Described as caring, compassionate and resilient Caroline has been shortlisted for the much coveted ‘Nurse Leader of the Year’ Award.
The award aims to recognise an exceptional nurse leader and role model who demonstrates compassion and a commitment to ensuring their service offers the highest quality and safest care possible.
Caroline’s nomination clearly demonstrates how her role as clinical leader ensures the highest quality of nursing practice and patient care on her ward, citing her inspirational leadership skills through compassion, inclusivity and determination alongside a natural gift for bringing out the best in her team.
She leads in a way that makes it easy for her colleagues to follow by setting examples of the highest standards whilst celebrating both their individual and collective achievements and successes.
Inspirational leader with a clear vision for excellence
Caroline is the senior sister for Ward 17 at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital which predominantly cares for older patients as well as those with general medical conditions. The ward has always had a fantastic reputation for providing high quality care yet, as with many clinical areas in the Trust and indeed across the entire NHS, the effects of the pandemic created difficult and challenging conditions.
Colleague Keecia Bailey, Associate Director of Operations for Medicine and Urgent Care says: “Caroline is a fantastic ward sister and has transformed Ward 17 into one of our most high performing and effective wards by almost all metrics.”
She continues, “Caroline has built a team of people with complementary skills around her and recognises how to get the best out of them by playing to their individual strengths.
She brings so much energy to any room she is in and has fostered a real culture of diversity and inclusion.
Keecia Bailey, Associate Director of Operations for Medicine and Urgent Care
Lindsey Cooper, Caroline’s Matron at the time of the nomination adds: “By drawing upon all of her inspirational skills and clear vision for excellence, Caroline continues to boost her staff’s confidence and sense of pride with a real ‘can do’ attitude by encouraging their involvement in change for improvement.
“It’s wonderful to see this friendly ward buzzing with warmth and compassion, and a strong desire for high quality care and improvement with both patients and staff reaping the rewards across all aspects of clinical standards and quality care.”
The perfect role model for leadership
Maurya Cushlow, Executive Chief Nurse is delighted to see Caroline shortlisted for this national award. She says “A key priority for our NMAHPs strategy is to develop leaders of the future, encouraging and empowering them to motivate their teams with compassion and inclusivity”.
Caroline is the perfect role model for leadership in our Trust, championing the needs of both patients and colleagues by instigating a range of important quality improvement initiatives.
Maurya Cushlow, Executive Chief Nurse
“These have all had such successful outcomes as a direct result of her determination, encouragement, compassion and coaching skills.
“I’m delighted her outstanding leadership qualities have been recognised by the Nursing Times Awards judges and whatever the outcome, Caroline will always be a true inspiration to others.”
Caroline was surprised to learn she had been shortlisted but says that the achievements attributed to her would not be possible without her team. “Everything we achieve here is down to a real team effort,” says Caroline.
“I truly believe that I couldn’t be a good leader if I didn’t have such fabulous staff around me and their passion for what they do fires mine.
“It’s incredibly important to me that they feel valued and confident in their day to day work life, which means that I can really focus on what’s expected of me as a clinical leader, instigating exciting new quality improvements on the ward to ensure we can offer the highest standards of clinical and compassionate care for our patients and their loved ones.”
‘Nurse Leader of the Year’ category criteria
Clinical leaders have a fundamental role in ensuring the quality of nursing practice and patient care. The best community team leaders, ward sisters and charge nurses lead by example, providing their team with an excellent role model, demonstrating compassion and a commitment to ensuring their service offers the highest quality and safest care possible.
They are aware of their patients’ needs and are firm advocates on their behalf, understand the importance of informing and reassuring patients and relatives, and have the skills to lead, support and motivate a team that is committed to offering excellent and compassionate care to all patients.
This award aims to recognise an exceptional nurse leader working in the NHS or independent sector who embodies these qualities and is open to any nurse, working in the community or in an acute environment who is leading a team of any size.
Nursing Times Awards 2023
The Nursing Times Awards bring together the nursing community to shine a light on the brightest talent in the profession and recognise those of you making nursing innovative, patient-focused and inclusive.
There are 23 categories covering a wide range of nursing specialities, all open to entries from individuals and teams, or nominations from those who wish to highlight a nurse or team who they believe deserves recognition.
The awards ceremony will take place in London on Wednesday 25 October 2023 – we wish all of our Finalists the very best of luck.
