Nurses crown new archangel of mercy

As the battle for the implementation of the reclassification of nurses wages on, members of the profession paused on Saturday to crown their new archangel of mercy at the annual National Nurse of the Year Awards ceremony.

Before the curtains came down at the function staged at the Wyndham Kingston Hotel in New Kingston, Candice Thompson, ward sister at the Spanish Town Hospital, came out on top of the six finalists who vied for the Lasco/Nurses' Association of Jamaica (NAJ) Nurse of the Year title.

Thompson's crowning brought an end to the National Nurses' Week celebrations that began on July 18.

In her acceptance speech, Thompson said she was deeply honoured and awed to win such a prestigious award. The almost-40-year-old nurse said despite the glamour attached to the Nurse of the Year title, the attendant responsibility was enormous.

Showered with gifts

Thompson and the other finalists were showered with gifts. For coming out on top, she took home more than $155,000, plus several trophies and gift baskets.

Laverna Campbell from the Percy Junor Hospital and Jillian Mason-Cleary from the Hanover Health Department were first and second runners-up, respectively.

The Nursing Student of the Year was also crowned and sashed at the annual event. The award went to Yanique Cummings, a second-year student at the Brown's Town Community College School of Nursing. Staford Rowe, the first male nursing student to enter the competition, was first runner-up, while Chadene Humphrey copped the honours for second runner-up. Rowe and Humphrey attended the Knox Community College School of Nursing. That institution was also named nursing school of the year.

Betty-Ann Blaine, keynote speaker, encouraged the nurses to press on in the fight to have their reclassification implemented by the Government. "This is a situation that is not only unjust but backward," said Blaine, in reference to the protracted delay in the reclassification exercise.

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com