Outstanding Health and Care Professions students celebrated at award night

A student whose project aims at introducing inclusive haircare practices to in-patient care settings is one of the recognised awardees at the Health and Care Professions Award night.

The prizes commend students who have attained the highest academic grades within their course and recognises discipline specific projects and innovative practices.

Stage 4 MSci Nursing student Beatrice Ogbekhiulu was awarded the “Best application of innovative research to practice” prize for her project ‘Rooted in Inclusivity’ which aims to address inclusive haircare needs within the NHS. The project highlights a gap in the knowledge and skills of clinical staff members in providing haircare to patients with Afro-textured hair. It also seeks to redress areas of cultural incompetence which has resulted in damage to Afro hair.

Beatrice said: “I’m honoured to have received the Nursing Innovation Research Prize. This recognition not only reflects my dedication and hard work but also acknowledges the importance of advancing healthcare practices that are mindful of the diverse needs of our patients. My project, Rooted in Inclusivity, addresses the often-overlooked haircare needs of patients with Afro-textured hair by introducing inclusive haircare products. This initiative aims to ensure that individuals with this hair type feel seen, respected, and valued.

“While this project was initially part of a module assignment, my goal is to expand its impact. I envision introducing this project across hospitals and trusts, particularly within Southwest England. The successful implementation of this initiative would serve as a powerful demonstration of the NHS’s commitment to true inclusivity, not only for staff but also for patients.”

A group of third year Medical Imaging students were awarded the “Rothband Prize for Innovation” for their collaborative project which aims to determine the benefits of simulated scenario sessions in clinical practice.

Elly Hall, Asha Partridge, Isobel Edwards and Amelia Yazdi-Davis innovative project ‘Evaluating simulated suspected physical abuse scenarios to prepare students for the emotional and technical aspects of these examinations’ investigated the benefits of simulated scenarios of suspected cases of physical child abuse in preparing trainee radiographers for clinical practice.

Elly said: This project was important to us to learn how to better improve students’ experiences with simulation especially in difficult scenarios, we’re all interested in paediatric imaging and learning how to improve safeguarding pathways by learning from students can better protect children from physical abuse.

Amelia said: “We’re excited to see what comes next in medical imaging training with the use of simulation and hopefully can see it implemented in hospitals not just for students but to better clinical practice to ensure all radiographers are equipped to deal with all forms of patient, imaging and events within their careers”

The Laura Acton Award for Progress, now in its third year, was set up to commemorate Laura who passed during her studies and recognises radiography students who have shown good progression in their academics. This year, the award was presented to Staiger Adrian (Cohort 2R20), Damon Green and Sindiso Eric Mafu (Cohort 1R21).

Professor Karen Knapp, Head of Department of Health and Care Professions at the University of Exeter, said: “These awards recognise the excellent achievements of our students, and we are thrilled to play a role in creating the health care leaders of the future. We’re proud of our community and it’s fantastic to see students celebrated for their efforts.”