A student that designed resources to reassure patients and a team of colleagues that pioneered a dementia care learning programme with the State Hospital are finalists in the upcoming Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards.

Hosted by the Royal College of Nursing, the awards – which will take place in June 2025 – recognise, highlight, and celebrate the dedication and outstanding professional care of nursing staff across Scotland.

University of the West of Scotland adult nursing student, Fionnadh Ratchford, has been nominated for the Nursing Student of the Year award, while a multidisciplinary team of colleagues from the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice (ASCPP) at the University - in collaboration with the State Hospital - have been nominated for the Learning in Practice Award.

The Nursing Student of the Year award recognises those who have shown exceptional promise during their professional education and practice placement, as well as outstanding achievement during their studies, including academic performance, clinical skill, teamwork or patient care during clinical placement. 

Described as an innovative student nurse, Fionnadh identified a gap in patient experience during her placement in NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s Day Surgery Unit, observing that patients often arrived late, lost, and anxious, negatively impacting both them and surgical schedules. 

Realising this could be improved, Fionnadh proposed the creation of an educational video to guide and reassure patients, which is now being considered for wider promotion via NHS digital platforms and social media. Fionnadh’s leadership in this project demonstrates her proactive mindset, commitment to patient care, and the value of student-led initiatives. Fionnadh’s efforts were recognised by the Council of the Deans of Health and her work was profiled in their 150 Leaders project and was covered in Nurse Education Today.

Discussing her nomination, Fionnadh said: “Student nurses rarely get an opportunity to lead on a project. None of this would have been possible without the support, belief and encouragement of my personal tutor, Lynne Gordon and all the staff I met at UWS and NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

“I have had an amazing time at UWS and to be nominated for this award is truly amazing and then to make it into the final three is beyond all my expectations. UWS has provided me with an amazing foundation to begin my nursing career, with a range of opportunities afforded.”

Congratulations to both Fionnadh and Anna and her team at the ASCPP for their nominations at the upcoming RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards. The work being recognised here by all parties is incredibly inspiring and I wish all involved every success at the finals.

Julie Edgar, Dean of the School of HLS at UWS

Also a finalist is a multi-professional team of dementia educators, who are nominated for the Learning in Practice Award, which aims to recognise those who have demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the importance of learning and development. 

Laura Young, a UWS practice education facilitator working at the State Hospital, worked with Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice at the University to develop a dementia education programme focussing on the needs of people with dementia in the State Hospital, aligning with recommendations from the Scottish Government’s review of forensic mental health services.

The programme, which is a first of its kind, is tailored to the needs of forensic nursing staff, with experiential learning focussing on communication, personhood, and responsive care. The programme evaluation has been accepted for publication, evaluating the effects of a co-developed education programme to support the care of people with dementia in a secure setting. 

Anna Jack Waugh, Senior Lecturer within the ASCPP, said: “We’re delighted our dementia care programme team, including State Hospital colleagues, is a finalist for the Learning in Practice Award. Following the delivery of the dementia care learning programme, assessments have shown significant improvements in staff attitudes and knowledge regarding dementia, and three years on, some follow-up interviews confirmed the lasting positive impact on practice. The initiative is now being explored for wider implementation across Scotland through collaboration with The Forensic Network.”

Julie Edgar, Dean of the School of Health and Life Sciences, said: “Congratulations to both Fionnadh and Anna and her team at the ASCPP for their nominations at the upcoming RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards. The work being recognised here by all parties is incredibly inspiring and I wish all involved every success at the finals.”