A CAIRNS Hospital nurse who goes above and beyond for older patients, and a Mareeba midwife whose expert advice is regularly sought-after, have received the top awards in nursing and midwifery.
Intake referral clinical nurse Hayley Evans was named the 2022 Nurse of the Year and midwife Wendy Hilless was the first recipient of new award – Midwife of the Year.
The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service (CHHHS) recognised International Nurses Day yesterday, celebrated worldwide on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth on May 12.
The occasion was marked with the third annual CHHHS Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards held at Cairns Hospital and proudly sponsored by the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation.
CHHHS Acting Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Mark Goodman, said award recipients were chosen from a competitive field of nominees.
“These awards capture the excellence in many aspects of nursing and midwifery across our health service,” Mr Goodman said.
“Hayley is a key team member who looks after the needs of patients and the wellbeing of others, including fellow staff, through her work as an intake referral clinical nurse in the Older Persons Evaluation, Rehabilitation and Assessment unit.
“Hayley is an inspiration to those who know her and motivates others through her work ethic and professionalism, striving quietly for the greater needs of others.”
Mr Goodman said Ms Hilless had shown integrity and accountability in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, working tirelessly towards a baby-friendly hospital initiative at Mareeba Hospital.
“This has included education, facilitation of breastfeeding policies and procedures, review of all current practices, support with quality improvement and providing education to the healthcare team,” he said.
“Wendy’s expertise, knowledge and advice is regularly sought, particularly for the management of complex breastfeeding issues.”
Other award winners included:
Excellence in Education, Training and Research – Valentina Awram
Valentina is a Registered Nurse on the Respiratory and Renal ward who stepped into the Nurse Education role about 12 months ago. She was focused and innovative during challenging times and functioned at an outstanding level, instigating and running new models to provide education and ensuring staff had access to education as required.
Excellence in Clinical Practice – Anna Tait
Anna is the Clinical Nurse for Predialysis Education. Anna mentors and supports patients and families through the daunting process of commencing a dialysis pathway. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Anna, her work ethic, kindness and compassion are commendable.
Excellence in Workforce – Melissa Marshall
As the Director of Nursing and Yarrabah Emergency Services, Melissa went over and above during the COVID-19 surge to support her staff and the First Nations community of Yarrabah. She has developed strong relationships and trust, providing an environment that is inclusive and welcoming.
Excellence in Teamwork – Sexual Health
The Sexual Health Team displays compassion and respect to diverse and at times vulnerable clients. They work effectively in providing the best quality care to the community and achieve optimal performance through regular education and professional development.
Outstanding student support awards
James Cook University presented two awards to Marie Beechey and the Transit Procedure Unit for their outstanding student support.
Mr Goodman said nurses and midwives made up more than half of the Health Service’s workforce, and International Nurses Day, along with the Awards, was an opportunity to recognise them for their passion and dedication to patient care.
“The annual awards are a really important event. They give us time to pause and reflect on what we’ve achieved – in the last year, during the pandemic and right across time,” he said.
“COVID-19 has placed challenges upon healthcare broadly and on our Health Service, and it is with great pride that I recognise the leadership, advocacy, commitment, resilience and courage that nurses and midwives have demonstrated.
“They do all this, while continuing to provide safe and quality health care to our community.”
The award winners received prizes to the value of $500 to $3000 with the Nurse and Midwife of the Year winning flights and accommodation to attend a professional conference. All prizes are sponsored by the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation.
