A Dundee nurse has just won an award for the best presentation in international nursing from a world-wide conference of nurses in Sydney.
Maria Etchels, who works in the Intensive Care Unit at Ninewells, presented her work on a computerised intensive care system for patients in intensive care to a packed conference of 2,500 delegates. Maria is working with researchers in the applied computing department at the University of Dundee to develop the system.
The communication aid allows patients in intensive care to touch screens to ask doctors or relatives questions and can be personalised very quickly by a relative supplying information. The original prototype was cumbersome but now Maria and a team of researchers at the University of Dundee are altering the system to make it more portable and user-friendly.
Just returned from Sydney, Maria said: " I am ecstatic and very proud to have received this award. The head of the conference said that our communication aid for patients is extremely innovative and should be used all over the world. This commendation speaks volumes for the standards of nursing care and research in Dundee."
Lesley Summerhill, Director of Nursing and Patient Services with Tayside University Hospitals said: "This is a well-deserved honour for Maria, and I am delighted that all her hard work has been recognised with this award. This is an excellent example of different disciplines working together, and it is one which will have benefits for patients and carers, in improving their quality of life."
While attending the eighth world conference on intensive and critical care Maria made five visits to intensive care units in Sydney to observe the methods and standards of care in Australia.
Maria works as a specialist nurse in the ICU at Ninewells twice a week and spends the rest of her time developing the communication aid with the team at the University of Dundee.
The team of researchers from the applied computing department at the University of Dundee include Dr Norman Alm, Dr Annalu Waller and PhD students who are all involved in developing the communication aid for patients in intensive care./ENDS
Contact Maria Etchels 01382 348234