Page 45 - QARANC Vol 14 No 13 2016

THE GAZETTE QARANC 43
Lt Seamus Reid 204 Field Hospital Belfast, Major Gaby Smyth 204 Field Hospital Belfast. Kate Cranston, Nursing Student, Teeside University
at the United Nations school, Ireland as part of a joint British Army and Irish Defence Force Faculty. His military and civilian experience as an Intensive Care nurse has equipped him with the clinical knowledge and skills to make an outstanding contribution to collaborated simulated trauma team training within Northern Ireland. This training has encouraged engagement and has facilitated a healthier relationship to develop between the Defence Medical Services and the HSC Trusts within Northern Ireland and Ireland as a whole. Maj Montgomery and his team are addressing significant training needs and sharing best practice in order to empower others to embrace alternative and better ways of dealing with trauma and develop innovative and creative processes to encourage networking structures within very differing practice settings. The final nominee from 204 Field Hospital was Maj Gaby Smyth, a dual qualified Adult and Paediatric Emergency Care Nurse. She has established herself as an individual who takes a keen interest in extending her knowledge in both the military and clinical environment and has recently completed her MSc in Advanced Nursing Practice. Maj Smyth developed and organised an education programme that was delivered to the Health Care Assistants and Nurses of the Field Hospital in preparation for deployment to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. Without doubt this preparation ensured that the nursing team in the Emergency Department and other departments delivered efficient, effective quality care to the casualties during their deployment in 2013. Recognising the need for continuing support and education of the Health Care Assistants and Combat Medical Technicians she championed a programme of regular HCA and CMT refresher training. In June 2015 the Royal College of Nursing Defence Nursing Network for Northern Ireland was established with Maj Smyth accepting the position of Defence Network Chair. Maj Smyth was recognised as a truly dedicated and inspiring Officer who has taken every opportunity to develop herself
Lt Reid, Lt Col Byers(OC Nursing, 204 Field Hospital) and Major Gaby Smyth at the Edith Cavell awards Grand Connaught Rooms, London 18th May 2016
and others through training and education and was presented with the Runner-up Outstanding QARANC Reservist Clinical Professional Development Award at the Edith Cavell awards ceremony.
The awards ceremony commenced at 18:30hrs with a drinks reception in the Crown suite, followed by the awards ceremony which was opened by Simon Knighton (Chairman, Cavell Nurses Trust) and John Orchard (Chief Executive and compere). The guest speaker was Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth Champion athlete Sally Gunnell OBE DL, who spoke of her preparation in becoming the best she could be. She spoke very highly of nurses and midwives and identified the hard work we do on a daily basis; she summarised by saying to become the world number one it is all about self- belief and preparation. The awards ceremony was then followed by canapés, drinks and celebrations and of course a photo booth!!
These awards are about celebrating innovation and excellence within nursing, and the nominees certainly proved their ability to do just that. It is anticipated these awards will be supported again next year and I would encourage you all to look for the trawls for nominations and nominate nurses who have shown outstanding achievement within your units and work places. These awards provide a wonderful opportunity to show that hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed; it also provides the opportunity to celebrate special achievement within our nursing colleagues and increases morale.
Maj Gaby Smyth
Nursing Officer
204 Field Hospital Northern Ireland