Mental health nurse shortlisted for prestigious award

Published On Wed 12 Apr 2017 by Dominic Younger

A mental health nursing student from the University of Dundee is up for a prestigious award from the Royal College of Nursing.

Third-year student Kirsty Killiard is the only mental health nurse from Scotland to be shortlisted for the national Andrew Parker Student Nurse Award, which will be announced in May.

Kirsty (25), from Lochgelly, is one of four finalists chosen for the award which celebrates student nurses who stand out as patient champions and have changed nursing practice as a result of their own experience or interaction with patients.

Kirsty was shortlisted after she introduced a significant change to practice on a ward where she was on placement, improving the way patients’ responses to treatments were monitored. She said, “This is massive personal achievement and it is an honour to represent the School and mental health nursing. It is so rewarding to be able to suggest changes on wards and to see them get taken on.

“My experiences and suggestions on placement should help increase the quality of care for mental health patients in Scotland. I am excited as I think I am the only one from Scotland to get invited to such a huge event.”

Jacqueline Eccles, Lecturing in Mental Health Nursing at the University, said, “We are very proud of Kirsty for being nominated for the RCNi Andrew Parker Student Nurse award. This is one of the profession’s top accolades for nursing excellence and we couldn’t be more delighted for her.”

The overall winner will be chosen on Friday, 5^th May 2017 at Westminster Park Plaza in London at the RCNi Nurse Award Ceremony.

For media enquiries contact:
Dominic Glasgow
Media Relations Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 385131
Email: d.w.glasgow@dundee.ac.uk