Nurses celebrated as profession marks 80 years

Jamaica’s top nurses were celebrated yesterday for their commitment to patient care, leadership and professional excellence as the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ), in partnership with the LASCO Chin Foundation, staged its 2026 National Nurse of the Year and Nursing Student of the Year Awards.

The ceremony, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, formed part of the NAJ’s 80th anniversary celebrations and was held under the theme: “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.”

History was made during the awards as Michelle Hales Thompson of Percy Junor Hospital and Juline Souden of the University Hospital of the West Indies shared the Second Runner-Up position in the Nurse of the Year competition – the first tie in the programme’s history.

Registered Nurse and Midwife Jervine Richards of Percy Junor Hospital emerged as the 2026 LASCO Chin Foundation and NAJ Nurse of the Year.

Dedicated service

Richards, who received a $200,000 prize from LASCO, was recognised for seven years of dedicated service, her patient-centred approach and commitment to community development.

In addition to her work at Percy Junor Hospital, she is president of the Kiwanis Club of Spaldings-Christiana, where she has championed initiatives focused on education, youth development and community outreach.

Latoya Russell of the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre was named First Runner-Up and received $150,000.

Russell was recognised for her commitment to patient care, nursing education and mentorship. She has also received multiple accolades, including Nurse of the Quarter.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of the West Indies, Mona, and a Certificate in Preceptor Training from the Caribbean School of Nursing at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

Hales Thompson, who has more than 27 years of nursing experience, has built a career in nursing administration, leadership and mentorship. She is departmental nurse manager at Percy Junor Hospital and has made longstanding contributions to the NAJ and the Caribbean Nurses Organization.

Souden, charge nurse in the Accident and Emergency Department at the University Hospital of the West Indies, has earned national recognition for excellence in emergency nursing and midwifery.

A certified emergency nurse and recipient of the Grabham Prize for Excellence in Midwifery, she continues to champion innovation, mentorship and clinical excellence in one of Jamaica’s busiest emergency departments.

80th anniversary

NAJ President Dawn-Marie Richards described the ceremony as a fitting highlight of the association’s 80th anniversary.

“Today was phenomenal. It is a feature of our 80th year anniversary. It wasn’t planned because it’s an annual event, but the happenings of the day just came in nicely,” she said.

Richards also praised the Nurse of the Year winner, describing her victory as an encouraging sign for the future of the profession.

“Jervine is one of the newer nurses and, strangely enough, she’s not somebody who is active in the national association, but she’s very active at her local level, so my interactions with her one-on-one have been limited,” Richards told The Gleaner.

“But I just want to say, nurse to nurse, she has done a phenomenal job. As a young nurse in the profession, her skills and being able to come out on top in this competition is phenomenal.”

Richards also reflected on the significance of the NAJ’s eight decades of service.

“As we celebrate 80 years of existence of the association, we do so standing on the shoulders of giants who have built and shaped the nursing profession over the past eight decades. This milestone reminds us not only of how far we have come, but of the responsibility we have to continue that legacy of excellence, compassion and service,” she said.

Changing face of nursing

The awards also highlighted what organisers described as the changing face of the nursing profession, with increased participation by men.

Javier Palmer of Knox Community College School of Nursing was named Nursing Student of the Year, with fellow Knox student Aroha Lynch taking First Runner-Up and Natalia Richards of Brown’s Town Community College School of Nursing placing Second Runner-Up.

Palmer, a third-year nursing student, was recognised for his academic commitment, leadership and determination to challenge stereotypes surrounding men in nursing. He hopes to become an operating room nurse and inspire more men to view nursing as a rewarding career.

James Rawle, executive chairman of LASCO Affiliated Companies, said the growing participation of men in nursing was one of the highlights of this year’s competition.

“What was impressive about the student nurses is that, of the 11 finalists, all were males. Males are growing in the profession and that’s reassuring,” he said.

Rawle said LASCO’s support for the awards, which began 26 years ago, was rooted in the vision of the company’s late founder, Lascelles Chin.

“He was of the view, and we’re still of the view, that these are hardworking professionals and they are not recognised enough,” Rawle said.

The awards, he added, provided an opportunity to publicly acknowledge outstanding members of the profession.

Ce’zanne Chin, corporate communications officer at the LASCO Chin Foundation, said the programme held special significance for her because of her grandfather’s belief that people who dedicated their lives to caring for others deserved to be recognised and supported.

The annual awards recognise nurses and nursing students who demonstrate professional excellence, leadership, innovation and compassionate service.

This year’s historic milestones – the first tie in the Nurse of the Year competition and the strong representation of male nursing students – underscored the continued evolution of Jamaica’s nursing profession.

tiffany.pryce@gleanerjm.com