Northumbria shortlisted for four national nursing awards

Outstanding nursing students and staff from Northumbria University have been shortlisted for four prestigious national awards by the Student Nursing Times.

The University has been shortlisted for the national Nurse Education Provider of the Year (pre-registration) title, after winning the same award for post-registration nurse education three years running, and lecturers Claire Fordand Laura Park have been shortlisted in the Teaching Innovation of the Year category. Their development of a specialist website containing videos, podcasts and posters has helped to support student nurses with their learning outside of the classroom.

Meanwhile, in the categories celebrating student achievement, students Sarah Morey and Ross Wyatt have also been shortlisted for two awards.

Sarah has been shortlisted for the Learner of the Year: Post-registration title for her commitment to improving nursing practice and patient care. Sarah, who is a registered nurse with over 20 years of clinical experience, is due to complete a PhD into patient perceptions of health care assistants later this year. Her work has been so successful that she has already been invited to present her research findings at national and international conferences.

Ross has been shortlisted for the Student Nurse of the Year: Learning Disabilities award. He became a nursing student after adopting four children – three of whom have learning disabilities – and has flourished throughout his studies. He volunteers for a learning disability nursing social media channel, is an active student representative supporting his classmates and is on track to achieve a first class degree.

The Student Nursing Times Awards are the only national awards to celebrate the very best student nurses and nurse education providers in the country. They recognise and reward institutions and individuals who are committed to developing new nursing talent, as well as student nurses who demonstrate the academic achievement, clinical skills and personal qualities that will make exceptional nurses.

Professor Dianne Ford, Executive Dean of Northumbria’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, said: “As one of the largest and most successful providers of nurse education in the north of England, we are delighted to see that the work of our staff and students is being recognised by our peers on a national level. To be shortlisted for both the outstanding academic experience we provide, as well as for the exceptional student nurses we are producing, is testament to the high quality nurse education that Northumbria University provides.”

Northumbria’s nursing programmes at Northumbria were the first in the country to be accredited by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and are ranked top 20 in the UK in both the Sunday Times Good University Guide and the Complete University Guide.

The awards will be held in London on Thursday 28 April.