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Chris Wamsley won the award last night.

Organised by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Chris was presented with the award at a special ceremony held at the Culloden Hotel, Holywood.

Chris was nominated for taking on a management role and leading a ward team that had previously felt demotivated and lacking in direction, working with them to develop a vision of the care they wished to provide for patients.

Drawing upon the #EndPJparalysis and The Last 1000 Days work of Professor Brian Dolan, he designed the Dress for Success initiative which focuses upon promoting person-centred care, dignity and independence by encouraging patients to get out of bed, get dressed and remain mobile, wherever possible. The initiative promotes the increased involvement of relatives with the care of the patient and protects time for staff to engage in purely social interaction with patients.

Evaluation has highlighted how patients’ experiences and safety have improved through being in greater control of their own care. It also records how the initiative promotes more accurate assessment and safer discharge.

Chris’ innovation has reduced reliance on community care packages and saved hospital bed days. The judging panel commended Chris for respecting and promoting patient dignity, individuality and choice, as well as engaging with and supporting staff to improve patient care.

Runner-up on the evening was Pauline Curran. An IV and subcutaneous lead specialist nurse in the Southern Trust, Pauline has enhanced the service for patients in hospital requiring intravenous antibiotics at home and who need a peripherally-inserted central catheter (PICC) line.

Previously, the procedure was completed by a consultant radiologist. However, Pauline researched other models of care and discovered that specialist nurses in England were conducting this procedure with the aid of ultrasound scanners. Following negotiation with a range of stakeholders, a specialist nurse-led pilot was established in 2017. This enabled PICC lines to be inserted by a specialist nurse at the bedside across all hospital sites in the Southern Trust.

The judging panel commended Pauline for demonstrating clearly how an evidence-based nurse-led service can produce better outcomes for patients and increase capacity within the hospital.

Roisin Devlin from Belfast was presented with the nurse leadership award sponsored by Roberta Brownlee and Silverdale Care Home. Emergency department lead nurse in the South Eastern Trust, Roisin was nominated for her leadership of the three emergency departments in the trust through a period of significant change.

Commenting on the Awards, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland, Janice Smyth said: “Chris Wamsley identified the impact that hospitalisation can have on patients who had been living independently at home. This initiative has made a huge difference to these patients, promoting dignity and person-centred care.

“The judging panel was highly impressed at how Chris engaged and supported staff, built a cohesive team and improved staff morale through an initiative that enhanced the quality of patient care and patient’s experience of care.

“This is the 22nd year of the Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Awards which have highlighted some of the best examples of nursing practice. Despite the wider health service continuing to face challenges, particularly during this period where there is a vacuum in political leadership, it is important to recognise and value the excellent care nurses provide to the people of Northern Ireland.

“Through these awards we have seen several examples that show clearly the contribution that nursing is making to health service transformation in Northern Ireland. I am extremely encouraged by the excellence and innovation shown by our finalists who are a credit to the nursing profession.”