Introducing the APNA Foundation

The Positive Disruptor Fund supports our first APNA Scholar

Katherine Fullagar, APNA Operations Manager

For more than 20 years, APNA has been dedicated to supporting the professional growth and development of primary health care nurses across Australia. APNA is thrilled to announce that we have reached a new milestone with the establishment of the APNA Foundation and the announcement of our first positive disruptor, Samantha Browne.

The APNA Foundation was created to offer financial support and resources to nurses who have ambitious ideas aimed at transforming the healthcare landscape. The APNA Foundation’s first initiative is The Positive Disruptor Fund.

The Positive Disruptor Fund

The goal of the APNA Foundation is to encourage innovation, support professional development and build a community of change agents who are committed to improving healthcare delivery in Australia. The Positive Disruptor Fund will achieve these objectives by offering nurses the opportunity to enhance their skills, receive mentorship and make a lasting impact on the healthcare system. The Positive Disruptor Fund offers two key opportunities for nurses: the APNA Scholar Program and APNA Innovator Grants.

APNA Scholar Program

This program is designed to support nurses in their pursuit of advanced education. One nurse will be selected each year to receive a Florence Nightingale Foundation Global Scholarship. This scholarship helps nurses to further their education while developing a change project aimed at addressing critical healthcare challenges. With £15,000 to cover the core program and residential attendance, this program provides both financial support and the opportunity to work alongside global nursing leaders, significantly enhancing the recipient's leadership skills. The first APNA Scholar was awarded in early 2025 (see below).

APNA Innovator Grants

Later this year, the Foundation will launch APNA Innovator Grants. These grants will selectively award funding to nurses who submit impactful and innovative project concepts. They will focus on solutions to healthcare challenges and support the development of groundbreaking nursing projects. Nurses who receive these grants will be recognised as APNA Innovators, joining a network of nurses dedicated to transformative change.

Fostering leadership in nursing

The APNA Scholar Program is focused on developing the leadership capabilities of Australian nurses. The recipient will be awarded a Florence Nightingale Foundation Global Scholarship. This is a prestigious international opportunity that equips nurses with the knowledge, experience and mentorship they need to become leaders in the field.

Florence Nightingale Foundation Leadership Scholarships are recognised worldwide as a transformative opportunity for nurses. Recipients are immersed in an in-depth personal development program that includes experiential learning, individual assessments and the creation of a change project. Scholars are paired with experienced mentors who provide ongoing guidance, and they also benefit from a supportive network of global peers.

The APNA Scholar Program is tailored to ambitious nurses who are seeking to take the next step in their careers. Whether they aspire to become healthcare executives, directors, or systems leaders, this scholarship provides the foundation for long-term professional growth and success.

As part of the program, scholars will spend time in London, attending core program sessions and participating in residential events. They will also work on a change project that will help them implement real-world solutions to challenges in health care. This unique program allows nurses to develop skills that extend beyond their clinical expertise, providing them with the tools necessary to lead healthcare teams, influence policy and advocate for better care delivery.

Our first APNA Scholar

The inaugural recipient of the APNA Scholar Program is Samantha Browne, a school nurse from Riverside Christian College in Queensland.

Sam’s project focuses on addressing the mental health challenges that teachers face in the school environment. With an increasing number of students experiencing mental health issues, teachers often find themselves on the frontlines of a growing crisis, yet they are not always equipped to manage these challenges effectively. Sam’s goal is to design strategies that help teachers better support students with acute mental health conditions, while also ensuring that teachers receive the support they need.

‘Of course, it is a complete honour to be representing APNA as a global scholar and I feel particularly privileged to be representing school nurses in Australia,’ says Sam.

‘Mental health in young Australians is a cause for concern, and it is often teachers, the frontline of our education system, who are faced with confronting, acute mental health presentations. What an exciting project to be given a chance to develop – providing a much-needed decision support tool to equip school-based educators – something that will, in turn, better support school nurses.’

As an APNA Scholar, Sam will travel to London to join other global nursing leaders. In London she will develop her leadership skills further, gain new insights into innovative practices and enhance her ability to drive meaningful change in her field.

‘I’m excited to see how the program develops my skills as a nursing leader. I am also looking forward to forging fresh new academic relationships with the staff of the Florence Nightingale Foundation. I believe the highlight for me will be attending the 60th Florence Nightingale Commemoration Service, which is being held at Westminster Abbey. That said, it is a two-year program, and I am sure there will be many more highlights to come,’ says Sam.

By empowering nurses like Sam, the APNA Foundation is creating a pathway for those with bold ideas to make a lasting impact on health care delivery. With these initiatives, the APNA Foundation is helping to shape the future of nursing in Australia, one innovative idea at a time.