A NURSE who went above and beyond to support a terminally patient and his family was among the staff celebrated at a special awards ceremony.

Olivia Bright, who was honoured at a WOW! Awards event, was a student nurse at the time of the nomination and now works as a staff nurse on the isolation ward at Basingstoke hospital.

She made sure the family was supported at all times, being a comfort to the patient and holding his hand when a member of the family was away from the room.

She also made sure that the family was kept fully informed, taking the time needed to explain everything to them.

Olivia said: “It was a very distressing time for the family. They did not want to leave their loved one by himself so I made sure that he was accompanied whenever they left the room.

“I feel very privileged to have won this WOW! Award and honoured that the family took the time to nominate me during such a difficult moment. I feel like I won this on behalf of the whole isolation ward team, who have an amazing and caring attitude. They taught me so much as a student and I aspire to be like them now I am a qualified nurse myself.”

Olivia was one of many staff at Hampshire Hospitals presented with WOW! Awards for their hard work, dedication and care during the event, which took place at The Ark, Basingstoke hospital. Elizabeth Padmore, chairman of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Andover War Memorial Hospital, Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and Royal Hampshire County Hospital, in Winchester, said: “I think it’s wonderful that patients and their families, often going through very difficult times, take time to recognise the compassionate care they have received from our amazing staff.

“Each month we get more and more nominations, which reflects the extraordinary work of everyone in the Trust. Every act of kindness can stay with our patients for a very long time.”

At the ceremony, four departments from across the trust were surprised with special presentations for reaching a landmark number of nominations.

Staff in the emergency department at Basingstoke hospital, the trust’s radiotherapy unit and ward E4 at Basingstoke hospital have received 50 nominations, while the Wainwright eye day case unit team at Royal Hampshire County Hospital.