GWENT nurses have won four titles at the Royal College of Nursing Wales annual awards, and earned runners-up spots in another three categories.

The awards, 15 in all, are intended to showcase excellence in nursing across a range of professional practice in Wales.

The Gwent winners for 2013 are: Midwife Melrose East, who won the inaugural RCN Wales Humanitarian Relief Award; senior nurse Helen Dinham, who won the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales Award; Julie Brown, a ward sister at Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, who won the Registered Nurse (Adult) Award; and Lyn Middleton, senior nurse in pain and rheumatology services, who won the Research in Nursing Award.

Runners-up from Gwent are: Emma-Jayne Hagerty, in the Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Award category, for her work with eating disorders: ward sister Claire Williams, in the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales Award category; and coronary heart disease lead nurse Sue Francombe, in the Research in Nursing Award category.

“We were delighted to have so many nominations across the board which resulted in these successes,” said Denise Llewellyn, director of nursing with Aneurin Bevan Health Board.

“Nursing today in such a high pressure environment is challenging, so I felt humbled and so proud that so many of our nurses were recognised by their own colleagues for carrying out such exceptional work.

“It was further evidence that we belong to an organisation that day in and day out really demonstrates the importance of good values and behaviour.

“We do put the patient first, take personal responsibility, have a passion for improvement, and take pride in what we do.”

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