Everyday Heroes
Congratulations to our Everyday Heroes, the Nominees and to all nurses.
The Everyday Hero campaign asked nurses across Western Australia to nominate their peers in acknowledgement of the work they do to promote and deliver safe, evidenced based nursing care.
Nominations were called for across the academic, primary, secondary and tertiary health care services in metropolitan, rural, regional, public and private health care sectors and resulted in 23 nominees accepting the nomination.
Each nomination is representative of the work that all nurses contribute to in;
- delivering safe, quality care;
- enabling delivery of safe, quality care;
- preparing the next generation of nurses;
- providing expert nurse consultative services;
- advocating for patients and their families;
- advocating for health service and system level change to improve outcomes;
- providing professional development and postgraduate opportunities for nurses; and
- discovering and validating evidenced based practice;
2020 the Year of the International Nurse and Midwife has highlighted the value of nurses and midwives globally and has without doubt demonstrated the power and influence of the profession.
| ALISON KEAY | |
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NOMINATION |
| Alison coordinates and supports patients and carers with upper GI cancers and continues to advocate for this cohort, especially through a difficult time in their lives. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| Cancer strikes fear into those who experience this disease and carers. My goal is always to soften the impact of this journey with compassion, empathy and guidance. | |
| ANITA CLARKE | |
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NOMINATION |
| Anita has stepped up to lead a very busy Head & Neck cancer service at a time of great change for patients and staff. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| Cancer care coordination is challenging but so rewarding personally. I’m passionate about advocating for and empowering patients to achieve their individual goals of care throughout their cancer journey. | |
| ANNE KING | |
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NOMINATION |
| Anne leads a busy neuro-oncology service. She has built up networks with health professionals, carers groups and researchers to continue to support this complex and needy patient group. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| As a role model in cancer nursing, I provide high quality, evidence based patient care to influence change and improve outcomes for brain cancer patients. | |
| CATH BYRNE | |
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NOMINATION |
| Cath has been an inspirational leader, kind, selfless, compassionate and caring to both staff and patients during this stressful time, as the COVID Clinic Nurse Champion at SCGH. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| Never ending support, loyalty and commitment to patients and each other witnessed during tough times and difficult situations, motivates me to maintain strong team dedication and allegiance. | |
| CHRISTINE COLE | |
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NOMINATION |
| Christine has supported urology cancer patients across WA and has ensured patients are not forgotten, just because they are not seen face to face in clinics. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| Toughest day ever was supporting a young man, with end stage mesothelioma. Supporting patients through their cancer journey is a privilege. Inspiration through kind words and deeds. | |
| DANNIELLE ORIFICI | |
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NOMINATION |
| Dannielle has recently secured the CoN role substantively with NMMHS and has shown that her leadership through tough times can turn culture and efficiency around. Dannielle moved from Graylands in 2020 and not long had to set up the SCCH mental health COVID strategy. She is well respected across the professional disciplines and services, works on-call on a regular basis, coaches and mentors staff to bring the best out in her colleagues, troubleshoots catastrophes, displays absolute unconditional empathy, dignity, and confidentiality towards for her staff, patients and colleagues. Her willing Justice of the Peace duties also impinge into her personal time as well, as she juggles home life raising her young son, Luca. I am continually impressed by Danielle’s professionalism, the respect she has of so many great clinicians as well as her good humour. In my opinion, I think she will be even more important and an essential Nurse Leader in the years to come, in the name of Mental Health and Nursing Leadership locally and nationally. Watch this space! 🙂 | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| I chose nursing and nursing chose me! Working with the most vulnerable people in our society is often not easy and mental health nursing provides holistic care for consumers often during their darkest days. I inspire my team by being a supportive and encouraging leader, providing practical and emotional support and believe in giving every one of my nurses the best opportunity to shine their light throughout their careers and encourage all of them to always choose kindness. | |
| GREGORY BOCK | |
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NOMINATION |
| Greg continues to lead a very busy urology cancer service that supports cancer patients across the state and also provides expertise and advocacy across the country. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’. I value nursing teamwork. It can facilitate provision of best coordinated care in this challenging environment. Bring it on! We can do this! | |
| HELEN SAVAGE | |
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NOMINATION |
| Treats everyone with empathy and compassion, is humble, dedlicated and an inspiational role model. | |
| NOMINEE BLURB | |
| I help my colleagues any time for debriefing and advice, I am experienced scrub nurse of 43 years, union representative. I love my job and the people. | |
| JULIE TERACI | |
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NOMINATION |
| Julie continues to lead melanoma services and support for patients and carers in WA. She keeps abreast of the evolving treatment and educates patients, carers and health professionals. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| A strong commitment to caring and making a positive difference to a patients’ healthcare experience. Share knowledge, empower and encourage colleagues to strive for quality and excellence. | |
