Congratulations to all the finalists and winners of the 2005 Australian Nursing Awards, proudly presented by HealthStaff Recruitment.

The Awards ceremony was held at a luncheon for over 100 guests, on Wednesday 11 May 2005, at the Vibe Hotel in North Sydney.

Director General of NSW Health, Robyn Kruk was on hand to present the National Care Awards to seven state finalists and the national winner. Judith McGrath, star of Channel Seven’s All Saints, agreed to join us again this year as our special guest and master of ceremonies. Mary Chiarella, one of our committee members, was keynote speaker, and Carole Menere from HESTA and Rod Hopkins from sanofi-aventis, presented their respective categories: HESTA Professional Development Scholarships and the sanofi-aventis Student Achievement Awards. 

Read on to find out more about the nurses whose achievements were recognized and celebrated:

National Care Awards Finalists

The National Care Awards recognized state finalists by awarding $500 cash prizes and Mosby’s Dictionary provided by Elsevier Australia, while the national winner received a total cash prize of $1500. The National Care Award was awarded to Catriona Chardon from NSW – her family accepted the award on her behalf, and her prize money will be put into trust for her children.

NSW – Catriona Chardon

Catriona (Katie) Chardon is nominated (posthumously) by staff and patients from Lismore Base Hospital. Katie was a knowledgeable, caring and compassionate nurse, committed and conscientious in her care of patients, their families and her colleagues.  While she was a talented nurse with outstanding clinical skills, Katie also endeavoured to really know her patients and offered support to them on many levels. The emotional and pastoral care approach she adopted demonstrated Katie’s extraordinary spirit and humanity. Her laughter, smile and positive attitude were contagious to all – a truly inspirational person who touched the lives of those fortunate enough to have known and worked with her. “Her legacy of going that extra mile for all will live on not only in our hearts but in our nursing and everyday lives.”

VIC - Shanne Kast

Shanne Kast is the Diabetes Nurse Educator at Box Hill Hospital. Shanne is nominated for her passionate devotion to diabetes management and education, providing nursing care to an exceptional standard. Shanne is actively involved in research and committed to improving the services available to people with diabetes. She has many published papers and journal articles, presents regularly at seminars and conferences to both peers and community groups, and has co-written a book with a patient on living with type 1 diabetes. As an active member of the National Medication Safety Breakthrough Collaborative, Shanne developed an innovative tool that assists nurse, doctor and consumer to better manage diabetes. “Shanne is a remarkable nurse and the health profession is privileged to have such a fabulous asset.”

SA – Joy Penman

Joy Penman is a lecturer at the University of South Australia with more than seventeen years teaching and nursing experience. She is a dedicated contributor to nursing education and community service. Joy is nominated for her exceptional care towards her nursing students and the people of Oodnadatta, a remote Aboriginal community in South Australia. Joy initiated a program which consisted of health assessments and promotion activities involving indigenous school children, aged community members and the general public. Joy’s program “allows a rich and meaningful learning experience for students…as well as impacting positively on the community members.”

QLD – Sharon Evans

Sharon Evans is nominated by patients at the Thargomindah Outpatients Clinic. In this remote country town, Sharon is often on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, manning a one person clinic. She is a compassionate and professional nurse and her commitment to care in this close-knit community is exceptional. Nursing in an isolated town often means wearing many hats in a variety of  circumstances – doctor, surgeon, paediatrician, physiotherapist, psychologist, dentist, radiographer, sometimes even a vet! Sharon does so with great commitment and selfless dedication and her patients think she is a truly remarkable person. “Larger communities have the luxury of having many professionals together in their town – we have Sharon.”

NT – Tara Worby

Tara Worby is nominated by families at Territory Palliative Care. Her empathy and understanding of patients and their families’ needs and wishes truly epitomises the demanding and emotional domain of palliative care. During the often long and distressing stages of a patient’s terminal illness, Tara acts as listener, supporter and friend to the family unit while demonstrating exemplary clinical skills. Families say that Tara is “an exceptional nurse who gives us love and laughter during our saddest days.”

WA – Gerard Scanlon

Gerard Scanlon is nominated by the family of a patient from the Broome Health Service. Gerard’s is an extraordinary story of a nurse who went beyond the call of duty to assist a terminally ill indigenous woman’s return to her territory to die. The patient had suffered kidney disease and endured two years of dialysis, 1100 kilometres from home. After debilitating treatment and numerous infections, the family agreed to grant their mother’s dying wish to return to her home soil so that her spirit could be released back into the ground from which it came. After being refused transit by doctors, ambulances and airports, Gerard swung into action and in the aftermath of Cyclone Ingrid, personally drove the 12 hour trip with the family to Kununurra, the patient’s final resting place. “Yesterday, we buried mum in her own special land that she so desperately wanted to go home to. It was beautiful. Thank you Gerard.”

