Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) has been named a finalist across four categories in 2022's Student Nursing Times Awards.

Over the past few months a team of colleagues in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health, led by Julia Williams, have been nominating academic colleagues, practice partners and students for the awards.

Associate Head of School Paul Maloret said: “Our nursing students continue to demonstrate incredible resilience and proudly represent BNU in the NHS and the private health and social care sector. These shortlisted students have been nominated because they have stood out and caught the attention of their tutors both in the classroom and within their clinical placements. We would like to congratulations them all on their achievements.” 

The awards bring together the nursing community to shine a light on the brightest talent making their way into the profession.

Highlighting excellence in education across all specialties of nursing, the awards also provide the opportunity to congratulate the lecturers, practice supervisors, universities, trusts and private organisations going above and beyond to support student nurses on their journey. Those shortlisted are:

• Nursing Associate Trainee of the Year - Sanju Adhikari (FDSc Apprentice 2020)
• Student Nurse of the Year: Adult - Grace Neequaye (BSc Sept 19)
• Student Nurse of the Year: Children - Charlotte Whitlock (RNDA Oct 19)
• Student Nurse of the Year: Mental Health - Michelle Chandler (BSc 2019)

Staff and students have a good track record of winning Student Nursing Times Awards – last year Senior lecturer David Rawcliffe picked up the title of Educator of the Year.

Each person(s) shortlisted will be invited to present to the Nursing Times panel over the next coming weeks and the winners will be announced at a glittering live ceremony on Friday 27 May 2022 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London.

Here’s a bit more about our shortlisted nominees:

Sanju Adhikari

Sanju has been described as a committed learner who is eager to achieve her best. Her mentors and line managers are happy to work with her and she is described as a good teammate and supports every one that needs her help. She has received very good feedback every month from her peers and mentors. Sanju has been very adaptable to the changes and challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic brought, and she is a great ambassador for the Nursing Associate Programme, her infectious personality and approach to learning is inspirational to all Nursing Associate Apprentices.

Grace Neequaye

Grace continues to remind us of the importance and value of nursing, advocating for all the stakeholders, those receiving and those delivering care. Grace has been strong, focused and committed at a time when others have been challenged by the nursing profession and programme. The future of nursing is not just an action, behaviour or outcome, it is a sense of belonging, methods of influencing and about all a readiness to deliver.  Grace understands the impact that nursing has and continues to strive as a student, that can ensure the future of care delivery is safe and effective.

Charlotte (Lottie) Whitlock

In her first year of Lottie’s training she was faced with redeployment as the COVID pandemic hit globally. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit team saw her potential and entrusted her early on to manage a small caseload of babies. Here, her confidence grew and using her interpersonal skills she built confidence enabling frightened parents to handle and care for their tiny babies. Lottie is conscientious, hardworking, and passionate about her academic work as well as her nursing practice. Lottie was chosen to represent students across the neighbouring counties on the Health Education England/Florence Nightingale Trust Student Council.

Michelle Chandler

Michelle epitomises mental health and wellbeing, she is one of the best communicators and is able to talk with distressed patients to resolve their issues. She represents the cohort well even during distressed times and is a natural problem solver. People comment about how kind, friendly, polite, knowledgeable she is. Michelle impresses all the patients and practice staff she works with, her fellow students and the lecturers, with her level of empathy, compassion and kindness. One patient wrote her a note and it said: "Thank you for being real with me and uplifting my spirits .... thank you for your wisdom and your sharing.”