Top win for Emma-Jane at Scottish nursing ‘Oscars’

Emma-Jane Trayner, Remote Consultation Advanced Nurse Practitioner with the Scottish Ambulance Service, won the People’s Choice Award at the RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards 2026.

The People’s Choice Award, sponsored by The Sunday Post, is voted for by the public.

The glamorous awards ceremony took place in the Grand Gallery of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh on April 30 and was put on by the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland.

Judges praised Emma-Jane as an educator and collaborator who makes good use of digital approaches to support best practice in remote and rural areas.

The People’s Choice Award is the chance for the public to recognise a nurse they believe has made a difference and gone the extra mile to ensure the best care.

Emma-Jane said it was an “amazing” night at the nursing equivalent of the Oscars, adding: “It was the most uplifting, positive, wonderful experience.”

She praised the Royal College of Nursing for being helpful and supportive in covering the costs of flights, a hotel and taxis to and from the event for Emma-Jane and husband Iain. As well as being well organised, the RCN made sure all the award nominees were well looked on the night, making all the nominees “feel special” from the very start, welcoming the guests to the ceremony with a piper and a blue carpet.

“It felt like the Oscars of nursing,” said Emma-Jane.

After being announced as the winner, Emma-Jane was “shaking”. She said: “To be nominated is a huge honour but to win is a level above again. I was overwhelmed. I didn’t expect it.”

Since then Emma-Jane has been inundated with messages of congratulations and ‘well deserved’ and she has found that to be very humbling and she is “smiling all the time”.

The experience has also been a good antidote to all the bad news of the day and doom and gloom.

“It’s so lovely because a lot of the time the world is awful at the moment and if you work in the NHS it’s hard and it’s stressful and it’s difficult… although I think I have a great job. Most of the time I’m very happy in my job.”

Emma-Jane has worked for the Scottish Ambulance Service for just under a year, having been previously employed by NHS Western Isles. The excitement of the awards ceremony now behind her, Emma-Jane is now back to work as usual where “every day is a school day” and patient care is at the forefront.

She added: “It’s quite weird being the one that’s in the limelight. It’s very, very strange. I’m back at work and just because I’ve won this, nothing changes. It’s good to go back to work and have some normality because although this is absolutely wonderful but I’m not somebody who likes being the centre of attention.

“I’m just really proud that I’ve got it and the Scottish Ambulance Service have been so welcoming ever since I’ve come and I’m really proud to be representing them.”

Emma-Jane was nominated for dedicating her career to transforming healthcare across Scotland’s remote islands.

Arriving in 2007 as the sole resuscitation officer and building lifesaving capability where resources were scarce, she has led complex emergencies, from neonatal and paediatric crises to severe trauma and cardiac events, while training local teams, coordinating evacuations, and establishing intensive care during COVID-19.

Now a Cardiology Nurse Consultant and part of the Scottish Ambulance Service, she continues to save lives, strengthen health systems, and set the standard for remote and specialist nursing. The judges praised Emma-Jane’s education sessions, which include scenario-based learning, evidencing the importance of reflective practice and having a collaborative approach to learning. Head judge, Margaux Lobban, said: “We were particularly impressed with how she uses digital working where possible, allowing for colleagues to be trained to promote self-management and smart working in remote and rural areas.” Congratulating Emma-Jane on her win, Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Executive Director said: “Nursing is the public’s most trusted profession, and it’s clear from her nomination that, in the hands of nurses like Emma-Jane, the public are right.

"She clearly demonstrates that with the skill set and knowledge that nurses possess, the public can access the care they need regardless of how far they are from an urban hospital. Well done.” The awards are in their fourth year and celebrate the best in nursing, while reflecting breadth of practice.