MSG nursing bursary relaunched for 2018

Sunday 18 February 2018

Nurses, midwives and other frontline health workers have until the end of February to apply for a £1,500 award from the Medical Specialist Group.

The bursary was launched by the MSG last year to provide financial support towards projects, study or training that will contribute to improved care for patients.

Applications for the 2018 award will be accepted from qualified nurses, midwives and other frontline health workers who are working in Guernsey or Alderney and who are employed by either the Committee for Health & Social Care or the Medical Specialist Group.

Pictured: Patricia McDermott receiving her cheque from MSG Chairman Steve Evans (with Bailiwick Deputy Chief Nurse Elaine Burgess attending).

The 2017 award was shared by two Bailiwick nurses; Annemarie Horn and Patricia McDermott.

Ms Horn, who works at the Mignot Memorial Hospital in Alderney, needed the funding to add a minor injuries module to her nursing degree course. She learned last month that she had attained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Studies degree with first class honours.

Ms Horn said: “I achieved good grades for my written pieces of course work and more importantly the course enhanced my ability to deal with minor injuries,” she said.  “Thanks to this valuable funding, I had the confidence to apply to the RCN foundation and have now also been awarded funding to commence a masters degree in dementia studies.”

Urology Specialist Nurse, Ms McDermott, required funding to undertake studies for a Certificate in Psychosexual Studies.  She has been travelling to London each month for the course and says she has learned a lot about relationships and how illness and past experiences can affect couples.

Ms McDermott said: “I now feel more confident in supporting patients who disclose relationship problems and I feel better equipped to explore this with them,” she said. “While undertaking this course it became evident to me that many healthcare professionals don’t always feel confident about addressing a patient’s sexual issues and so I have organised a study day addressing sex and sexuality in clinical practice and have 55 healthcare professionals signed up for it.”

Nurses, midwives and other frontline health workers who are interested in applying for the MSG award can find further details and an application form here.

Applications will be accepted until 28^th February, after which a judging panel will select one or more recipients and a presentation will take place in mid-March.

Pictured main image: Visiting MSG Consultant Chris Joslin presenting Annemarie Horn with her cheque in Alderney (with Bailiwick Chief Nurse Juliet Beal looking on via video-link)