Welcome to the 2008 Nursing and Midwifery Awards!

Categories

• Nurse or Midwife of the Year
• Graduate of the Year
• Midwifery
• Acute Care
• Remote
• Community
• Aged Care and General Practice
• Mental Health
• Enrolled Nurse
• Living Legend

Winners for 2008

Winners of each category receive $500 and a Certificate. The Nurse of the Year received a further $2000, Certificate, an Individual Trophy and a place in history with an engraving on the Perpetual Trophy.

Nurse of the Year

Jennifer Byrnes received the NT Minister for Health, Nurse of the Year Award. Jennifer has been the stomal therapist and wound management consultant for the Royal Darwin hospital for seven years.

She holds a Masters of Clinical Nursing – Wound Management, and has excellent specialist clinical skills in this area. She was a key member of Royal Darwin Hospital's response to a number of high profile incidents namely, the Bali Bombings, the Timor crises and more recently with the treatment of President Ramos Horta.

Using her expertise Jennifer has developed procedures and standards of practice for the management of diverse complex wounds that are unique to the Territory.

With her Masters of Clinical Nursing Jennifer will potentially be one of the first Nurse Practioners authorised to practice in the Northern Territory.

She is an outstanding nurse who is held in high esteem by doctors and all other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

Graduate of the Year

Symone Lindsey is the winner of the NT Principal Nursing Advisors Award – New Graduate, Registered Nurse Award. Symone completed her Bachelor of Nursing and Rural Health Practice at Monash University, Gippsland Campus. She found that the Graduate Nurse year at Royal Darwin Hospital was the highlight.

Symone was supported and encouraged by preceptors and educators who she found to be inspirational. Since completing the Graduate nurse program she has had the opportunity to practice at the Jabiru Health Clinic.

She enjoys her work as a nurse as it gives her the chance to makes a difference to health outcomes of individuals, families and communities. She loves the diversity of day-to-day experiences and is excited about the future career opportunities available to her as a Registered nurse.

Irene O'Meara is the winner of the NT Principal Nursing Advisors Award – New Graduate, Enrolled Nurse Award. Irene recently completed her Enrolled Nurse Graduate Program at Royal Darwin Hospital where she excelled with her commitment and professionalism in the clinical domain. Irene is a professional role model for enrolled nurses and strives to deliver a high level of care within her scope of practice as an Enrolled Nurse.

During her rotation in the paediatric ward she developed a poster to give new staff and parents a clearer understanding of Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease.

Irene received commendations for this initiative, which has been well received by all. Since completing her graduate year she has moved to a Surgical Ward where she wishes to attain specialist nursing skills in Wound and Burns Management.

Midwifery

Margaret Phelan is the winner of the Midwifery Award . Margaret is considered a highly experienced midwife with excellent clinical skills. She advocates for clients rights and provides education, advice and support to assist them in making informed choices regarding their maternity care and birthing options.

Margaret provides outstanding care to her clients throughout their pregnancy, during labour and in the postnatal period. Her strength is her ability to educate, support and instil confidence and trust in her clients during this time.

She is a mentor to junior midwives and is an active member of the Australian Council of Midwives Incorporated. She has held the position of National President and been a member of the executive of this organisation.

Acute Care

Jennifer Byrnes is the winner of the Acute Care Award. When Jennifer first started her role at Royal Darwin Hospital, her chosen speciality in Wound Care and Stomal Therapy were not a distinct focus for surgical nursing in the Territory. She established a dedicated service for the many patients who present to the Top End with complex conditions and care requirements.

To enhance her skills and knowledge, she has been one of the first nurses to complete her studies in Masters of Clinical Nursing – Wound Management, and could potentially be one of the first Nurse Practioners to practice in the Territory.

Her ongoing dedication and expertise highlights her great determination and commitment to the nursing profession in surgical nursing.

Remote

Jennifer Langrell is the winner of the Remote Nurse Award . Jenni is a very experienced Remote Area Nurse and a dedicated Primary Health Care practitioner who leads by example. She is a teacher of the multi-disciplinary approach to remote health Nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers, medical students, doctors and anyone that will listen!

Jenni is a highly regarded member of the Top End remote health team and is able to advocate professionally on behalf of all Remote Area Nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers.

Jenni has instigated a number successful community development and health projects. Programs like smoking cessation, mental health and alcohol management plans in participation with the community.

Community

Sandra McElligott is the winner of the Community Nurse Award . Her colleagues describe her as an inspirational nurse with a passion for excellence in midwifery and woman's health practice. She works across urban and remote settings and travels extensively to remote communities in Central Australia where she provides clinical service.

Sandy is described as an exceptional role model and advocate for women in Central Australia in promoting access to women's health services. She readily provides advice to colleagues and will share her knowledge and experience.

In her role as woman's health nurse educator she is responsible for the training of remote nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers and community woman on all issues pertaining to women's health.

Aged Care and General Practice

Judy Ratajec is the winner of the Aged Care and General Practice Nurse Award . Judy has worked for Frontier Services for seven years managing Dementia Services in the Northern Territory. Her role has expanded considerable with the main focus of her work being to assist client suffering with dementia, their families, service providers, residential homes and acute care.

Judy is professional, calm and creative and is focussed on positive outcomes for clients.

Judy is a leader in this specialist field and her practices are current and contemporary. She is committed to promoting standards dealing with the challenges and complexities of aging. She has a passion for Geriatric Nursing and is committed to giving back to those who shaped our country.

Mental Health

Kerry Sims is the winner of the Mental Health Nurse Award . Kerry is considered a positive role model in the in-patient unit and in the greater mental health nurse community. She is actively engaged in professional activities and is currently the Vice President of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses, NT.

Kerry has a vision of mental health nursing that is contemporary and shares this with colleagues through her previous and current educational and project work activities.

Her practice is exemplary. Her current project work is focused on achieving better outcomes for clients as well as a more positive environment for staff. She is currently undertaking training as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist.

Enrolled Nurse

Heather Smith is the winner of the Enrolled Nurse Award . Heather is described as a pioneer in her current position with the Western Dialysis program based at Kintore Community, 500 kms from Alice Springs. She works closely with the registered nurse and medical officer at Kintore and liaises directly with the Flynn Drive renal unit in Alice Springs.

Heather attends to clients health care needs, including dialysis, wound care, supervision of medication and medical review visits to Alice Springs. This is in addition to providing education on renal disease. Heather is respected by colleagues and loved by her clients.

Living Legend

Anne Davies received the CEO Living Legend Award. Anne has extensive experience as a nurse in a range of clinical – acute, community and public health, education and management practice settings primarily. In addition to completing her post registration Bachelor of Nursing degree she has been awarded a Masters in Health Studies (Addictions) through UG in 2005.

Anne's first career obsession is nursing education. She believes that the most effective way that she can influence Indigenous health outcomes is through the empowerment of Indigenous people by educating them to be the primary carers in their communities. She has worked extensively for Bachelor Institute in higher education with Aboriginal Health Workers and delivering, updating and coordinating Vocational Education certificate courses in AOD and Mental health.

Anne is passionate about her current position as she sees this as an opportunity to improve the workforce options in remote locations within the Northern Territory. Ultimately make's it possible for Indigenous students to study and be supported in their own remote communities, be further empowered and gain the qualifications necessary to promote community health outcomes at a new level.