TAS – Emma Bassett

Emma Bassett is nominated for her excellent care at Longford Medical Services. Emma always displays exceptional professionalism in her nursing skills, but in particular takes a great interest in all her patients and is committed to attending to their special needs. She is a great asset to the Longford surgery and both staff and patients believe she is a wonderful example of a dedicated nurse whose care exceeds expectations. “Emma is a first class nurse and she is caring with you in everything she does.”

sanofi-aventis Student Achievement Awards Finalists

The sanofi-aventis Student Achievement Awards recognized three outstanding final year nursing students by awarding $500 cash prizes and Mosby’s Dictionary provided by Elsevier Australia

RMIT University, VIC – Shana Morris

Shana Morris is nominated for her outstanding academic achievements and clinical nursing performance at RMIT University. She has demonstrated an uncompromising and ongoing commitment to learning, personal development and professional enhancement. Shana continually strives towards excellence. Her desire to enhance her ability to take a leadership role while studying is evident in her class representative position as well as her pursuit of the LEAD program. Shana has the potential to make a significant contribution to advancing the profession of nursing.

Curtin University of Technology, WA – Kristi Holloway

Kristi Holloway is nominated for her excellence in nursing studies at Great Southern TAFE/Curtin University. Her academic work is of an extremely high quality and demonstrates a deep understanding of nursing theory. As well as being strong academically, Kristi shows a natural affinity for clinical nursing, developing relationships easily with her patients and working well with other healthcare professionals. She is the recipient of a Royal College of Nursing rural scholarship and was offered the opportunity to attend a rural health workshop in South Australia. Kristi has also developed an interest in nursing research and intends to complete an honours degree next year to develop her research skills. Kristi has the potential to make an enormous difference in the profession of nursing.

ACU National, QLD – Maree Ruge

Maree Ruge is nominated for her high academic achievements, excellence in clinical practice and her contribution to the University community. Her ability to apply her high level academic achievements in clinical practice is outstanding. Her thirst for knowledge has led her to participate in the School’s professional program on critical care – a field she hopes to work in when she graduates. Maree also actively participates in student body activities, supporting and encouraging her peers. This year, she was appointed by the Dean as student representative on a Faculty Standing Committee, and was also profiled in a recent article in The Australian to promote nursing at ACU National. Maree achieves excellence while juggling student, work and family life and is a worthy recipient of this award.

The HESTA Professional Development Scholarships presented the following nurses with postgraduate scholarships and Mosby’s Dictionary provided by Elsevier Australia to further their studies in a specialty of their choice.

NSW – Nicholas Marlow

Nicholas Marlow is the Area Manager of Acute/Post Acute Care (APAC) at Northern Sydney Health, Royal North Shore Hospital. He leads APAC and is acknowledged as an industry leader by a Fellowship for services to nursing by the College of Nursing. He also co-chairs a state-wide forum of APAC-like services leaders. Nicholas’ nursing and health career is based on initiation and development of ideas into practice, change management, operational systems and education. Coupling the theoretical with clinical is an exciting part of Nicholas’ job and he has recently been appointed Lecturer with University of Technology Sydney teaching acute care and comprehensive health assessment. This scholarship will allow Nicholas to construct and implement a new model of care to perform bone marrow transplants (BMT) in the outpatient setting. This will allow patients undergoing BMT to remain in the home rather than have an extended inpatient stay, and will have a range of advantages for patients.

TAS – Marie Shepherd

Marie Shepherd is a Family and Child Health Nurse within the Family Child & Youth Health Service in Launceston.  Marie is an exceptional nurse, working with families in a disadvantaged community. She is a founding member and former national representative of the Tasmanian College of Child and Family Health Nurses, and is currently president of the Australian Association of Maternal, Child and Family Health Nurses. She is passionate about nursing and in particular about supporting new mothers during which she says can be a very overwhelming time in their lives. Marie is currently undertaking a MA and this scholarship will assist in continuing her studies at PhD level. She will research the way in which the emotional health and wellbeing of women who are mothers can be better supported by child health nursing.

VIC – Karen Atkinson (major scholarship recipient)

Karen Atkinson has a diverse clinical background, from cardiac services to midwifery, and is currently the Koori Midwife at Western Health in Sunshine Hospital. She is well renowned for her enthusiasm, professionalism and dedication, establishing the ‘Bamin Boorai’ ATSI Women’s Maternity Program, initiating services with Dame Phyllis Frost Women’s Correctional Centre, and is also a founding and active member of the Congress of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN).  She will chair a session on International Indigenous issues in the upcoming International Confederation of Midwives Congress in July this year. Karen is currently enrolled in a Masters of Nursing at the University of Melbourne and in completing her Nurse Practitioner Endorsement, will become the first Indigenous Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in Victoria. This scholarship will assist in fostering a greater understanding of the particular needs of indigenous women’s health, focusing on pre-conception care, pregnancy, birth and healthy babies.