Jessie shortlisted for nursing award

Jessie shortlisted for nursing award

1 July 2015

A LOCAL nurse with a passion for dementia care is in the running for a prestigious national award.

Jessie McGreevy, who is originally from Saintfield but now lives in Moneyreagh, is a finalist in the annual Nursing Times’ nursing awards which will be presented at a glittering awards ceremony in London this November.

A dementia care educator with Four Seasons Healthcare, Jessie started her career as a fresh faced teenager working as a carer at Silver Birch Nursing Home in Saintfield. She was immediately bitten by the caring bug and decided there and then that working in the caring profession was something she wanted to do.

Twenty seven year-old Jessie readily admits she loves her job and is delighted to have made the final shortlist in the rising star category dedicated to nurses who have been qualified for less than five years.

“I really love dementia care and now deliver dementia education to 90 care homes right across Northern Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man,” she explained.

“I help people understand about dementia and while I can work with people of any age, it is primarily focused on those aged 50 and over suffering from dementia who are living in care homes.”

Jessie is thrilled to be a finalist in what is widely regarded as the Oscars of the nursing world and is up against eight others to win her category.

This September, Jessie is off to London for an interview as part of the process to select the overall winner in her category and then she has to wait until the gala awards ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in the capital in November to find out of she has been successful. 

While delighted to be one of nine finalists, Jessie admits she would love to be declared the overall winner on the night.

“I am really looking forward to the awards ceremony and feel really honoured to have made it this far. It would be great to win and a recognition of not just what I do, but the many people I have the pleasure of working with,” she continued.

Explaining her awards category is for a nurse who has been qualified for less than five years, Jessie said the emphasis is on a nurse who has made a difference, been an inspiring leader or shown real compassion and commitment to what they do.

A work colleague, who is a member of Jessie’s dementia team, nominated her for the prestigious award and she is pleased she has made it to the latter stages given the competition from nurses right across the UK.

“The judging panel sifted through all the various nominees and I was delighted my name was included among the nine finalists which was revealed on Tuesday of last week,” said Jessie. “I would love to win, but is is also an honour to have been named a finalist in what is the biggest nursing awards competition of its kind in the UK. To win my category would just be incredible.”

Jessie also admitted making it to the final of such a prestigious awards ceremony is something she never ever thought would happen.

“This really is a massive thing for me. There are about 12 categories and there is only one other 

person from Northern Ireland who has been shortlisted andit just happens to be the same category as me. I don’t know who she is, but she works as an educator with a local health board.”

Jessie is very enthusiastic about her job and explained she specialises in dementia because her mum has always worked in nursing homes and that she was always the small child brought in to provide the entertainment.

She added: “I kind of fell in love with that environment and when I started working as a care assistant I absolutely knew this was the place for me. I found I connected very well and could communicate with people who had dementia.

“Once I qualified as a nurse I went back to the nursing home environment and worked as a staff nurse, progressing to become acting manager before my love for dementia care saw me move into my current role. I love what I do and being nominated a finalist for the Nursing Times award is a real thrill for me.”