Nairn student receives nursing award

A Nairn student has been presented with an award for her dedication to community nursing. Patricia Thomas (48)  received an academic award from the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland. The award is given to outstanding students who promote excellence in community nursing.

Patricia works as a district nurse with NHS Highland and is also studying for a MA in health and wellbeing with the University of the Highlands and Islands at Lews Castle College UHI. She was presented with a Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) certificate and a cash prize by Rachel Erskine, the university’s programme leader for its MA health and wellbeing, in Inverness last month.

Patricia said: “I was pleased to receive the award. The course material has taken me out of my comfort zone of nursing and has given me the opportunity of looking at other broader topics such as green spaces.”

Clare Cable, chief executive and nurse director of QNIS, said: “By illustrating her outstanding commitment to community nursing, Patricia has continued the proud traditions of our Queen’s Nurses who, for many years, provided excellent nursing across the communities of the Highlands and Islands.”

Rachel Erskine added: “Patricia is an excellent student and is a deserving recipient of this award. We are delighted to be building links between our MA health and wellbeing programme and the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland. We hope our relationship will continue to develop when the university starts to deliver pre-registration nurse education programme for BSc mental health nursing and BSc adult nursing next year.”
 
The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland is a charitable organisation which aims to promote excellence in community nursing to improve the health and well-being of the people of Scotland. Pat Tyrrell, deputy director of nursing and midwifery within NHS Highland, is a QNIS trustee.