Lecturer Receives Award for Children’s Palliative Care Education

Posted on: 01 May 2012

Lecturer in Paediatric Nursing, Dr Honor Nicholl of the School of Nursing and Midwifery was recently named international ‘Educator of the Year’ in recognition of her work in children’s palliative care education.  The award, organised by the International Journal of Palliative Nursing (IJPN) and Macmillan Cancer Support, celebrates achievement and excellence in all aspects of palliative care internationally.

Ireland’s first interdisciplinary children’s palliative care education programme commenced in the School of Nursing and Midwifery in September 2011 and was led by Dr Nicholl, with the aid of funding from the Irish Hospice Foundation. The international panel of judges commended Dr Nicholl for responding rapidly to national policy directives in Ireland to develop this important programme. The judges also recognised that Dr Nicholl had made determined efforts to ensure key stakeholders and service users, as well as international experts, were involved in all aspects of curriculum development and programme delivery.  The first cohort of students will complete the programme in Trinity this May.  These students include nurses, social workers, chaplains and a physiotherapist who all provide services for children and their families in hospitals and health care settings across Ireland.

In accepting the award Dr Nicholl recognised the support provided by her colleagues in the project team, from members of the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the College community.  Speaking about the award Dr Nicholl said:  “I am extremely pleased to receive this award in recognition of my ongoing work in children’s palliative care which has included this innovative educational initiative for practitioners. Children’s palliative care is a new and developing area of specialisation in Ireland and it is very important that recommendations from national policies for children with palliative needs are fully implemented. We must equip families and healthcare professionals with the specialist skills that are needed to ensure that all children with any form of illness that may limit their lifespan have a good quality of life for as long as they live. To provide this care for children, parents and their siblings at all stages of the illness trajectory requires a sound theoretical base on which to implement practice.”  

Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Prof Agnes Higgins and Dr Honor Nicholl