A University of Nottingham student nurse who was nominated by the grateful parents of a child she cared for in hospital has been named ‘Nurse of the Year’ in this year’s Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Awards.
Christina O’Loughlin, 24, a second-year graduate entry nursing student in the University’s School of Health Sciences, was overall winner as well as Student Nurse of the Year, and will also have a Nottingham tram named after her.
Christina said: "It was my mum who inspired me to pursue my dreams of becoming a nurse and I am so happy but also really shocked to win these awards. Hopefully I’ll carry on the way I am and continue to learn from those around me, and I hope to be a great nurse in the future."
Newly-crowned nurse of the year Christina has worked at QMC this year and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience. She is following in the footsteps of her mother Wendy who works as a Discharge Co-ordinator at QMC who she says inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. She graduates in December and hopes to return to NUH.
Christina was one of eight winners at the Nurse and Midwife of the Year Awards which recognise the outstanding contributions of nurses and midwives working for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (which includes QMC, City Hospital, Ropewalk House and those providing services in the community).
The 2017 winners are:
- Adult Nurse of the Year: Laura Hardwick
- Children's Nurse of the Year: Claire Pothecary
- Healthcare Assistant of the Year: John Marriott
- International Nurse of the Year: Andreia Almeida
- Midwife of the Year: Heather Bartram
- Nurse Leader of the Year: Lucy Gillespie
- Student Nurse of the Year: Christina O’Loughlin
- QMC 40 Anniversary Award: Mary Palframan
Professor Joanne Lymn, Head of The University of Nottingham’s School of Health Sciences where Christina is studying, said: “Our School motto talks about excellence being a habit and Christina is a wonderful example of this, going over and above on a daily basis and describing it as 'just doing my job'. She is truly inspirational and so deserving of this award.”
Mandie Sunderland, NUH’s Chief Nurse, said: “We have had a fantastic response from the people of Nottingham, with almost 40,000 votes for this year’s winners. This is testament to the outstanding care being provided in hospitals and in communities across Nottingham.
“Never has it been so important that we take the time to recognise and appreciate the vital role of our nurses and midwives. Tonight is all about saying ‘thank you’ to each of them for their dedication and determination to do the best job for our patients.”
22 nurses and midwives were shortlisted for the awards which were hosted at the Nottingham Conference Centre. The event was possible thanks to a number of sponsors from across the region including Nottingham Express Transit (NET) and the Nottingham Post.
Peter Homa, NUH Chief Executive, said: “These awards are one of the highlights of the year and a special occasion whereby the local community comes together to support and thank our nurses and midwives for all they do and the excellent care they provide to our patients, their families and carers. Very many thanks to the Nottingham Post, NET and our sponsors for making this event – which means so much to so any of our staff – possible. These awards are an example of partnership working at its very best.
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in the 2017 The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide. It is ranked in the world’s top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and 8th in the UK for research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for four years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities.
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