10 June 2011

Poots Backs 'Winners' In Nursing Awards

Nurses are ideally placed to develop new and innovative ways of delivering care.

That's according to the Stormont Health Minister, Edwin Poots, who was this week praising the various Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Award winners.

Speaking at the 14th award's ceremony, Mr Poots said: "You are there for the patient, whether it be day and night. You are available to listen to the patient's story, and have the privilege of experiencing the patient's journey.

"You are the people who know what needs to be done and how we might do it," he said.

The prestigious title of Nurse of the Year was awarded to Pauline Haslett, Living Donor Coordinator, who works in the Regional Nephrology Unit, Belfast City Hospital.

Mr Poots said: "Congratulations to Pauline on being named RCN Nurse of the Year. She is an inspirational leader, who has improved the quality of life for numerous renal transplant patients in Northern Ireland."

Process

As the donor coordinator, top nurse Pauline Haslett has developed a one-day assessment service for those relatives who wish to donate a kidney.

This replaces the previous system, which involved donors having to make a minimum of eight hospital visits just to complete the necessary investigations. Often having to travel long distances to the regional centre, and becoming discouraged, with the lengthy process.

Commenting, the Minister added: "People in Northern Ireland wait longer than almost all other regions in the UK for a transplant. Traditionally only a very small percentage of transplants have been from live donors.

"Yet we know that a kidney from a healthy person rather than from someone who has died will potentially last twice as long as a kidney transplant from a deceased donor.

"This is an excellent example of how we can improve services, and through this initiative, we have seen the number of live kidney donor transplants increase from just over 10 in 2009 to over 40 last year.

"The impact on the individual's patient’' life is significant, both in terms of quality and quantity of life," the DUP Minister said.

Patients who have a successful transplant can come off renal dialysis, and for some, dialysis can be prevented.

The Minister acknowledged that not everyone could be or would want to be a live donor, however he did encourage everyone to consider carrying a donor card, and to make their relatives aware of their intentions to donate an organs.

He said: "Giving someone the opportunity to live, or to improve the quality of another person’s life, is surely one of the noblest things any of us can do. I would encourage everyone to carry a donor card."

Celebration

Addressing the audience of around 300 health service leaders, politicians and RCN members, the Minister also said that it was right to celebrate the excellence that exists within healthcare and within nursing in Northern Ireland.

"Driving up quality of services and outcomes for patients is my priority and will guide all that I do. That is why I will promote greater involvement of professionals in decision making and service development," he said.

He challenged those present to reflect on the achievements of the finalists and urged that that their innovation and practice developments were replicated across Northern Ireland.

As well as the winner, Pauline Haslett, the runner-up was Esther Gishkori, who is the lead for nursing and governance for prison healthcare in the South Eastern HSC Trust.

Among several other award winners was the Patient's Choice Award winner, Loreena Hill, a heart failure nurse specialist at the Royal Group of Hospitals, in the Belfast HSC Trust.

(BMcC/GK)