Edith Donnelly was presented with the award by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt MLA and RCN Northern Ireland Executive Director, Rita Devlin, at a special ceremony held at the Culloden Hotel, Holywood last night (13 June).
Based in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Edith recognised a gap in service provision for people living with HFpEF and identified the need to treat them early. She has made an immeasurable impact on this group of patients who are now being correctly diagnosed with Edith providing holistic and person-centred assessment, treatment, education and follow-up. Patients are experiencing lower hospital admissions and a better quality of life as a result. Many of these patients would otherwise have gone unrecognised and undertreated.
Edith’s nominator says that patients feel able to engage with her service and make decisions about their care and says Edith “worked tirelessly and passionately for this group of patients, seeing the human story behind every person who walked through her door”, practising “with knowledge, compassion and empathy”.
Runner-up on the evening was Suzie McCullagh, an Occupational Health Nurse Specialist in the Belfast Trust. Suzie was awarded for making an exceptional contribution to occupational health nursing, a critical but often overlooked area. She has been relentless in pursuing change and service improvement, including the management of infectious diseases, setting up a nurse-led skin clinic and overhauling the reporting of sharps injuries.
Two new awards were launched this year including the Digital Innovation in Nursing Award sponsored by Digital Health and Care NI. David McAuley, Mental Health Practitioner at Causeway GP Federation won the award for a groundbreaking online initiative which provides a one stop platform for patients to find health information and services.
There were two winners of the Palliative Care Nursing Award, sponsored by Marie Curie. Lisa Cassidy and Lynda Cox represented a team of clinical nurse specialists in the Northern Trust who were awarded for the specialist palliative care and support they provide to patients. Roisin O’Toole and Alyson Wilson from the Belfast Trust lead the delivery of palliative care within the Trust’s care home team. They were awarded for improving residents' experiences and reducing unnecessary emergency department attendances across the sector.
Professor Donna Fitzsimons from Queen’s University, Belfast won the prestigious Kathleen Robb Award for outstanding contribution to nursing, sponsored by the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt paid tribute to the nursing profession. He said: “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. 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 awards ceremony brings and I was truly honoured to be part of the RCN Nurse of the Year celebrations. I and my department are committed to supporting and valuing our nurses and health care support workers, and providing them with the respect, resources and recognition they so rightfully deserve.”
RCN Northern Ireland Executive Director, Rita Devlin, added: “Edith has designed a nurse-led service which is an outstanding example of how nurses across Northern Ireland are leading and improving patient care. Edith’s commitment to her patients is inspirational and she has made a huge impact on their quality of life.
“Each year these awards showcase the skills and expertise we have in Northern Ireland and how nursing staff are striving to deliver the highest quality care and service to patients.
“Many congratulations to all our finalists who have demonstrated the very best of nursing in Northern Ireland.”
List of winners
RCN Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Award
Winner
Edith Donnelly
Advanced nurse practitioner, heart failure
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Runner-up
Suzie McCullagh
Occupational health nurse specialist
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Commended
Sharon Adamson
Lead nurse, general surgery
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Darren Hughes
CAMHS youth justice senior mental health practitioner
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Public Health Award sponsored by the Public Health Agency
Winner
Cathy Armstrong
Nursing governance lead
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Runner-up
Laura Mitchell
Child health assistant
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Palliative Care Nursing Award sponsored by Marie Curie
Joint winners
Roisin O’Toole, Assistant service manager, care home support team
Alyson Wilson, Clinical nurse co-ordinator for palliative care, care home support team
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Lisa Cassidy and Lynda Cox
Hospital specialist palliative care team clinical nurse specialists
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Health Care Support Worker Award
Joint winners
Robert Mulligan
Senior health care assistant
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Melaine Stronge
Senior health care assistant
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Chief Nursing Officer Rising Star Award, sponsored by the Department of Health
Joint winners
Aneica Duffy
Staff nurse
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Emma Parker
Staff nurse
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Team Manager Award, Sponsored by the HSC Clinical Education Centre and Business Services Organisation
Joint winners
Cahal Bradley
Charge nurse
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Oonagh Andrews
Sister, rapid response team
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Primary Care Nursing Award, sponsored by GP Federations Northern Ireland
Winner
Kim Tait
General practice nurse
Armagh and Dungannon GP Federation
Runner-up
David McAuley
Primary care mental health practitioner
Causeway GP Federation
Independent Sector Nursing Award, sponsored by Balmoral Healthcare
Winner
Hazel McMullan
Deputy manager
Healthcare Ireland
Runner-up
Diana Mos
Registered manager
Healthcare Ireland
Directors of Nursing Award, sponsored by Belfast, Northern, South Eastern, Southern and Western HSC Trusts
Winner
Caroline Diamond
Assistant Director of Women’s Services and Head of Midwifery
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Runner-up
Brendan McGrath
Assistant Director of Nursing: Workforce, Planning and Modernisation
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Student Award sponsored by the Queen’s University of Belfast
Winner
Patrina Loughran
The Queen’s University of Belfast
Runner-up
April Canning
Ulster University
Nursing Research Award sponsored by Ulster University
Winner
Mark Dornan
Lecturer
The Queen’s University of Belfast
Runner-up
Florence Sharkey
Lecturer in adult nursing
Ulster University
Learning in Practice Award sponsored by the Open University
Winner
Teresa Frazer
Practice educator
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Runner-up
Leah Beattie
Regional practice facilitator
East Eden Limited
Defence Reservist Nurse Award, sponsored by Defence Relationship Management, Ministry of Defence
Winner
Angela Dolan-Gregg
Infection prevention and control nursing officer
210 Multi-Role Medical Regiment
Runner-up
Kerry McFadden-Newman
Senior nursing officer
335 Medical Evacuation Regiment
Cancer Nurse Award, sponsored by Macmillan Cancer Support
Winner
Winner
Kerrie Sweeney and Lisa Lyons
Haematology nursing team
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Runner-up
Nicola Broome
Macmillan acute oncology clinical nurse specialist
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Leadership Award, sponsored by Roberta Brownlee and Silverdale Care Home
Winner
Mairead Donnelly
Head of service for public health nursing
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Runner-up
Angela Reed
Chief nursing and midwifery information officer
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Patient’s Choice Award, sponsored by the Patient and Client Council
Winner
Catherine Shannon
District nurse
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Joint Runners-up
Joan Newberry
School nurse
Friends’ School, Lisburn
Fiona Keegan
Macmillan colorectal nurse
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Digital Innovation in Nursing Award sponsored by Digital Health and Care, Northern Ireland
Winner
David McAuley
Primary care mental health practitioner
Causeway GP Federation
Runner-up
Rachel Belshaw
Digital practice officer
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Kathleen Robb Award for outstanding contribution to nursing, sponsored by NIPEC
Professor Donna Fitzsimons,
Queen’s University, Belfast
