obligations and Responsibilities

Successful Grant applicants must comply with the conditions of the grant. Failure to comply with the conditions outlined above will result in non-payment or withdrawal of grant funds by the ACCCN.

A 100-250 word report outlining the activity and benefit to cardiac/intensive care nursing on completion of activity to be submitted to ACCCN for publication in the newsletter.

On completion of the professional development activity, a 100-250 word report outlining the activity and benefits to critical care nursing, must be submitted to the ACCCN for publication in the newsletter.