Derry woman hoping to scoop ‘Most Inspirational Nurse of the Year’ award

Derry nursing student April Canning has been nominated for the ‘Most Inspirational Nurse of the Year’ accolade in the prestigious Student Nursing Times Awards 2024.

Previously the recipient of the NI Allstate Convocation Student of the Year award, the Ulster University, Magee student will be attending the “glittering live ceremony” in London in April, with husband Paddy and some of her lecturers.

The Student Nursing Times Awards bring together the nursing and midwifery community to “shine a light on the brightest talent making their way into the profession”.

“Highlighting excellence in all specialties of student nursing, the awards also provide the opportunity to congratulate the lecturers, practice supervisors, universities, trusts and private organisations providing the best support for student nurses during their studies.”

Speaking to Derry News about her nomination, April revealed she had been nominated for a Student Nursing Times Award by her lecturers.

A modest April added: “I am absolutely delighted. I can’t believe I have been nominated, especially from such a large pool of people. I had to travel to London last Friday for an interview with the panel.”

April said she had come “late into nursing”.

She added: “I am in a class with people who are a lot younger than me. I had my children when I was young. By the time I was 19, I was married with four youngsters - Reece, Brandon Grace and Isobel.

“I had children with additional needs as well, which made life a lot harder but I had always wanted to work in healthcare. I was always a carer in the community, in nursing homes. But I had to wait until the children got that bit older so I could go back to school.

“I had to fight for everything. I had to go back to the Tech (North West Regional College) first because I didn’t have the A’ Levels to get into university. I did the access course there.

“Initially nursing was harder than I thought it would be. It is a struggle with placements and school work and ePad - an  online portfolio we have to complete while we are on placement. 

“It was overwhelming to begin with trying to settle into the nursing course but luckily the lecturers were amazing. They are there whenever you need them, which makes things a lot easier,” said April.

Having completed her last day in the university classroom last week, April is going on her final two placements from April 15 - in health visiting and in Altnagelvin.

“I just have the university’s ‘Disaster Day’ to get through first,” she said. “Once a year, Ulster University hosts a day when the PSNI and the Fire Service come in and set up different scenarios all over the university - disasters, road traffic collisions, plane crashes - and the Third Year students are assessed on how they respond medically.

“There are actors involved all there pretending they are hurt. We have to come in not knowing what situations we are going to be faced with.

“ We don’t have a clue what the scenario is until we are there and they assess us.”

April thought she was nominated for the Student Nursing Times Award because of her volunteering work.

“This is something I have always wanted” - Award-winning Derry student April Canning

“It's nerve-wracking being thrown in at the deep end and they don't mollycoddle you because you're there to learn”

“I am very active within the university,” she said. “I am a counsellor for students with caring responsibilities.

“I am also a student ambassador, a course rep and a class rep. I also volunteer outside University with a charity called ‘Look Good, Feel Better’, which operates from the Macmillan centre. It is for cancer to help them restore their image with skincare and makeup while they are going through treatment or afterwards,” said April.

The Student Nursing Times Awards take place on Friday, April 26 at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane. The city will have its fingers crossed for April.