National award for KGH nurse Dione

It's International Nurses Day today (Wednesday) - and it's been a happy one for Kettering General Hospital's Dione Rogers after she won a top award for her digital work.

Dione, the Rothwell Road hospital's chief nursing informatics officer, has won the Chief Nursing Officer for England’s Silver Award for her outstanding contribution to digital nursing.

She was presented with the award by Chief Nursing Officer for England, Ruth May, during one of the first meetings of a new Chief Nursing Informatics Officer Network (CNIO) for the midlands on April 30.

Dione, who is chair of the midlands network, said: “It was a great surprise and a great honour to receive the Silver Award for my digital work.

“I am passionate about the power technology has to help nurses and doctors to do a better job for patients because it can empower them with so much up-to-the-minute information about them.

“At Kettering General we already have a digital observations system where we can use iPads and mobile phones to securely share patient observations, handover notes, photographs, and referrals at the touch of a button.

“We also have systems in place to spot deteriorating patients so that we can prioritise patients in most need.

“Technology is fantastic but it is important that clinicians work very closely with manufacturers so that products are very helpful and don’t add unnecessary burdens for staff.”

When Dione became Kettering General Hospital’s first Chief Nursing Informatics Officer in October 2019 she found that there were few ways for her, and the growing number of CNIOs in the midlands, to meet and discuss ideas and develop their knowledge on how best to use and introduce digitalisation.

As chair of the midlands network she has worked hard to change that with online meetings and guest speakers – including high profile ones like Chief Nursing Officer for England, Ruth May, and Dr Natasha Phillips, Chief Nursing and Informatics Officer for England.

Natasha Phillips, who nominated Dione for the Silver Award, said:” Dione is a passionate female digital leader and recently received a letter from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern commending her for her efforts.

“She really deserves a silver award for her outstanding contribution to our digital agenda. I think we will see much more of her digital leadership going forward and I am grateful for that leadership.”

KGH and NGH’s group chief digital information officer, Andy Callow, said: “Dione’s leadership as our first chief nursing informatics officer at KGH has resulted in a successful roll out of electronic observations system.

“Now she is inspiring and supporting her colleagues across the region to bring in digitalisation for the benefit of both patients and NHS staff.

“Dione is a very worthy recipient of this very prestigious national nursing award.”