Teesside academic and nursing student in awards spotlight

A Teesside University academic and student have been shortlisted for prestigious national nursing awards.

Mark Wheatley, senior lecturer in the University's nursing skills development team and student Beccy Phillips were nominated for accolades in the inaugural Student Nursing Times Awards 2012.

Mark has been shortlisted as Lecturer of the Year, while Beccy is in the running to be named Student Nurse of the Year: Adult. The award winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on Tuesday 1 May.

Among academic colleagues and student nurses who nominated Mark was Professor Paul Keane, OBE, Dean of the University’s School of Health & Social Care.

Mark, who has been teaching at Teesside University for four years, said: 'It’s a real honour and I am really thrilled to be nominated.

'To win the award would validate the last four years, as I always aim to make sure I do my best and it would enable me to show the student nurses that with hard work, anything is possible.'

The former district nurse, who also worked in a hospital setting before moving into teaching, said: 'Having a background working in healthcare is important to the students, as they know that when you are teaching you understand and remember what it was like to be a student nurse.'

Beccy, 38, from Hartlepool, is completing the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing Studies. She said: 'I’d worked in various make-do jobs in retail, a restaurant and ran boarding kennels, although nursing was something I always wanted to do.'

A change in family circumstances led Beccy to retrain and embark on her ideal career path. She has now secured a job working in elderly care in Hartlepool.

Beccy said: 'As I’d been away from education for so long I had to complete an access course before progressing to the degree. My training has been fantastic and a really positive experience. I cannot imagine doing anything else now.

'It’s an excellent course with outstanding support from lecturers, in particular Kay Scott and Rachel Morris. It has equipped me very well, both for placements as a student and the work I’ll be doing once qualified.

'Teesside University, together with North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust, enabled me to surpass any expectations I ever could have had for myself when embarking on a career as a nurse. It feels surreal and a real honour to be nominated from lecturers and mentors from practice.'

Professor Keane, OBE, said: 'We are delighted that Mark has been shortlisted for this award. He has gone that extra mile and continues to inspire our nurses of the future.

'Our congratulations also go to Beccy for excelling in her nursing studies and for her nomination. We wish her the very best in her future career.'

Jenni Middleton, editor of the Nursing Times and Student Nursing Times, said: 'It has been wonderful to see those students who have been excelling in their studies, and the mentors and educational providers that have been continuing to shape and inspire our nurses of the future.'

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Find out more about the Student Nursing Times Awards