University partnership with Nightingale House Hospice goes from strength to strength

An innovative partnership between Glyndŵr University and Nightingale House Hospice which is driving up the quality of patient care in north Wales has been named as one of the best of its kind in the UK.

The partnership was shortlisted in the palliative care category of a national awards scheme for the nursing profession.

The University has been working collaboratively with the hospice since 2007, with hospice staff receiving professional training in return for providing students with work placement opportunities.

Pam Hope, Subject Leader for Health Studies at Glyndŵr University, said she was proud of the nomination in the 2009 Nursing in Practice Awards, where the partnership was placed in the top two in the UK.

“Patient care is at the heart of nursing and our desire to enhance this care was the fundamental reason for establishing the partnership,” said Pam. “This award recognizes just how much we’ve achieved in a short space of time.

“We’d like to thank Nightingale House for their support and I’m sure the partnership will go from strength to strength from now on.”

The partnership has just completed its first year of operation and is now set to expand further. This includes further developing research led by the University.

“Our student nurses have rated their placement experiences at Nightingale House very positively,” said Pam. “Similarly we have received equally positive feedback from the hospice.”

Tracy Livingstone, Director of Nursing and Patient Services at Nightingale House Hospice, said: "This is an excellent example of how links between clinical teams and academic bodies can be creative in bridging the theory-practice gap to maintain and develop high quality patient care.

“I am incredibly proud of the nursing team at the hospice who have been enthusiastic in joining the grand round initiative and look forward to future developments in partnership with Glyndŵr University."

The annual Nursing in Practice awards recognize excellence and innovation in all areas of nursing, including cardiac care, children’s health, sexual health, respiratory care and mental health.

Awards in the palliative care category recognize the expertise, professionalism, sensitivity and dedication of nurses who have made a huge difference to a person approaching death, and their family.

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