A STUDENT and lecturer at Teesside University have been shortlisted in prestigious national nursing awards.

Rachel Morris, senior lecturer in the university’s school of Health and Social Care, and Amanda Bain, a third year Nursing Studies student, have both been shortlisted for top honours in the Student Nursing Times Awards 2013.

Teesside was the only university to win two awards at the inaugural awards held last year, when Mark Wheatley, senior lecturer in the university’s school of Health and Social Care, was named Lecturer of the Year and Beccy Phillips was named Student Nurse of the Year: Adult.

This year’s Student Nursing Times Awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on Wednesday 1 May.

Mrs Bain, 40, of Newton Aycliffe, who is shortlisted in the student category, said: “It feels amazing to be nominated. It was completely unexpected and I’m overwhelmed.”

The former child minder had always wanted to go into nursing, but waited until children Heather, 17, Samuel, 14 and Grace, 11, were older before deciding to pursue her ambition.

She added: “I knew combining study with caring for a family would be demanding, but my husband Ian has been my rock. I couldn’t have done it without his support.”

Teesside University has also been shortlisted for two further accolades, the Partnership of the Year award and Teaching Innovation of the Year award.