A number of staff from across from NHS Forth Valley and local care homes have received Star Awards from the University of Stirling in recognition of the support they have provided to student nurses during their training.
Nursing students from all years of the programme nominated mentors for the Placement Mentor of the year award and I am delighted to let you know that the panel were very impressed with all the nominations received from all of the placement opportunities offered to students within all Faculties of the University.
The review panel were so impressed by the nominations received for the placement mentors that had great difficulty determining who should win. Following a great deal of discussion, the panel determined that the placement mentor winner should be Clare Brown from Russell Park. Tonya Broe from Renal Unit at Forth Valley Royal Hospital was also recognised for her work as a mentor.
Clare was described is a fantastic mentor with the patience, listening skills and time to understand the learning needs of students and demonstrate skills in a way that was easy to understand and manage. One of the students who nominated Claire said that if they could be half the nurse Clare is – demonstrating compassion, empathy, patience, understanding and a desire to teach and pass down knowledge without hesitation – they hoped they would be able to be someone else’s role model one day.
Fiona Smith, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling said: “ This is a fantastic acknowledgement of the pivotal role that the nursing mentors have for our students and how much the students appreciate them.”
