The Queen Silvia Nursing Award (QSNA) was a yearly prize for nursing talent that was established by Swedish Care International and Ideella föreningen Forum for Elderly Care.
It was active between 2012 and 2025.
The focus of the Award was to showcase new ideas and innovations stemming from nurses with the expressed mission to raise the quality of geriatric and cognitive / memory care.
Between 2012 and 2025, nurses and nursing students could apply for the Queen Silvia Nursing Award in network countries with their proposals to improve these two areas of care.
Winners received a 6000 Euro cash prize as well as international networking and learning opportunities with network partners.
The first Queen Silvia Nursing Award scholar was announced on 23 December 2013 to coincide with Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden's 70th birthday.
As of December 2025, there are 62 Queen Silvia Nursing Award laureates in 7 countries.
The Queen Silvia Nursing Award closed with the final cycle of the competition in December 2025.
2013 - 2019: The Queen Silvia Nursing Award is open to nursing students
2020: In response to the WHO's Year of the Nurse as well as the start of the global pandemic, the Queen Silvia Nursing Award begins to receive applications from registered nurses in all participating countries
2022: Ahead of the Swedish government's protection of the undersköterska professional title on the 1 July 2023, the Queen Silvia Nursing Award opens a category for these healthcare talents in Sweden and Finland.
2024: Swedish municipalities are invited to nominate a nurse or undersköterska responsible for executed projects in elderly- and/or cognitive-care to highlight and inspire initiatives in the country.
2025: Finnish wellbeing service counties are invited to nominate a nurse or lähihoitaja responsible for executed projects in elderly - and/or cognitive-care to highlight and inspire initiatives in the country.
2025: The Queen Silvia Nursing Award closes.