Discovery recognises top nurses in first Quarterly Awards of 2015

Discovery Health in 2014 launched the Discovery Excellence Awards for Nurses (DEAN), which take place on a quarterly and an annual basis. These awards aim to:

• reward and enhance nursing excellence in hospitals
• strengthen the healthcare system by facilitating further education and training for nurses
• acknowledge excellence in the services delivered by hospitals
• encourage a culture of both individual excellence and team work in nursing.

“These awards recognise hospitals and the nurses they employ, who are nominated, for their caring and excellent attention, resilience and commitment to learning and improving on nursing care. We are thrilled to see the positive effect this recognition is having on nurses in making them see how indispensable their role is in the healthcare sector,” said Dr Dumani Kula, Head of Risk Management at Discovery Health. “It is also hoped that, especially in the context of a chronic shortage of staff in the profession, the awards will enhance the profile of nursing staff, heighten nursing excellence in private hospitals and create opportunities for further education and training, thereby strengthening the country’s healthcare system further.”

Winners of the Quarterly Awards (announced in March, June and September) will take part in the annual Discovery Excellence Awards for Nurses, and will be invited to attend an awards ceremony in November. Annual winners each receive R50 000 to further their education, and an international learning opportunity fully paid for by Discovery Health.  

There are 30 hospitals in Gauteng and surrounding areas, 10 hospitals in Kwa-Zulu Natal, seven hospitals in the Western Cape and five hospitals in the Eastern Cape where nurses won the first Quarterly Awards.

The nurses who win Quarterly Awards in the Discovery Excellence Awards for Nurses are identified from Discovery Health Medical Scheme members’ feedback on their hospital experiences. Winners are chosen based on data from the Discovery Member Experience Survey; emailed to members (aged 18 and older) after they have been discharged from hospital.

After validation, quarterly winners at each hospital receive a gift box with a certificate and monetary prize. The quarterly winners will be invited to go through a judging process with an independent panel of judges drawn from local academic institutions and the South African Nursing Council. The annual winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held in November.  

 For more information about the Discovery Excellence Awards for Nurses (DEAN), contact: Rachel Nduku on 011 529 7516 or email dean_queries@discovery.co.za