Liverpool University Hospitals nurses have been recognised for their outstanding dedication to patient care in by scooping two awards at the annual Nursing Times Awards 2021.
The prestigious evening showcases the innovation and best practice of nurses and teams across the country, shining a spotlight on their incredible work. This year’s awards are even more poignant, as those nominated for their excellence have continued to provide exceptional care despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A multi-disciplinary nursing team from the Liverpool Trust were crowned winners of the HRH Integrated Approaches to Care award, a category in partnership with His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. The award recognises individuals or teams that work in partnership with others to provide care in a holistic way or to prevent ill health.
His Royal Highness shared a video message with attendees before the category winner was announced, thanking them for their vital work and hoping that the awards enabled nurses to “come together and celebrate your tremendous efforts and pay tribute to the sacrifices you have all made over the last 18 months.”
The team of nurses and physiotherapists from the Trust’s Infectious Diseases, Respiratory and Critical Care, won the award for their innovative role during the COVID-19 pandemic, in providing Non-Invasive Ventilation for patients outside of Critical Care.
Evidence from the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020 showed that over half of patients treated with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) avoided mechanical ventilation. As more patients were admitted with severe respiratory failure due to COVID-19, the team implemented a new multi–disciplinary nurse and physio led enhanced training package to upskill nurses to have the knowledge to deliver CPAP safely and effectively in a ward-based setting, rather than Critical Care.
Maz Hoyle, Infectious Diseases Advanced Nurse Practitioner, said:
“It is amazing to have won this award. We could see the demands and pressures Critical Care were facing and knew that something would need to change to ensure that we could continue to give our patients the level of care that they need.
“We are so proud of our team, and to have been able to offer a service that has helped to save lives.”
The Trust’s Intravenous (IV) team were also announced winners of the Patient Safety Improvement award, for the successful implementation of ultrasound guided IV cannulation.
Ultrasound guided IV cannulation is a safe and effective alternative to midline insertion for patients whose veins are difficult to insert a needle in to. The ultrasound guidance means that high frequency sound waves can view beneath the patient’s skin to see veins not visible to the naked eye, assessing their size and quality and enabling the practitioner to completely guide the cannula into the vein.
The project, which included the trial and implementation of a longer length peripheral cannula – the first in the North West, and one of the first in the UK, helps reduce the number of failed cannulation attempts, associated complications and improves patient experience.
Emily Smith, Vascular Access Lead Nurse, said:
“We are thrilled to have won this award which recognises our commitment to improving patient safety and experience. By further developing our practice we are providing a safe, effective and sustainable intervention that is valued by both patients and staff.
“The IV team adapted with skill and professionalism, and this award is in recognition of that. They have demonstrated resilience whilst keeping our patients as the focus of their practice. It is now fully established as part our IV team’s service, offered to patients who needs short term access and continues to produce good outcomes and low complication rates.”
Two other teams from Liverpool University Hospitals were also shortlisted in four other categories on the evening, demonstrating the amazing commitment to patient care that staff across the Trust have for their communities.
The Trust’s Endocrine Specialist Nurses were shortlisted in three categories: Managing Long-term Conditions, Patient Safety Improvement and Promoting Patient Self-management; and the Ambulatory Home Ventilation service were shortlisted in the Respiratory Nursing category.
Dame Elaine Inglesby-Burke, interim Chief Nurse at Liverpool University Hospitals, said:
“We are very proud of all our nurses at the Trust and the quality care they provide to our patients. The teams who have won, and been shortlisted, for these prestigious Nursing Times awards should feel a real sense of pride for this achievement.
“It not only recognises their amazing commitment to patient care despite a challenging 18 months working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but also reinforces what an incredible job that our nurses do day in, and day out, for our communities.”
