Open University Nursing graduate David Ferran is the winner of the ‘Northern Ireland Degree Category’ award at the British Education Awards in London.
The event on 30 January was the first of its kind, honouring students from across the UK for exemplary academic and extracurricular achievement.
Academic Excellence
The Open University nominated David for this award because of his exceptional academic success over the past year. In 2016, he won the Royal College of Nursing NI Student Nurse of the Year award, and achieved a First Class BSc honours degree in Adult Nursing.
Nominated for the RCN award by Open University Practice Tutor Eleanor Weir for his academic excellence, David, in his final year of nursing study, carried out a research project regarding skin surgery and communication with patients in a Dermatology Outpatient Department. He devised an information leaflet as part of his project to ensure patients would fully understand their treatment. His project also investigated the need to translate patient information leaflets in to many languages. This ensured all patients had access to information, advice and support on an equal basis, before treatment.
New confidence as a lifelong learner
David said: “I’m very honoured to have been nominated by The Open University and to have won the Northern Ireland regional degree category.
As someone who hadn’t studied in ten years to now have achieved two distinctions in my final year and a first class honours degree in Nursing I’m very shocked, although my success is attributed to the support I have received from The Open University and the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
“This award has increased my confidence as a newly registered nurse and a lifelong learner and I hope my knowledge can be used to improve the care I provide to patients.”
Find out more
- Find out more about studying Nursing with The Open University
- OpenLearn has a raft of free courses and resources on Healthcare.
- The Open University has co-produced the new six-part documentary Hospital with the BBC. Learn more about the series and find out how our academics get involved in a TV production.
