Dedicated healthcare workers honoured at Portlaoise hospital

THE fourth annual Honesty, Empathy, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork (HEART) award winners have been announced at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise (MRHP).

Speaking at the awards ceremony, the hospital’s director of nursing Olivia Lafferty said: “Compassion, care and commitment are the values that underpin the professional practice of nursing and midwifery. These are the values that form the basis for our HEART awards, recognising our nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants and their ability to provide safe and high-quality person-centred and woman-centred care.”

The Nurse of the Year award went to Paul Shepherd; Nurse Leader of the Year, Deirdre Gorman; Midwife of the Year, Molly Molloy; Midwife Leader of the Year, Melanie Adams; Preceptor of the Year, staff nurse Emma Donovan; Developing Practice Nurse of the Year, Margaret Rice; Health Care Assistant of the Year, Doireann Doolan.

Director of midwifery Ita Kinsella said: “Midwives at MRHP are tireless advocates for women and as a group are truly inspirational, positively engaged and highly motivated in their pursuit of best practice. They ensure that all women and babies receive the best care in line with their needs and personal wishes. They do so with integrity, genuine kindness, compassion, humility and a personal touch.”

Chief director of nursing and midwifery for acute services in HSE Dublin and Midlands Eileen Whelan said the awards ceremony recognises the staff who have been nominated by their peers as individuals who have met and who have exceeded the standards for excellence in patient and service user care.

General manager at MRHP John Joyce said: “The HEART awards provide us with a great opportunity to say thank you and highlight the respect and teamwork that exists across nursing and midwifery. Your dedication is clear and I would like to take this opportunity to offer my appreciation for all your hard work and continued valued service to the hospital.”