Double national award nominations for Nursing

The University’s Nursing team have two reasons for being cheerful this week, with double nominations at national health awards.

The Mental Health Nursing team are up for a Student Nursing Times Award* for Teaching Innovation of the Year for their initiative The Health Academy.

The Health Academy is a seven-week practice placement opportunity at the University’s Waterside Campus. Started in July 2021, it helps nursing students meet clinical practice placement hours – a core part of their degrees – and deliver health and wellbeing initiatives for other students, staff, and visitors who are on campus.

Since then, 34 Mental Health Nursing students have delivered over 2600 interventions, including giving 5 Ways to Wellbeing advice, activities to reduce stress, and physical health ‘check ins’.

Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing Iain Schrantz says: ”Our Mental Health nursing students have done a splendid job supporting the University’s approach to keeping our community healthy.

“The team and I congratulate all of them for their work developing The Health Academy – fingers crossed for the 28th April when the winner is announced.”

Stanley Blunt, who is in the final year of his Children and Young People’s (C&YP) Nursing degree, is up for a National Student Nurse Congress Award, against eight others.

The awards recognise excellence in student nursing, for those who show a passion for nursing and who go above and beyond what is expected of a student in nursing.

Stanley will find out if he’s won at the Congress event on the same day as the Student Nursing Times Awards. He says: “Being nominated and then shortlisted for this award is truly an honour. I have always tried my hardest to better myself and the course so that others can better themselves too. To have this recognised is fantastic.

“I also believe massively in the opinions of my fellow students. Whether at recruitment interviews or through my role as a course representative, these experiences have allowed me to build a strong rapport with faculty and students from all cohorts and fields of nursing. Thank you to all the C&YP Nursing lecturers and my fellow students for their ongoing support.”

*UON partner Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are also up for a Student Nursing Times Award for their placement pathways for students.