The University was announced as the winner of the ‘2015 Return to Practice Course of the Year’ at the awards, held at the London Hilton, Park Lane and receiving the accolade on behalf of the College were Keith Bradley-Adams and Elaine Jones, Senior Lecturers in Nursing (pictured centre, with the College's other staff and student finalists).

The University’s Return to Practice course prepares nurses to return to their field of nursing care in today’s dynamic and challenging clinical areas.  The course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and enables nurses whose registration has lapsed to return to practice.

Speaking after the awards event, Keith Bradley-Adams and Elaine Jones, Senior Lecturers in Nursing, said: "We are delighted to win this award for our students, past and present and future, who are now able to tell their employers that they studied on the best Return to Practice course in the UK!

"Swansea University are the inaugural winners of this new category, which we hope demonstrates the quality of the course and the passion and commitment of academic staff, clinical colleagues in the local health boards and our students."

Congratulations also go to the College’s other staff and student finalists in this year’s awards, including:

-       Heulwen Morgan-Samuel, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, who was shortlisted in the ‘Educator of the Year’ category.

-       Students Suzannah Wilton-Baker, aged 23, from Lampeter, Tynam Payne, aged 22, from Llanelli, and Kirsty Jones, aged 29, from Pwll in Carmarthenshire, who were shortlisted in  the ‘Student Nurse of the Year: Adult’ category.

-       Student Angharad Hughes, aged 25, from Gorseinon, who was shortlisted in the ‘Student Nurse of the Year: Children’ category.

Alyson Davies, Senior Lecturer in Children and Young People’s Nursing in the Department of Nursing was also a judge at this year’s Student Nursing Times Awards.

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Dr Jayne Cutter, Head of the Department of Nursing in the College of Human and Health Sciences, said: “We were delighted to be shortlisted again in a number of categories in the Student Nursing Times Awards this year – and it goes without saying we are absolutely thrilled to have been successful in the ‘Return to Practice Course of the Year’ award, with the judges commenting that the programme is continually striving to improve.

“It is wonderful to be involved in bringing nurses back to practice through our programme, to try and relieve some of the pressures that our health care environments are currently facing.

“We’re extremely proud of our winning team and all our student and staff nominees this year. They are a credit to the College of Human and Health Sciences and the nursing profession – well done all!”

Simone Bedford, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, who is based at the College’s satellite campus at St David’s Park, Carmarthen, was instrumental in collating and submitting this year’s nominations from the University for the prestigious annual awards, which had a record-breaking year with more than 400 talented student nurses, education providers, and mentors entering.  

The Student Nursing Times Awards celebrate the very best in nurse education,recognise and reward excellent educational establishments and honour those who are committed to developing new nursing talent as mentors, lecturers and providers of placements.The awards also pay tribute to students who have demonstrated the academic achievement, clinical prowess and personal qualities that will make them brilliant nurses.

Pictures:

1) Pictured are Keith Bradley-Adams and Elaine Jones, Senior Lecturers in Nursing, after receiving the '2015 Return to Practice Course of the Year’ award in this year’s Student Nursing Times Awards.

2) Pictured are Keith Bradley-Adams and Elaine Jones, Senior Lecturers in Nursing, after receiving the '2015 Return to Practice Course of the Year’ award in this year’s Student Nursing Times Awards, with the College’s other staff and student finalists.