Letterkenny Nurse Majella Neeson scoops major award at  INMO Delegate Conference

The INMO has announced the winners of its three annual member prizes, awarded at its annual delegate conference, with an outstanding Letterkenny University Hospital nurse among the recipients. 

The INMO’s Preceptor of the Year award, was won by nurse Majella Neeson in Letterkenny University Hospital, who was nominated by student nurse Grainne Gillespie. In her nomination Grainne commented on Majella’s commitment to teaching and guidance and noted her ability to make students feel “equal and included”.

Preceptors are experienced nurses who act as mentors and teachers who help supervise nursing students during their work at the hospital.

They also help student nurses translate their theoretical knowledge to real life situations.

The three INMO prizes recognise outstanding contributions by members in the areas of research, mentorship and union activism, and are awarded during the union’s annual meeting.

This year’s INMO conference is being held in Dublin and attended by around 300 nurse and midwife union members.

INMO Director of Professional Service Tony Fitzpatrick said:

“These awards are an opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding contributions many of our members are making, day after day, within their own fields of work.

“Nursing and midwifery are professions where people can demonstrate excellence and extraordinary commitment on a daily basis. Every year we receive huge numbers of nominations from members who want their colleagues to be recognised by the union and by their fellow members.

“These awards are a crucial part of our annual conference.  We are incredibly proud of the dedication, innovation and professionalism displayed by nurses and midwives in Ireland, year after year, and it is a privilege to be able to recognise that.”

This year’s CJ Coleman research prize was awarded to Clare Slevin Walsh, Clinical Nurse Manager in the emergency department in Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise, for her research project ‘The introduction of 4AT to an Emergency Department’.

The Gobnait O’Connell award, which recognises members who have made an extraordinary contribution to the union and its work, was awarded jointly to Assistant Director of Nursing Ann-Marie O’Reilly and Clinical Nurse Manager Eileen Colgan, both working at St Michael’s House, Dublin.