Two Armagh care professionals were celebrating recently after they were honoured at the 2014 RCN Nurse of the Year Awards.
Rosemary Dilworth, Apple Mews Care Home manager, finished runner-up in the Bamford Vision Award sponsored by the DHSSPS while student nurse Jenny Mills won the Student Award sponsored by Queen’s University.
Jenny is a third year learning disability nursing student at Queen’s University.
Her nominator for the award praised her “high academic standard”, “innate caring attributes and the “excellent attitude, flexibility and versatility in the delivery of safe patient care” she displayed during her practice placements.
Jenny led and a fundraising committee and travelled to Timisoara, Romania to help improve the lives of children there with learning disabilities.
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Such was her impact during that trip that a room in a hospital in Timisoara was named in honour of Queen’s.
Her Romanian host, Dr Oana Cuicure, said: “She will never know how much her generosity in spirit and tireless organisation has impacted the lives of these disabled children. Jenny’s nominator described her as “a very well-rounded, well-balanced, caring and compassionate nursing student”.
Rosemary finished runner-up in the Bamford Vision award which aims to showcase the work currently undertaken in mental health and learning disability settings.
Rosemary’s nomination focused on the leading role she played in managing the resettlement process with what her nominator, Gavin O’Hare Connolly, describes as “a seamless and service user focus throughout”.
She regularly visited hospital sites to meet and reassure future residents and their families through her warmth, professionalism and dedication.
Rosemary exudes a passion to ensure that clients have an exceptional quality of life, promoting the optimal level of independence and focusing on the Bamford vision recovery model of care that emphasises integration within the community, rather than focusing solely on the clients’ disability or health condition.
Rosemary insists that is their right and not a privilege. Her nominator said: “Rosemary inspires everyone to provide a quality of life for the residents which any of us would be proud to have for ourselves or for our loved ones.” For more great qualities of a great nurse, check out this infographic from Day Webster.
