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The Department of Health Sciences celebrates excellent work of NHS mentors

Posted on 9 October 2012

The Department of Health Sciences is celebrating the outstanding contribution of NHS mentors to student nursing and midwifery education with the presentation of its annual mentor awards.

The 2012 Midwife Mentor Prize was awarded to Jacqui Mortimer, an East Coast community midwife, while Christine Hopkins, a nurse in the Community Recovery Team at York Hospital, won the annual Nurse Mentor Prize.

Both award winners were nominated by students and were presented with their awards at the Annual Professional Education Conference held at the University’s Law and Management Building.

Justine Marshall, the midwifery student who nominated Jacqui Mortimer, said: “Jacqui is a community midwife, Infant Feeding Co-ordinator for the East Coast area which incorporates Scarborough, Whitby and Malton, and a supervisor of midwives. She also uses her spare time to teach aqua-natal and support breastfeeding peer supporters in Scarborough.

“Despite her huge workload she is still passionate about every aspect of her work including mentoring me, as a first year student, which she has done for a full year. She works late most nights and starts early most mornings but still finds the time to fill in any necessary paperwork for my portfolio. She is patient whenever I ask questions and is always happy to find research to back up her answers.

“On days when she is teaching in Scarborough, she ensures that I have another midwife to work with, even popping into the maternity unit early on a morning to leave a note to ensure somebody is aware that I am going to be working there that day, or arranges for me to gain experience in other areas relevant to maternity care. It has been a privilege to call her my mentor throughout the past year and any student who is allocated to Jacqui in the future is very lucky.”

Rebekah Argent, the nursing student who nominated Christine Hopkins, describes Christine as an ‘inspiring’ mentor.

Rebekah said: “Chrissie evidently spends much time preparing for her students. I received a detailed account of what to expect on arrival and during my placement and felt reassured, despite my first placement nerves, when speaking to her before my first day.

All mentors are fundamental in helping students translate their learning into practice and to develop the values and attitudes the public expect in compassionate and knowledgeable nurses and midwives. 

Fiona McInnes, Director of Practice Education in the Department of Health Sciences

“She was always available, making time for my learning and established who I would work with in her absence or if other skill opportunities were available with other staff members. She also encouraged working as part of a health professional team, such as working with Occupational Therapists and doctors. She gave me specific clients to focus on from admission to discharge, discussing evidence-based and person-centred nursing for each client.

“She gave me guidance and support with organising placements, but encouraged me to be proactive with my learning. Overall she made every effort to make me feel part of the team, gave me encouraging and constructive feedback and prepared me to deal with both my placement there and my next step in nursing. I am very thankful to her for her inspiring work as a nurse.”

The Annual Professional Education Conference is aimed at all those involved in undergraduate nursing and midwifery education in North Yorkshire and provides opportunities to showcase successful and promising best practices.

Fiona McInnes, Director of Practice Education in the Department of Health Sciences, said: “Since 1980 it has been a statutory requirement for all nursing and midwifery students in the UK to spend at least half their course learning in practice areas and guided by mentors. The conference is about acknowledging that the University and our local NHS partners in practice are equal contributors to students' development.

“The commitment of the superb mentors celebrated in the awards is undoubted, but ALL mentors are fundamental in helping students translate their learning into practice and to develop the values and attitudes the public expect in compassionate and knowledgeable nurses and midwives.”