Last chance to vote for your Patient's Choice Award winner
Friday is your last chance to vote in the Patient’s Choice category of the RCNi Nurse Awards 2017, the profession’s top accolade for nursing excellence.
The award, sponsored by Yakult, enables members of the public to thank a nurse, midwife, health visitor, healthcare assistant or assistant practitioner who has given exceptional care and made a difference to their or a loved one's care.
Voting closes at midnight on 28 April, and the winner will be announced at the RCNi Nurse Awards on 5 May.
Outstanding and inspirational
RCNi editorial director Graham Scott and Patients’ Association chief executive Katherine Murphy shortlisted the five finalists.
Mr Scott said: ‘Here are five inspirational nurses and five examples of outstanding care who all deserve an award. Typically, these modest nurses would say they are just doing their job, but it is clear from the testimonies that they have each made an enormous difference to the lives of those who nominated them. What a fantastic showcase of the profession.
‘We hope the public will show us who they think deserves to win this prestigious accolade by taking part in our vote.’
The shortlisted nurses
Joanna O'Toole, respiratory specialist nurse, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Lesley Chan nominated her daughter’s ‘wonderful and courageous’ respiratory specialist nurse for the comfort, support and compassion she has shown the family, even while terminally ill herself.
Karen Coutts, deputy ward sister, mental health, Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust. Alexandra Elkington nominated ‘exceptional’ Karen's tireless work to help her cope with her dissociative identity disorder diagnosis: ‘She saved my life – and taught me how to save myself.’
Nadine MacArthur, community mental health nurse, NHS Grampian. Jo Mullen said her community mental health nurse has made her feel empowered and independent by encouraging her to develop and deliver resources explaining her borderline personality disorder diagnosis.
Sarah Moody, eating disorder specialist nurse, Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Hannah nominated her eating disorder specialist nurse ‘for going above and beyond, giving me life and helping me believe I deserved it’. This year Hannah graduates – as a nurse.
Sian Bodman, senior diabetes nurse, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Sian has been nominated on ‘behalf of so many patients and families’ she has cared for, educated, inspired and supported through their diabetes, doggedly working to improve care.