Siobhan Bridges was praised for her compassionate care of patients
An Edinburgh Napier nursing student has an extra reason to celebrate her graduation after being named the 2022 winner of the Simon Pullin Award.
Siobhan Bridges, who is from Portlethen in Aberdeenshire, was praised by the award’s panel for her ability to show empathy in pressured clinical situations.
As well as the accolade, the 21-year-old has picked up a Bachelor of Nursing with Distinction in Adult Nursing during today’s graduation ceremony at the Usher Hall.
Siobhan said: “This is such a great honour and privilege. I got the news on my lunch break at work and I was delighted to find out.
“I had a look at Simon Pullin's work when I applied, and I was inspired by what he did. He's a great role model to anyone thinking of applying on the university’s nursing programme in the way he worked with empathy and respect.
“It’s been very challenging to complete a nursing degree through a pandemic, but I am proud of what I have achieved. I’ve been on several different placements, represented the university at a conference in Madrid and I’m now working in the cardiology unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
“If I can do all that during a pandemic, I think I can probably handle anything that gets thrown at me!”
Siobhan drew praise from the award’s review panel for her experience of working with a non-English speaking patient with severe autism and complex learning difficulties by using interactive posters on an iPad, allowing him to communicate. He has since been funded by his care and housing services to use this method going forward.
She also lived up to its spirit of recognising the human side to nursing by calming a patient due to undergo a coronary procedure by telling him about her experience of being diagnosed with a heart murmur as a teenager.
Dr Stephen Smith, from Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Health & Social Care, who led the awarding panel, said: “Siobhan’s entry demonstrated her ability to provide compassionate care and work to a highly professional standard, regardless of the clinical situation and workload pressures.
“Her examples of learning from practice were powerful and touching to read. They showed a beautiful sensitivity and commitment to compassionate care.”
Jacqueline Johnston, Siobhan’s Personal Development Tutor at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Siobhan is one of the most professional students I have ever come across both in clinical and university settings.
“She is kind, caring, open, honest and puts her patients at the heart of everything she does.
“I am confident Siobhan will continue to demonstrate compassionate and caring behaviours in her future career.”