Student Nurse Karla Hamlet has been shortlisted for an Innovation in Practice Award at this year’s prestigious Student Nursing Times Awards.

The Student Nursing Times Awards bring together the nursing community to showcase the brightest talent making their way into the profession, highlighting excellence in all specialties of student nursing.

The Student Innovation in Practice award ‘seeks to recognise a student who has made an exceptional contribution to their placement by inspiring, leading or innovating’.

Karla, a student nurse at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) was shortlisted for her work on the VOICE BOX project which allows students to post their ideas to improve their education and working experience at the Trust while on their placements.

From the data collected, teams work to find solutions and take forward new ideas. The VOICE BOX project is intended to offer both nursing staff and nursing students a voice, allow students to feel empowered to create change, foster good relationships between teams and, most importantly, help make sure the Trust provides outstanding patient care.

The VOICE BOX project supports the National Midwifery Council (NMC) standards framework for nursing and midwifery education, stating that students should be “empowered and supported to become resilient, caring, reflective and lifelong learners”.

The Trust’s Chief Nurse, Jo Haworth said: “I am delighted that Karla has been shortlisted for a Student Nursing Times Award, this is a fantastic achievement. At MTW our aim is to create a nursing team that is skilled, kind, and proud of their profession and the care they provide. Her drive and determination is helping make our nursing students’ experience the best it can be. Well done, Karla.”

The winners will be announced on Friday 28 April at the Student Nursing Times Awards ceremony in London.