Watch: Laurelvale student nurse Jill Vogan awarded prestigious award in honour of highly-respected Southern Trust colleague Nicola Tallon
A student nurse from Laurelvale who demonstrates “exceptional commitment to patient care” has been given a prestigious award by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
Jill Vogan has been announced as the recipient of the Nicola Tallon Student Nurse of the Year Award.
The award was launched in memory of an esteemed colleague within the Southern Trust who worked in the Home Treatment Crisis Response team in the mental health division. Nicola, who lived in Lurgan, sadly passed away in June 2021.
Nicola is remembered as “an exemplary nurse” who consistently went above and beyond the call of duty.
In a tribute following her death, the Southern Trust paid tribute to her as someone who “improved the lives of all who were lucky to have met her.”
Jill stood out for her outstanding work during her first-year placement at the Eden Centre in Portadown, where she was part of the Adult Learning Disability Team.
The runner-up was Nicole McBirney from Armagh who impressed the judges with her work in the Ambulatory Care Unit in Craigavon Area Hospital.
The judging panel praised the high calibre of applications, noting the exceptional quality, values and ethics demonstrated by all students who were nominated.
Jane Acheson, team leader Adult Learning Disability Team, who nominated Jill said: “Although this was Jill’s first community placement – which can often feel daunting - she threw herself into the team and got to know our patients very quickly.
"She was eager to learn and genuinely wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of service users.
"Jill consistently demonstrated exceptional commitment to patient care and a real passion for learning disability nursing. She was a fantastic student who oozed passion for her role, we are so proud to have been a part of her student journey.”
Interim assistant director Disability Services Roisin O’Hare added: “Congratulations to Jill our Nicola Tallon Student Nurse of the Year winner and to Nicole, our runner-up. Both represent the very best of our values in action.
"Their commitment to compassionate, high-quality care reflects our Vision and Strategy 2030 where our people are at the heart of delivering safe, innovative services and shaping the future of healthcare.”