At this years EFIC, Ms Priya Sodi was the winner of the first EFIC Laserina O’Connor  Medal. Here is a piece from Ms. Sodi about her experience and what the medal means to her:

I am deeply honoured to receive the inaugural Prof. Laserina O’Connor Medal (2024) from the European Pain Federation EFIC® as the highest scoring participant in the European Diploma in Pain Nursing (EDPN) examination. It is a humbling privilege to receive such an award in memory of Prof. O’Connor, a remarkable person whose career efforts provided the driving force responsible for elevating pain management in advanced nurse practice, of which I am so proud to be a part of.

I work as a Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist in acute and chronic pain services at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, UK. My role involves close collaboration within a multidisciplinary, multisite team utilising innovative, evidence-based practice to support a diverse patient population with complex pain needs. These include acute complex pain, trauma, postoperative and cancer-related pain, as well as persistent post-surgical and musculoskeletal conditions. My role involves leading a dedicated team and is predominantly patient-facing with a strong focus on opioid stewardship, delivering tailored pain management plans using my non-medical prescribing skills and with large emphasis on providing education and training for multidisciplinary staff and patients.

My career in pain management started in 2015 embracing life-long learning and a strong commitment to delivering safe, patient-centred care. In May 2024, I graduated with distinction from Oxford Brookes University with an MSc in Advanced Nursing Practice. My dissertation focused on improvement processes in local pathways related to rib fracture pain management. Following this success, I chose to pursue the EDPN to consolidate my clinical experience and fortify my first decade working in the area of pain management that I am so passionate about. My journey through the EDPN was academically demanding but also incredibly rewarding – I hope that as the first recipient of this award, I can honour Prof. Laserina O’Connor’s lasting impact on pain management and how her legacy continues to inspire all of us.

From left to right, Mr Martin Galligan (EDPN), Prof. Nadja Nestler (EDPN), Ms Priya Sodi (Winner) and Dr Joanne O’Brien Kelly (EFIC).