Trust nurse crowned nurse of the year
A nurse from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has been crowned nurse of the year by RCNi.
Venetia Wynter-Blyth, 38, a gastrointestinal clinical nurse specialist at the Trust was awarded the RCNi’s highest honour for her holistic approach to getting patients both physically and psychologically fit for surgery.
Venetia and her team at the Trust, founded the PREPARE programme which is designed to ‘train’ patients for surgery based on their individual needs. The method which has been used with 80 patients in two years, has seen a dramatic improvement in outcomes for patients, including reducing the number of patients who experience surgical complications and reducing patients’ length of stay in hospital. The PREPARE programme which stands for physical activity; removal of bad habits; eat well; psychological wellbeing; ask about medications; respiratory exercises; enhanced recovery, also won the Innovation in your Speciality award at the same awards ceremony.
Venetia said about winning the award: “I was completely overwhelmed and thrilled about winning. It’s recognition for all the hard work the team has put in to creating this programme. They were all completely focused on setting up a process that was right for our patients, and I’m delighted that it’s been successful and recognised in this way.
“To me, winning these two awards is an acknowledgement that what we’ve developed is unique and beneficial to patients.”
Venetia was presented with her award at the RCNi award ceremony held on the 6 May at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel.
Janice Sigsworth, director of nursing at the Trust said:
“I am exceptionally proud that one of our Trust nurses has been recognised in this way. Venetia’s work, alongside her team on the PREPARE programme has been outstanding and has directly improved the outcomes for our patients which was rightly recognised by the RCNi award judges.
“Congratulations and very well done Venetia.”
To find out more about the PREPARE programme, visit the Trust’s blog.
