Oxford County Public Health nurse receives province-wide special recognition award.
WOODSTOCK -- A local nurse is being recognized on a provincial level as this year's recipient of the Toronto Star's Nightingale Award.
This is the 13th year for the award which is handed out to a nurse that best embodies qualities of excellence, skill and dedication.
Oxford County Public Health Nurse Lisa Gillespie beat out 170 nominees province-wide .
"I've been a nurse for 21 years and I know that nurses do fabulous work but for the fact that a colleague of mine took the initiative to nominate me and say such wonderful things about me, I'm just completely blown away and honoured."
Gillespie says she received the call from the Toronto Star a few weeks ago.
"I think I was speechless. It was a great moment. Certainly a moment that I never expected to happen but I am so thrilled and honoured."
Gillespie was nominated for her work on the County's needle exchange program as well as leading in the implementation of a new provincial program aimed at preventing opioid-related overdoses.
"Basically it is aimed at people who are at risk for an opiate overdose and what the training does is to teach people how to prevent an overdose but also how to recognize an opiate overdose as well as how to respond to an opiate overdose and to give Naloxone."
Gillespie says the program started March 10 and so far she has trained 11 people with her goal for the year set at 20.
Gillespie says she will display the award on her mantle for at least a few weeks before finding a permanent place for it.

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