Research Into Care Secures Nurse Of The Year Award For Wrexham Glyndwr University Lecturer

A scheme introduced in North Wales for nurses to document the strength of their care for patients secured its creator a Nurse of the Year award. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tracy Ross, a senior lecturer in nursing at Wrexham Glyndwr University, was named Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales Nurse of the Year 2016 (Education category) at a ceremony in Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Her tool, created as part of academic research, encourages nurses to leave a permanent footprint of the care they provide through workbooks, feedback from patients, colleagues and a carer of the week award. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It has been used by some nurses at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board since 2010. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tracy said: “I am honoured to be a nurse lecturer at Wrexham Glyndwr University and could not have achieved this award without the support from my team and my students.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Madi Ruby, Associate Head of School: Partnerships, Enterprise and Employability, said: “I was delighted to be present at the RCN Wales Nurse of the year awards in Cardiff to see Tracy collect her prestigious award. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The RCN give awards for innovation at the pinnacle of achievement in the relevant area of practice. Tracy having been presented with the Nurse Educator award is a recognition of her achievements and I know she feels very honoured. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I feel very proud of her and delighted to have her as a part of the Glyndwr Nurse Education team.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tracy first started researching the subject of care and compassion in nursing when she spent time at the Centre For Human Caring in Colorado, USA – years before the issue came under public scrutiny in the UK following the Stafford Hospital scandal. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The report into the Stafford Hospital scandal criticised nurses for their lack of care when, in fact, the majority of nurses are exceptionally caring. My tools are to help nurses show they are caring and provide positive evidence that they are caring.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tracy, from Holywell, worked as a nurse in the Royal Air Force for three years before moving on to serve as an occupational health nurse at RAF Sealand. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She studied for a degree and then MSc in Nursing at Wrexham Glyndwr University and became a full-time lecturer at the institution in 2000, teaching on undergraduate and postgraduate courses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

RCN Wales represents the nursing workforce in Wales, promoting excellence, providing advice and guidance and helping nurses overcome challenges at work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The RCN in Wales Nurse of the Year awards celebrate excellence in practice. Awards were handed out across 17 categories in a ceremony at City Hall, Cardiff, hosted by TV presenters Jason Mohammad and Andrea Byrne. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​