A senior nursing officer with the Department of Corrections has been chosen as the Nurse of the Year for 2005.

Russ Allan Ford, who is also a co-founder of the AIDS awareness group STAR, founder of Agape House and holder of the Queen?s Certificate and Badge of Honour was chosen by his peers for this prestigious title at a luncheon on Sunday.

More than 100 nurses attended the presentation at the Port Royal Golf Course to mark the end of Nurses Week.

Besides a trophy and plaque, Mr. Ford was also presented with gifts from various companies and hotels on the Island.

He said he was quite surprised, but very honoured and is only the third man to win in the 20 year history of the event.

He said true to the theme of Nurses Week, ?Many Roles, One Profession?, he felt it was important to be respectful of each other and to uphold the highest standards possible in the nursing field and above all to always be compassionate.

He dedicated the award to his current and past patients and encouraged young Bermudians to pursue a career in nursing, saying it was both a rewarding and noble profession.