Elise Clinghan from Donacloney and Garvin McKnight from Hillsborough were presented with Northern Ireland’s top nursing award for leading the Adapted Sex Offender Treatment Programme at Muckamore Hospital. This is the 12th year of the awards which are organised by the Royal College of Nursing.
The minister said: “I would like to congratulate Elise and Garvin for this achievement. They should be congratulated on their commitment to what is a difficult area of work. This is not a high profile part of nursing and yet it is clear from what we have heard this evening that both individuals are committed professionals, and thoroughly deserve the award they have received.
“As nurses what you do affects every single person in Northern Ireland at some time in their lives. You help people to live healthier lives, support those with a disability or chronic disease to achieve their full potential, and care for those who are terminally ill.
“The health and social care service is undergoing a period of dramatic change and transformation and you will be at the forefront of delivering this change for the benefits of patients. I will ensure that in the midst of all this change that nurses and midwives have all the support and resources they need to continue to fulfil their role.”
Among the other award winners on the night were runners-up Jackie Kayes, Julie Hamilton and Anne Whiteside from the Community Nurse In-Reach Service at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. They were commended for their work in providing a specialist nursing service to treat patients at home instead of having to be admitted to hospital.
Notes to editors:
1. RCN Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Award
Winner
Elsie Clinghan, Ward Sister and Garvin McKnight, Staff Nurse, Muckamore Abbey
Hospital
Runner-up
Jackie Kayes, Anne Whiteside, Julie Hamilton
Community nurse in-reach team, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Patient’s Choice Award sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline
Winner
Marie Allen, Community Children’s Nurse, Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Joint Runners-up
Terry Quinn, Health Care Assistant, Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit, Musgrave Park Hospital
Paddy Bell, Staff Nurse, Knockbracken Health Care Park
Team Manager Award sponsored by Pfizer
Winner
Hilary Maguire, Clinical Services Manager, Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice
Runner Up
Margaret Sloan, Ward Manager, Antrim Area Hospital
Health Care Support Worker Award, sponsored by the DHSSPS
Winner
Frances Phillips, Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice
Runner-up
Marie Craig, Bethany Care Home, Belfast
Directors of Nursing Award
Winner
Elizabeth Henderson, NICAN nurse director, Belfast City Hospital
Joint Runners-up
Barbara Hanna, respiratory nurse specialist South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Bernie McWilliams, Deputy Ward Manager, Mid-Ulster Hospital
Chief Nursing Officer’s Award, sponsored by the DHSSPS
Winner
Patricia Watt, Haemovigilance Practitioner, Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Runner-Up
Sharon Love, Falls Injury Prevention Nurse, Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Student Award, sponsored by Queen’s University
Winner
Jackie Moore, Open University
Joint Runners-up
Sarah Dorrian, Queen’s University
Nancy Maxwell, University of Ulster
Nursing Research Award, sponsored by the University of Ulster
Winner
Joan Lafferty, Celine Duffy, Fiona Rankin, Patricia Kearney, Breast Care Nurses, Altnagelvin Hospital
Runner-up
Karen Bleakley, University of Ulster/ Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice
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