Trust nurses commended for improving patient safety
28/06/2012
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The work of a Western Trust nurse with respiratory patients has been recognised at the sixteenth annual Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Nurse of the Year Awards.
Helena Phelan, a Respiratory Nurse specialist based at Altnagelvin Hospital, won the Chief Nursing Officer’s Award for Patient Safety Based at Altnagelvin Hospital. Helena deals with patients who are dependent on using equipment such as nebulisers and oxygen. Through improving the efficiency of data systems which record such equipment, patient safety has been significantly improved. Helena was particularly praised for identifying risks to patient safety and devising an effective system to address them.
Western Trust nurses were represented in three of the nine categories for which awards were presented at the RCN ceremony which celebrates excellence in nursing and showcases examples of innovation in practice by the profession..jpg)
Fiona Mullan, a Multiple Sclerosis Specialist Nurse at Altnagelvin Hospital was commended in the Nurse of the Year Award category for the impact she has made as the first specialist MS nurse outside Belfast. Amongst the many initiatives Fiona has set up are: a telephone advice line; nurse-led clinics, home visits and courses for newly-diagnosed patients.
Roisin McGarrigle from Eglinton was runner-up in the Transforming Care with Technology Award sponsored by TF3 Consortium. As Respiratory Case Manager at the Western Trust, 
Roisin was awarded for developing the use of tele-monitoring to support patients so they may have greater control of their condition.
Siobhan McNeill, Hospital at Night Clinical Coordinator, South West Acute Hospital was commended in the Nurse of the Year Award category for introducing the night time service into the Erne Hospital. The service Siobhan designed and implemented was took the pressure off junior doctors and nursing staff.
Director of Nursing at the Trust, Alan Corry Finn Congratulated Helena, Roisin, Fiona and Siobhan on their success at the annual RCN Awards and said he was delighted to see the great work and professionalism of Western Trust nurses commended at a regional level.
