KINGSTON, Jamaica – Nurses Manager at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Alicia Adamson was on Friday named the 2022 -2023 Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ)/Lasco Nurse of the Year at the annual awards luncheon at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

The event concluded celebratory activities for National Nurses Week 2022 under the theme, Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and Respect Rights to Secure Global Health.

The NAJ/Lasco Nurse of the Year Awards pays homage to the remarkable achievements of the nation’s nurses and serves as a reminder of the tireless and selfless efforts of the women and men who continue to sacrifice time spent away from their own families to serve Jamaicans, especially at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, organisers said in a press release.

This year’s winner, Nurse Adamson is continuously inspired by the mantra, “It doesn’t matter how hard that task is…once you allow the Lord to lead and strengthen you then for sure your mountains will be seen as a walk over”, the release stated.

Adamson was awarded the Nurse of the Year trophy and a cash award of $200,000, among other prizes.

Nurse Nasandra Peart, Ward Manager at Percy Junor Hospital (PJH), took the first runner-up spot while Nurse Marika Davis-Miller, Nurses Manager at Mandeville Regional Hospital, claimed the 2nd runner up spot.

Among numerous gift baskets and prizes, the runners-up received Lasco sectional trophies along with a cash award of $150,000 and $100,000 respectively.

The other Nurse of the Year finalists, Nurse Danielle Granston, General Nurse at Black River Hospital; Nurse Davia L Dwyer, Operating Theatre Nurse at Mandeville Regional Hospital; and Nurse Davia Tucker, Acting Nurses Manager at Bustamante Hospital for Children; all received finalist plaques, and gifts and prizes from corporate partners.

Lasco has collectively invested $6.2 million to support the nurses’ activities this year, according to Lascelles Chin, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Lasco Affiliated Companies.

Speaking at the event, the chairman lauded the nurses for their remarkable fortitude and compassion. He implored corporate Jamaica to do more to recognise the significance of their role.

“The efforts of our nurses over the past two years have more than showcased that this is true. Faced with the uncertainties surrounding the care and treatment of patients stricken with COVID-19, as well as concerns about their own personal safety and that of their families, our nurses took on the tremendous responsibility placed upon them.”

He continued, “It is always our pleasure to lend support to the distinguished public sector workers, our nurses, teachers, principals, and police officers, who play such integral roles and who touch the lives of people, especially the most vulnerable. They are truly our unsung heroes.”

He went further to praise the training institutions for their hand in continuing to produce some of the most well trained and adept nurses in the world — who are the envy of other more developed Jurisdictions. For almost a decade, Lasco has extended its reach to aspiring nursing students across the country.

“It is a wonderful sight to see the new crop of nursing students coming up through the ranks, especially our finalists, bringing their strength and innovation to help sustain Jamaica’s healthcare sector. We applaud you for choosing this noble profession,” he stated.

La-Daniel Campbell of Brown’s Town Community College School of Nursing was awarded the NAJ/LASCO Student Nurse of the Year. Campbell received a cash prize of $100,000 in addition to other sectional prizes.