Above and beyond: Trio of super nurses hailed for commitment to cause as awards finalists named

Three of Scotland’s best nurses have been announced as finalists in the Royal College of Nursing Scotland People’s Choice award sponsored by The Sunday Post.

The devoted NHS trio were chosen against fierce competition from the many entries submitted by readers.

Rachael Nixon

© Steve MacDougall

Rachael Nixon 39, reached the final after demonstrating her devotion to patients in a tireless drive to recruit more than 4,000 potential donors to the stem cell register.

They are needed for cancer patients who are seeking matches in order to beat the disease.

All this has been done while Rachael, a paediatric nurse, from Kirkcaldy, has been fighting a serious blood disorder myelofibrosis.

It requires lifesaving stem cell treatment.

The young mum was diagnosed only shortly after her toddler daughter Daisy, was born.

“It is wonderful to reach the final,” she said.

“I had to give up paediatric nursing which I love, but entered a world where other patients needed treatment.

“Not everyone who needs a stem cell match is successful with chances ranging from 29% to 79%, depending on ethnic background. That was why it vital to recruit as many people as possible to the register.” A worldwide search by stem cell charity DKMS, has matched Rachael, with an anonymous person from the USA.

She added: “All going well, I would love to return to patients, perhaps as a transplant nurse.”

Anne Gregg

© Supplied by NHS Orkney from Orkn

Anne Gregg, a Senior Charge Nurse with Macmillan cancer nursing on NHS Orkney, also made the shortlist and has been praised by her island patients for giving the best in care.

Delivering cancer treatment on a remote island presents major challenges, but Anne has gone above and beyond the call of duty to learn new skills.

She has then used them to go on to train others to give patients the best care and chances of recovery where possible. Anne said: “I am delighted to be nominated and feel it is a huge honour.

“Nursing patients with cancer is immensely rewarding, especially when some live on the even more islands far from Orkney’s capital, Kirkwall.

“Every cancer patient deserves the same standard and quality of treatment and it means so much to be able to receive this on Orkney instead of travelling some distance to a mainland hospital.”

Her patients include people of all ages, and she goes to tremendous lengths to ensure that families of children are included and with them wherever possible.

Judges praised her for her for being a committed nurse who has devoted her life to caring for patients on Orkney and now assisting efforts to fund improved facilities for palliative care.

As a nurse to the end, she was nominated for devotion to patients both on and off-duty.

Rhona Morrison

Last but not least, Rhona Morrison has cared for desperately sick newborn and adult patients in her 38 years in the job.

She is a senior critical care nurse with Borders General Hospital, her latest post in nursing desperately ill patients.

Off duty, she is frequently on call with Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue where she has spent the past 15 years rescuing sick and injured climbers and vulnerable people in rural Scotland.

“I am surprised and delighted to be nominated and become a finalist,” she said.

“To be honest, I am just one of many nurses who deliver what they can in good treatment to patients.”

Rhona leads a programme to recognise, detect and escalate warning signs in patients who are becoming serious ill.

With this she helps train colleagues in the early warning scoring systems which spots any deterioration and early interventions made quickly.

Her skills as a trainer have seen her instruct fellow members on the rescue team on vital lifesaving skills.

She praises the NHS and cites a previous experience in nursing in Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

“That was interesting, nursing in a health system which unlike the NHS, often depends on how much treatment a patient can afford to pay,” she said.

The heartbreaking side of mountain rescue involves recovering vulnerable casualties who have gone missing while suffering from depression.

She added: “That affects anyone working in mountain rescue because you think you have coped well but patients who have not survived affects you.

“I extend that ethos to my NHS nursing job where I am keen to ensure that colleagues are also supported, especially new ones.”

The winners will be announced at the RCN Scotland’s annual awards in Edinburgh on June 12.