The Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) team at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI), part of the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) scooped a win at the national Nursing Times Awards earlier this week, at a ceremony that celebrates the best in nursing.
Following a rigorous judging process, the team based on the Surgical Assessment Unit within MRI, emerged as the winners of the ‘Surgical Nursing’ category for their work in improving patient experience for emergency general surgical patients.
The award win recognised their hard work in leading on the surgical emergency ambulatory care plan, which was developed by MFT to improve support and care for patients when they are at their most vulnerable.
Surgery can be a daunting prospect for most people, and nurses are relied upon not only for their clinical skills, but also to offer psychological support and to act as an advocate to those facing the prospect of emergency surgery.
The service change at MRI first started with just one trainee ANP tasked with improving patient experience and supporting emergency surgical admissions. The team quickly expanded into five ANPs – which have proved to be incredibly successful in reducing length of stay on the Unit and improving patient experience.
Director of Nursing at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Dawn Pike said: “The award win for the team is a fantastic achievement and represents the outstanding, quality service provided on the Surgical Assessment Unit.
“The team has really demonstrated what a fantastic job they do, and the impact this service change has had on the Unit, and for our patients. I am so proud of each and every one of them for achieving this award and it is truly deserved. We are hoping to expand this amazing team in 2020.”
Advanced Nurse Practitioner’s Anna Riley, Joe Box and Aileen Aherne attended the ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London to receive the award on behalf of the team. Natalie Grady and Jashmin Maria, who are also part of the ANP team, remained in Manchester to ensure service provision.
Judges of the Awards praised the team for their win by saying: “We were really impressed with the amazing breadth of the service changes and the depth of the improvements, which were all clearly driven by the nurses themselves. The passion, intelligence and enthusiasm was injectable; it was the sense of humility and sincerity in their desire to truly put the patient at the heart of everything they do.”
The 2019 Nursing Times Awards brought 1,200 nurses together to celebrate the best work of an amazing profession, with 23 teams and individuals awarded on the evening.
See a full list of winners of the Nursing Times Awards website here.