New Sunderland nursing school shortlisted for five awards

Sunderland University’s School of Nursing, which was launched last year, has been shortlisted for five Student Nursing Times Awards 2017.

The categories are, Nurse Education Provider of the Year, Student Experience, Teaching Innovation of the Year, Partnership of the Year and Educator of the Year.

A confirmation letter praised the university, saying: “The judges had a tough job scoring and have commended the high quality of entries – to be shortlisted is a fantastic achievement.”

Organisers also said the university should be very proud that it had been shortlisted across such a broad variety of categories.

Professor Tony Alabaster, Academic Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing at the University of Sunderland, said: “We’re absolutely delighted and very proud.

“It’s hard to believe that in the past year we have completed phase two of the Sciences Complex and opened our Living Lab - with its very impressive teaching facilities and simulation equipment - and we’ve launched the Sunderland School of Nursing, welcoming our first cohort of 23 students onto the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing Practice programme.”

Sue Brent, head of the Sunderland School of Nursing, said: “We have an incredible, positive and proactive team.

“We’re all very proud that our hard work and commitment is being recognized.

“Our school is growing, we’re developing relationships with new health partnerships and continuing to invest in our faculty’s facilities and programme. This is only the beginning.”

The award submissions were prepared by Simone Bedford, the adult nursing programme leader, who said: “We’re all so excited about our programme and facilities at the University of Sunderland. When I read what the judges were looking for in the Student Nursing Times Awards I knew we had a very compelling case in a number of categories. To be shortlisted in five is a tremendous surprise and we’re delighted that our work is being endorsed at this early stage and at such a prestigious level.”

Now in their sixth year, the Student Nursing Times Awards are the only awards to celebrate the very best in student nurses and nurse education.

Winners will be announced at a special ceremony in London on April 27.