Nurse finds purpose in working with mentally challenged

Registered nurse Paula Lawrence is one of three healthcare workers at the Bellevue Hospital who received the health ministry’s Dr Barry Wint Memorial Scholarship.

This scholarship aims to provide financial assistance for persons currently enrolled or accepted into tertiary level academic programmes in all health careers. An elated Lawrence told THE STAR that the scholarship will not only advance her academically, but give her an opportunity to mould mental health nurses in training.

“This scholarship covers the duration of the programme. I am doing the master’s in nursing education at UWI. I think in order to improve the care that nurses give, we must take it from the beginning, and doing nursing education will allow me to interact more with nurses in training. And by doing that, I am able to help to shape and mould them to becoming the best version of themselves when they step into the profession,” she said.