Lecturer Dr Pam Ramsay and her team picked up the Impact Award at the Scottish Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Awards 2017 event in Edinburgh.
Working with a team covering a variety of disciplines, the winning entry focused on supporting "survivorship" after critical illness.
Dr Ramsay said: "The research aims to enhance recovery and rehabilitation among Intensive Care survivors both in NHS Lothian and across Scotland. Together with Professor Tim Walsh (University of Edinburgh) and NHS service managers, we have developed and implemented a multi-factorial, patient-centred rehabilitation pathway for our patients and their families.
"Our work includes enhanced physiotherapy, nutritional support and information provision, delivered by a dedicated ICU rehabilitation clinician; a telephone follow-up service for our most debilitated patients; a psychological support service for patients and families (including a patient-led support group); and an innovative website providing patients and their families with information and advice on common issues after hospital discharge."
She added: "While it's reward enough to be able to provide patients and families with improved care, it really is wonderful to have our work recognised on this national platform."
The Scottish NMAHP research awards were introduced to recognise and reward health professionals who identify problems and uncover evidence which paves the way for improvements.
The Impact category spotlights research which has had a significant influence on clinical or academic practice or policy.
Judges said the winning Impact entry was a “well-structured, mixed methods programme of work” which “had a strong patient and family focus”.
They said: “The work, based on sound theory, made excellent use of existing data to develop, implement and evaluate a range of interventions that have improved the care of ICU patients and enhanced the education of ICU staff.
“Their ongoing plans to collaborate across health and social care organisations to address unplanned hospital readmission rates is to be commended.”
Dr Ramsay’s inter-disciplinary team included Dr Claire Kydonaki, Dr Judith Merriweather, Dr Janice Rattray, Dr Lisa Salisbury, Corrienne McCulloch, Gosha Wojcik and Louise Boardman, with contributions from Drs Susanne Kean, Sheila Rodgers and Jenni Tocher.
Other projects with Edinburgh Napier links were also recognised by judges. Staff whose work was shortlisted included Barbara Farquharson (Innovation category, pictured), Janet Hanley, Austyn Snowden (both Impact category) and Sonya McVicar, David Whitely (both Originality of Doctoral Research category).
The awards were supported by Chief Nursing Office and Chief Scientist Office for Scotland, Allied Health Professions Directorate, NHS Education for Scotland, Scottish Executive Nurse Directors & Council of Deans Scotland