RDH Sister Lisa presented with award for dedication during pandemic
A Royal Derby Hospital Sister has been awarded a special award by the Derbyshire Branch of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) for her outstanding contributions during Covid-19.
Lisa Wilkinson, Sister in Surgical Outpatients, has been recognised as part of the RCN’s celebrations for International Year of the Nurse and Midwife and is one of 20 award winners in the county.
Upon receiving her award, Lisa said: “It was a total surprise – I thought I was being brought outside to sing carols!”
During the pandemic, Lisa was redeployed to Step Down Unit, a specialist area for patients who require a higher level of nursing observation than a general ward but fewer facilities and interventions that are available in Intensive Care.
This meant that she had to learn new skills and responsibilities while caring for some of the sickest patients, something Lisa says was nerve-racking: 
“It’s a pandemic and I was scared but I did enjoy my time there – and I was just doing my job. There were lots of people who had been redeployed from different areas so there was a strong support network and a good environment to work in.
“Some of the work was getting back to the basics of nursing care too, which was really nice to do again as I don’t get to do that too often in my current role.
Carolyn Unwin, Senior Sister in Surgical Outpatients, said that she and the rest of the team were incredibly proud of Lisa for her achievements:
“Lisa just went to Step Down Unit without a second thought. She’s got two young children at home, but she just took the bull by the horns and faced the challenge head on.
“I’m very proud of her. As nurses, we tend to just say that we are just doing our jobs, but what Lisa has done is amazing. It’s made her a more rounded person and she’s gained lots of valuable experience which she can now share with the team.”