AWARD FOR HERO NURSE
A mental health nurse who helped talk a distressed person down from a bridge has been awarded for her commitment to studying.
Sunderland’s Claire Gibson graduated with a first-class honours degree in Mental Health Nursing from Northumbria University and is working on a hospital ward.
Now, the 37-year-old has been awarded a Heath Award by the university in recognition of her commitment to her nursing studies.
Following the ceremony at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Claire said: “I was really shocked.
“I didn’t even know I had been nominated. It is such an achievement and I feel really emotional about it.”
Claire’s commitment to nursing was particularly demonstrated one night when she was on her way to placement and saw someone in distress attempting to climb off a footbridge spanning a busy road.
She stopped to help the individual, providing emotional and physical support until the police arrived to assist.
This year’s winners of the Health Awards were chosen after being nominated by the University’s academics and clinical staff with whom they worked on placement.
Claire said: “It is such an honour.
“It’s nice to say I’m a nurse now and to hear my children say their mum is a nurse.
“It is very rewarding, it can be very stressful at times.”
Claire, who is married with two children, is a staff nurse at Monkwearmouth Hospital and has juggled a busy home life with her studies and work placements.
She said: “I am the first person in my family to go to university. I felt like I wanted a challenge. I wanted to make my children and husband proud and show them what you can achieve.
“They have been very supportive throughout my training and I couldn't have done it without them."
Before attending university Claire had been working since leaving school and left a secure job in a call centre which she had had for 16 years.
She said: “I wanted to start a new chapter in life though it was very frightening.
“I felt it was the right time and I had my big goal to push for.”