Year.

Her fellow nurses handed her the prestigious accolade in a poll organised by the Bermuda Nurses' Association (BNA).

After she was presented with the award at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, she said: "I'm really speechless. My heart is really full.

"It is extraordinary to be honoured by my peers. I love nurses and nursing and this is a tremendous reward and recognition.

"I hope I can do something over the year to put nurses more in the forefront and improve people's opinions about us to let them know how much nurses mean to the community.'' Ms Furbert is a former leader of the BNA and arranged the high profile Caribbean Nurses' Conference on the Island in 1994.

She was the first full-time nurse for the cancer support charity P.A.L.S. -- Patients Assistance and League Service.

Ms Furbert was described yesterday by the BNA as someone who laid the groundwork for oncology care on the Island.

"Some people feel comfortable knowing she is there. She has strength of character, integrity, and can relied upon to get the job done,'' according to the tribute read to her yesterday.

The award, which has been running since 1984, is made for a nurse who is a role model, is innovative and creative, keeps abreast with changes, contributes to the advancement of nursing in Bermuda, and is involved in the community.

The ceremony yesterday, preceded by a service in the New Testament Church of God, kicked off Nurses's week.

Tonight there is a bowling competition, followed by baking sales in the King Edward VII Memorial and St. Brendan's Hospitals on Tuesday.

Nurses will be out in force on Wednesday in Washington Mall to do health checks on members of the public and give advice on violence in the workplace, which is the theme this year.

St. Brendan's play King Edward at netball on Wednesday followed by basketball matches on Thursday.