Deakin prevails at the 2016 ANMF Student Awards

Following a record number of nominations, eight outstanding Deakin students across three campuses were recognised at the prestigious 2016 First State Super/Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) (Vic Branch) Student Awards.

Award winners Laura Blackburn, Felicity Donaghy, Melissa Gardner, Owen Glassenbury, Kristen Pietsch and Lucy Rocksmith were nominated by the Faculty of Health not only for their strong academic record but for other qualities intrinsic to excellence in nursing and midwifery.

In her opening address at the awards ceremony, ANMF (Vic Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick noted that 'The citations we received about these students were quite inspirational and I believe that the future of our professions is in very good hands if these are anything to go by. While the award recipients have all achieved high academic results, their other qualities have included leadership, caring, excellent rapport with patients and staff, caring and empathetic manner toward patients and relatives, team players, motivated and focused, and supportive of their peers.'

Two Deakin PhD students were also jointly awarded the ANMF (Vic Branch) $5000 Annual Research Grant. The grant was initiated 18 years ago to promote and encourage ANMF members to engage in innovative, creative and transferable nursing and midwifery research. 

Fiona Kumar received $2500 for her research project entitled 'A co-produced care planning intervention to promote mental health consumer participation in recovery focused advanced care planning in the first six months of case management.' The project has clinical significance to nursing and will contribute to mental health nursing research in developing and evaluating a care planning intervention. This research is seen to be imperative, as it addresses an emerging area of practice in mental health and highlights the need for evidence-based interventions.

PhD student Rachel Cross was also awarded $2500 for her research project 'Examining the safe transition of patients from the emergency department to the ward.' One in three patients presenting to the ED are admitted for ongoing nursing care and management in the hospital. Ms Cross' research aims to further the profession's understanding of the influence of clinical deterioration following ED admission to the inpatient ward.