Nurse wins competition to design pin badge celebrating 100 years of nursing regulation
26 November 2019
A nurse who gave up her life in the Philippines to land her dream job in England has won the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) competition celebrating 100 years of professional pride.
Last night, (Monday, 25 November) over 200 frontline nurses and key partners joined the NMC to officially mark the fantastic contribution that nursing has made in the last century, and continues to make, for people using services and their families.
Karen May Mojica, who has worked in the critical care unit at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage since December 2015, put her artistic flair to the test to design a commemorative pin badge to honour the hundreds of thousands of nurses on the register.
Part of the NMC’s ‘Always Caring, Always Nursing’ celebrations, the competition was launched in partnership with the Nursing Times in September, with the professional regulator asking those on its register to submit an engaging design for its centenary – which falls on December 23, 2019.
Over 100 people submitted entries, but the judges were particularly impressed with Karen’s well-thought out design.
It features two hands, an ECG rhythm and a heart in the centre to portray the invaluable skills and expert knowledge – together with the relentless care, love and compassion – that nurses demonstrate day in, day out across the UK.
Karen, 29, was inspired to enter the contest by Ethel Gordon Fenwick, who was the driving force behind creating a professional register of nurses.
She said:
“Ethel gave her entire life trying to establish regulation and I wanted to do something in return.
“This country and the community have welcomed me with open arms and this is my way of saying thank you.”
On behalf of the four UK Chief Nursing Officers; Ruth May, England’s Chief Nursing Officer, announced her win at a special celebratory event on Monday 25 November.
She called the badge “beautiful and superb,” adding:
“I am hugely privileged and in awe of all the people who have spoken from the heart about nursing.
“My aunt and mum had both been nurses and I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I remember as a patient, my nurse Sarah looked after me and I had huge respect and feelings of safety in her hands when she was caring for me. I also remember my midwife when I gave birth to my daughter, Lucy.
“On behalf of the four Chief Nursing Officers I want this to be the first step for us celebrating the Year of the Nurse and Year of the Midwife 2020.”
Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, Chief Executive and Registrar at the NMC, said:
“We had some truly amazing entries which really captured the skill and expertise of nurses and how caring is at the heart of everything nurses do, but sadly, we could only pick one.
“Karen’s design represents a tangible, lasting legacy that professionals on our register can wear with pride as we celebrate 100 years of ‘Always Caring, Always Nursing’ and I would like to congratulate her on her win.
“The professionals on our register make such a difference to everyone in our communities and we’re so proud to support them to provide the best and safest care possible.”
You can apply for a limited edition commemorative badge.
Ends
Further background
- Photo of Karen May Mojica attached with the winning design unveiled at the NMC’s ‘Always Caring, Always Nursing’ celebratory event at St Thomas’ Hospital, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
- Those professionals on, or who have previously been on, the register are able to sign up to the NMC’s website to receive one of the limited edition PIN badges.
- Find out more about ‘Always Caring, Always Nursing’
- Join in with @nmcnews Twitter activity using the hashtag #PrideInNursing
- The ‘Always Caring, Always Nursing’ centenary celebrations began on 14 September 2019 – 100 days before the 100 year anniversary – with a range of activities and events planned throughout the autumn months. Read more
- The pin badge competition was launched on 26 September. Read more
- The celebrations will act as a springboard into the WHO (World Health Organization) Year of the Nurse and Year of the Midwife in 2020 which the NMC will be marking with its partners across the health and care sector throughout the year.
For further media enquiries, please contact NMC press office on 020 7681 5415 or email media@nmc-uk.org.
