Success for local nurses at Nurse of the Year awards night

Success for local nurses at Nurse of the Year awards night

19 June 2024

LOCAL nurses were among the winners at the Royal College of Nursing Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Awards last week.

The prestigious event was held at the Culloden Hotel, near Belfast.

Professor Donna Fitzsimons, from Coney Island, who is Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s University Belfast, won the prestigious Kathleen Robb Award for outstanding contribution to nursing – just days before awarded an OBE award in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Professor Fitzsimons currently leads national and international research projects in cardiovascular prevention, heart failure and arrhythmia management, and sits on several grant funding committees and editorial boards. 

Rita Devlin, Executive Director of RCN Northern Ireland said: “Donna’s research in this area influences practices and her professional standing nationally and internationally is second to none.”

Nicola Broome, from Downpatrick, was runner-up in the Cancer Nurse Award, sponsored by Macmillan Cancer Support.

As Macmillan’s acute oncology clinical nurse specialist in the South Eastern Trust, Nicola works tirelessly to ensure that the service advocates for patients who are acutely unwell due to cancer, complications from treatment, or who present as an emergency due to a previously undiagnosed cancer.

“Through Nicola’s vision, passion and resilience, she has developed equal access to person-centred services for patients, has improved standards of care and the patient experience, reduced length of stay and prevented hospital admission as well as promoting timely investigations and treatment,” Mrs Devlin said.

“The judging panel praised Nicola’s passion for supporting and advocating on behalf of vulnerable patients.”

Ballynahinch man Mark Doran received the Nursing Research Award. 

Mark’s PhD focused on research into social eating for patients living with head and neck cancer.

After treatment, up to 90% of patients have challenges eating and drinking which can significantly diminish the quality of life.

Mark developed a resource called ‘Eating with Others’ which is now used in clinical practice in Northern Ireland and his findings may benefit other patients living with stroke, motor neurone disease and other cancers.

Mark was commended by the judging panel for his leadership role and described his work as “an excellent example of high-quality research with impact”.

Emma Parker from Newcastle, was the joint winner of the CNO Rising Star Award.

Emma, who is a staff nurse, began her journey as a newly-qualified nurse at the Downe Hospital in May 2022. 

Described as a shining light, she was nominated for her empathy, expertise and humility, endearing her to patients and colleagues alike.

She has also extended her support to students during their placements, embodying the role of a mentor and guide.

Her nominator said: “Emma’s impact as a young leader and compassionate nurse has been nothing short of transformative for our ward. Her contributions have enriched our team dynamic, and her presence has become indispensable.”

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt paid tribute to the winners and nominees.

“I want to thank all of you for your contribution to our health service and I am delighted to pay tribute to some of the extraordinary individuals within the nursing profession,” he said.

“You play such a positive role in the lives of so many here in Northern Ireland. Your hard work fully deserves the recognition that this award ceremony brings and I was truly honoured to be part of the RCN Nurse of the Year celebrations.”