Isles nurse named Nursing Student of the Year

Lois Gaffney was named Nursing Student of the Year. Photo: RCN Scotland

A Shetland staff nurse has been named Nursing Student of the Year at the Royal College Nursing (RCN) Scotland Nurse of the Year awards ceremony.

Lois Gaffney, a recent graduate from the Open University now working as a staff nurse in NHS Shetland, was nominated for the award when still a student.

Described by her practice assessor as an inspirational role model, Ms Gaffney studied nursing at home through the Open University.

She was inspired to become a nurse after working as a health care support worker.

RCN said she had shown great initiative from the outset, and had brought back learning from a Glasgow placement to Shetland.

She also joined NHS chief executive Michael Dickson to present a livestream on student nursing in remote and rural areas, to encourage others to take up nursing as a career.

Of winning the award, she said: “I am absolutely ecstatic to have won the Nursing Student of the Year award from RCN Scotland.

“My career began 17 years ago in healthcare support work, and by expanding on my knowledge and experience through the adult nursing honour’s degree with The Open University, my confidence in my own abilities has improved greatly.”