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University of York celebrates the work of NHS mentors

Posted on 23 September 2013

The University of York’s 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 2013 Nurse Mentor Prize was awarded to Ged Bergin, a community recovery team member from Sycamore House, York while a team of Midwifery Mentors in York Midwifery and Community won the Midwife Mentor Prize.
They were presented with their awards at the Annual Professional Education Conference held at the University’s Seebohm Rowntree Building.

Russell Pavis, the nursing student who nominated Ged Bergin said, “From day one Ged made me feel welcome, offered loads of support throughout my practice placement experience, directed me to relevant literature to give me a greater understanding of service user requirements, gave me confidence to undertake interventions. The reason I came into nursing was to care for people. This man puts everyone else first and its time he got some recognition.”

Chris Foster, LEM, Matron for Maternity York and Supervisor of Midwives, nominated the Midwifery Mentors at York and said, “Mentors volunteer every year, sometimes in their own time to take part in the interviews of prospective student midwives at York University, demonstrating an interest and commitment to ensuring that recruitment to the midwifery programme is appropriate.

“Over a long association as a colleague, midwifery lecturer, LEM, and Maternity Matron I can truly say that the midwife mentors at York are highly motivated professionals, deeply passionate and enthusiastic about midwifery practice with an enduring commitment to ensuring the highest standards of care are delivered to women and their families; the midwifery mentors view mentoring student midwives as key to the ongoing provision of quality maternity care.”

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.

This year’s conference, Person Centred Care: The Golden Thread, focused on some of the professional issues arising across the year which have influenced the nursing and midwifery professions and future education preparation.

Lord Willis of Knaresborough, who chaired the 2012 Independent Willis Commission on Nursing Education, spoke at the conference.

Fiona McInnes, Director of Practice Education in the Department of Health Sciences, said: “We are pleased again to be highlighting the commitment of our superb mentors in practice. 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.”