Student Nurse or Midwife of the Year: Clinical Research
Ruby Jackson Melanatal
As a student midwife Ruby Jackson was troubled by the disparities in maternity care and wanted to do something about it. During her third year she thought of the idea for an app called "Melanatal" as part of her dissertation project. "Melanatal" is now in the process of being built after Ruby was named the winner of the "Priority Population Digital Health Challenge" which gave her the opportunity to bring the app to life. With plans to launch in late spring, Melanatal aims to improve and support care for Black and Brown mothers and babies.
Rebecca Nisbet University of York
Rebecca is a final year student nurse at the University of York who has engaged in research through multiple projects across her programme. Rebecca's led a project on neurodiversity in student nurses as part of the Council of Deans Student Leadership Programme, presenting this work at conferences. Rebecca has also been on an NIHR internship in which she worked on a project relating to chronic kidney disease prevalence in severe mental illness and has had a paper published as a result of this.
Jessica Pidcock Sheffield Hallam University
My name is Jess Pidcock, and I am a final-year student children's nurse at Sheffield Hallam University. I am passionate about clinical research and a strong evidence base in nursing. Since being a student nurse, I have been able to publish my work in the form of blog articles in the Nursing Times and contribute to a peer-reviewed article in the Nursing Standard. I have also been able to find employment opportunities to undertake primary research. I am very proud to have been able to work with other student nurses to educate them on research and build their skills.
Ella Venn University of West England
Ella represents our Chief Nursing Officer’s vision of a research-engaged Registered Nurse. During her internship she conducted a literature review, observed current practice, analysed findings, made recommendations and presented work to stakeholders, informing future departmental Quality Improvement work. Even though she is settling into the challenging role as a newly qualified adult ICU nurse, Ella continues to work with us to write work up for conferences and publications and is a co-author on a blog to promote the Undergraduate Internship Programme. With her professional curiosity and excellent attention to detail, Ella clearly demonstrates potential as a future clinical academic nurse.
Eleanor Wilkinson University of Plymouth
My nursing journey has been one of resilience and growth. Overcoming challenges, I found purpose through volunteering, research, and reflection. I designed a CAMHS sensory room, mentored in surf therapy, and created resources to support future student nurses. Recognised with Wow Awards and being offered an undergraduate research internship, I’ve excelled academically and contributed to impactful research on eating disorders, neurodiversity, and nursing education. My experiences have shaped me into the nurse I aspire to be—a nurse who understands the complexities of mental health, stands up for others, and believes in the incredible power of compassion and connecting with people.