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Leeds Beckett Student and Graduate Nominated for Prestigious Nursing Times Awards
Final year student Charlotte Gilligan and recent graduate Irfan Jina were both nominated in the Student of the Year: Adult category. Both were nominated by their Course Leader Fiona Meth.
Charlotte was nominated for being an all-round achiever who exemplifies the core values expected of a student nurse and qualified professional. It says she is a strong advocate for both her colleagues and her patients and receives wonderful placement feedback that shows her positive attitude towards her own learning, and her empathy and compassion towards patients.
She volunteered to work during the COVID pandemic last year, and supported her student cohort by ensuring there was an understanding of the risks and benefits to the group when this was being arranged. She undertook a voluntary placement with a local vaccination centre and has continued to volunteer with them.
Reflecting on her nomination, Charlotte said: “I was nominated by my course leader for the “Nursing Times - Student Nurse Of The Year - Adult” and after successfully being shortlisted and undertaking a rigorous interview was invited to London for the awards ceremony. The ceremony was a welcome change from the wards and scrubs!
“I am absolutely honoured to represent Leeds Beckett University and couldn’t be prouder of my achievements. I would not be the student nurse I am today without the support of the University and in particular Fiona Meth. I have developed both personally and professionally during my course and can’t wait to qualify in a few months! The other categories and nominees were outstanding, and everyone is a worthy winner.”
Irfan was nominated for being a well-rounded student who strives to do better, to be the best that he can be, which is demonstrated in everything that he does. He is academically studious, hard-working and strong and always gives of his best.
Irfan’s Assessors have said the following about him: ‘Irfan has been a pleasure to work with throughout his placement. He has a lovely manner both with his colleagues and with the patients. He is very kind and has a very measured approach to his work/placement, and it appears, his studies in general’ and ‘Irfan has great communication skills with staff and patients’.
In addition to his formal placements, Irfan completed a voluntary placement in a local Nursing Home, where his Practice Supervisor said of him ‘Irfan presented massive empathy towards our clients’.
Speaking about his nomination, Irfan Jina said: “I was drawn into nursing as a mature student, following my previous experience of working closely with research nurses and patients at St. James’s University Hospital. I developed a passion for helping people and wanted a career that was rewarding therefore nursing was a natural match for me.
“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, I received recognition for demonstrating commitment, compassion and resilience. I cared directly for Covid-19 patients in a community ward, consulted patients with long Covid in a general practice and volunteered as a vaccinator in a local health centre.
“Despite the challenges of balancing academic work alongside placements, I achieved a First-Class Honours degree in nursing. Overall, I feel extremely honoured and proud to be shortlisted as a finalist.”
Dr James Woodall, Reader and Head of Subject (Health Promotion and Nursing) in the School of Health said: “We are delighted that two of our final year students have been nominated for this prestigious award. Charlotte and Irfan have demonstrated excellence in their nursing education and will be an asset to the health service. We are immensely proud of their achievements and the way they represent our University values.”
The School of Health brings all the university’s health expertise into one area and provides the knowledge, skills and training to make a difference to individuals and communities, from exploring the diagnosis or treatment of disease, to the provision of a range of therapies for recovery and rehabilitation to community-based social care.
The results of the Student Nursing Times Awards were announced at a ceremony in London which Charlotte and Irfan both attended.