About 100 nurses and supporters gathered at the Otago Board Room in Dunedin Hospital for the annual scholarships, and to recognise nurses' general contribution. Certificates were also handed out for outstanding service.
Jo Mitchell, a registered nurse at the Southern District Health Board's Otago knowledge centre, has developed a programme utilising fourth-year medical students to help increase young nurses' confidence when dealing with more senior medical staff.
Starting in January, monthly workshops are held between young nurses and medical students role-playing scenarios to increase nurses' communication skills.
The programme was considered innovative, Mrs Mitchell said.
Mrs Mitchell planned to use her scholarship to travel to a conference in Australia in July to speak about the programme; it was likely it would also form the basis of a scholarly article.
Neonatal intensive care unit associated charge nurse Jo Dobson planned to use her scholarship to travel to a conference in South Africa in October to give a presentation on transferring newborn babies in New Zealand.
Other recipients of Healthcare Otago Charitable Trust scholarships were Janice Bridgman, RichelleFogarty, and Stacey Smart; Merrilee Williams received a $1000 Rotary scholarship.
