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Derry woman hoping to scoop ‘Most Inspirational Nurse of the Year’ award

Catherine McGinty, 21 Mar

Derry nursing student April Canning has been nominated for the ‘Most

Inspirational Nurse of the Year’ accolade in the prestigious Student

Nursing Times Awards 2024.

Previously the recipient of the NI Allstate Convocation Student of the

Year award, the Ulster University, Magee student will be attending the

“glittering live ceremony” in London in April, with husband Paddy and

some of her lecturers.

The Student Nursing Times Awards bring together the nursing and

midwifery community to “shine a light on the brightest talent making

their way into the profession”.

“Highlighting excellence in all specialties of student nursing, the

awards also provide the opportunity to congratulate the lecturers,

practice supervisors, universities, trusts and private organisations

providing the best support for student nurses during their studies.”

Speaking to Derry News about her nomination, April revealed she had

been nominated for a Student Nursing Times Award by her lecturers.

A modest April added: “I am absolutely delighted. I can’t believe I

have been nominated, especially from such a large pool of people. I had

to travel to London last Friday for an interview with the panel.”

April said she had come “late into nursing”.

She added: “I am in a class with people who are a lot younger than me.

I had my children when I was young. By the time I was 19, I was married

with four youngsters - Reece, Brandon Grace and Isobel.

“I had children with additional needs as well, which made life a lot

harder but I had always wanted to work in healthcare. I was always a

carer in the community, in nursing homes. But I had to wait until the

children got that bit older so I could go back to school.

“I had to fight for everything. I had to go back to the Tech (North

West Regional College) first because I didn’t have the A’ Levels to get

into university. I did the access course there.

“Initially nursing was harder than I thought it would be. It is a

struggle with placements and school work and ePad - an online

portfolio we have to complete while we are on placement.

“It was overwhelming to begin with trying to settle into the nursing

course but luckily the lecturers were amazing. They are there whenever

you need them, which makes things a lot easier,” said April.

Having completed her last day in the university classroom last week,

April is going on her final two placements from April 15 - in health

visiting and in Altnagelvin.

“I just have the university’s ‘Disaster Day’ to get through first,” she

said. “Once a year, Ulster University hosts a day when the PSNI and the

Fire Service come in and set up different scenarios all over the

university - disasters, road traffic collisions, plane crashes - and

the Third Year students are assessed on how they respond medically.

“There are actors involved all there pretending they are hurt. We have

to come in not knowing what situations we are going to be faced with.

“ We don’t have a clue what the scenario is until we are there and they

assess us.”

April thought she was nominated for the Student Nursing Times Award

because of her volunteering work.

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“This is something I have always wanted” - Award-winning Derry student

April Canning

“It's nerve-wracking being thrown in at the deep end and they don't

mollycoddle you because you're there to learn”

“I am very active within the university,” she said. “I am a counsellor

for students with caring responsibilities.

“I am also a student ambassador, a course rep and a class rep. I also

volunteer outside University with a charity called ‘Look Good, Feel

Better’, which operates from the Macmillan centre. It is for cancer to

help them restore their image with skincare and makeup while they are

going through treatment or afterwards,” said April.

The Student Nursing Times Awards take place on Friday, April 26 at the

JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane. The city will

have its fingers crossed for April.