Local nurses shine at national awards
29 November 2024
It was another night of success for Hywel Dda University Health Board’s nursing team with two winners and one runner up at this year’s Royal College of Nurses (RCN) Wales Nurse of the Year Awards.
The prestigious annual awards took place in Cardiff on Thursday 21 November 2024 to celebrate the innovation and excellence in practice, acknowledging the outstanding efforts, commitment and achievements of our nursing community across Wales.
Many congratulations go to Claire Hurlin, Strategic Head of Community and Chronic Conditions Management, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award and Donna Major, Senior Ward Sister, winner of the Registered Nurse (Adult) Award. Bianca Oakley, Lead Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Cardigan Integrated Care Centre, was awarded runner up in the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales Award.
Sharon Daniel, Interim Director of Nursing, Quality and Patient Experience at the health board said: “I’m delighted and very proud that our nurses in Hywel Dda have been recognised again in this annual event. The awards provide a great opportunity for nurses, students, support workers and midwives to showcase the difference they make to the lives of people we care for. Congratulations to you all.”
Claire Hurlin, Strategic Head of Community and Chronic Conditions Management won the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work to construct the trial of an asthma interface nurse, linking together pharma, primary care and specialist difficult asthma care. As a result, the team has expanded, resulting in more patients receiving specialist treatments.
She commented: “It is a real privilege to accept this award. I am grateful to be in a profession that I am passionate about and had the opportunity to work with so many nurses and health care professionals to make a difference.”
Donna Major, Senior Ward Sister, winner of the Registered Nurse (Adult) Award for her work to improve the care of frailty and dementia patients. She explored innovative ways of improving safety and outcomes for patients on the frailty ward, which included milkshake rounds, hydration, snack self-service, gardening, book and luncheon club. She also was pivotal in establishing the Frailty Assessment Unit and ‘Art in Health’ weekly activities for inpatients living with dementia in Glangwili Hospital.
She commented: “I was very shocked and delighted to receive this award and it was a wonderful, very inspiring evening highlighting our fantastic Welsh nursing workforce and the positive impact they have on patient care everyday.”
Bianca Oakley, Lead Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Cardigan Integrated Care Centre, was awarded runner up in the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales Award for her work developing a Community Same Day Urgent Care Service. This has helped give patients access to care closer to home and reduced pressures on general hospital sites. She is also actively involved in research such as point-of-care testing in remote areas to improve and enable timely safe care to be delivered to patients, closer to their homes.
She added “It was a great privilege to be awarded runner up for the second year running in these awards. I am incredibly proud of our team in Ceredigion’s Same Day Urgent Care and Outreach service who have worked tirelessly over the last three years to provide advanced care closer to home. Being nominated was only possible because of their hard work and dedication.”
For more information about the winners and finalists, visit:
Nurse of the Year Award Winners 2024 | Wales | Royal College of Nursing (opens in new tab)
Photo:
Second from the left, Bianca Oakley, third (in red dress) Donna Major, Claire Hurlin (last on the right).