| KAREN GULLICK | |
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NOMINATION |
| Leads by example; thoughful, considerate, kind, caring and compassionate leadership of a very large clinical team. Stongly encourages personal growth of her teams. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| It is a privilege to be part of each individual patient’s unique journey in healthcare, and working as a team we can make a difference for them and their families. They are the reason we come back everyday. | |
| KAREN MATTIOLI | |
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NOMINATION |
| Karen works tirelessly for complex cancer patients across the state. She is always available to help out others and provide excellent coordination and advocacy in WA. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| For me, being able to provide safe nursing care to patients is a privilege. I’m very lucky, I have the best job in the world. | |
| DR KAREN TAYLOR | |
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NOMINATION |
| Amidst adversity and tragedy, Karen selflessly stepped up to support and lead our cancer team with courage, transparency, visionary decisiveness and integrity. Wisdom and savvy lifted and inspired. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| I inspire my wonderful team by listening, acknowledging issues, providing support and encouraging new ideas. I follow through with actions which motivates us all to strive for excellence. | |
| KIRSTEN MOONEY | |
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NOMINATION |
| Kirsten leads a very busy thoracic cancer statewide service. She has the respect of her colleagues, other health professionals and patients and carers. She is a great advocate. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| Knowing you can make a very emotionally challenging situation a bit better for patients and loved-ones by educating, guiding, supporting and advocating for them. Always maintain integrity, respect and compassion. | |
| LAUREN KNIGHT | |
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NOMINATION |
| Lauren has provided support and coordination to women with gynaecology cancers across WA during a difficult year with a lot of uncertainty and difficult choices. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| Being an oncology nurse means I watch people everyday face their own mortality, their lives are turned upside down with one word. Ensuring the journey my patients and their families undertake is as seamless as possible is what drives me everyday. The bedside nurse is at the heart of everything I do. | |
| LISA WATSON | |
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NOMINATION |
| She is a bright spark for all staff in the hospital, she is giving, caring, supportive and people are always smiling after she has assisted them. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| I recall on my toughest days it would remind me how grateful I am to be working alongside a dedicated team. Knowing that they will have my back and I have theirs. Knowing that we can lean on each other and understand each other through good times and bad. I feel the most important thing is to remain transparent, have integrity and making the effort to continuously reflect on myself and events, issues, concerns or situations around me. | |
| MANDY COLLINS | |
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NOMINATION |
| A nurse we should all aspire to be; professional and kind, quick with a smile and laugh, with vast clinical knowledge and expertise which is shared freely. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| It’s the camaraderie, humour and teamwork of our nursing and MDT teams, plus a desire to make a difference for patients that gets me through the toughest days. | |
| MARIANNE TESTI | |
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NOMINATION |
| Marianne celebrated 30 years of service with the RFDS in 2020. Whilst on long service leave Marianne answered the SOS to assist with a ‘COVID proofing’ of our aircraft and equipment project. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| The RFDS’ commitment to delivering healthcare where it is needed most is unwavering. Where others have said ‘too hard’, we say ‘let’s find a way to do this’. | |
| MARY CORKER | |
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NOMINATION |
| Mary is a diligent neuro-oncology nurse who advocates for the needs of patients and carers at very stressful times in their lives. Her dedication is well regarded | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| My current position as a cancer nurse coordinator neurology is both challenging and rewarding. When caring for brain tumour patients one cares for not only the patient but the carer too. The lives of not only the patient but the family too are hugely impacted by the diagnosis of a primary brain tumour. Our patients are prone to forget what information we give them so we have to re iterate information on a regular basis. Patience and caring are two important characteristics to have as a brain tumour coordinator. | |
| MEL SARTI | |
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NOMINATION |
| Mel was Clinical Nurse Specialist at the time of a complex admission of a young boy of 17 who needed spinal surgery for a correction of a neck kyphosis. This was the first time the surgery was performed by Dr Lam and his team. The surgery was a success and the whole team worked so hard behind scenes to ensure the process went as smoothly as it did. The young man left a different person than when he was admitted thanks to the dedicated nurses, Staff Development and physios who went over and above caring for him and ensuring his family felt confident leaving their son in our care. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| The best thing about being a nurse is that no two days are ever the same, working amongst amazing teams of people and having the opportunity to making a difference to a patients day. | |
| MICHELLE DAVIES | |
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NOMINATION |
| Michelle leads a very busy colorectal cancer service that supports cancer patients across the state. Her advocacy for this patient group is well regarded by all health professionals. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| Guiding and supporting cancer patients and their families through treatment pathways is a privilege. These patients provide inspiration and motivation for us as nurses to provide excellent care. | |
| NICOLE HOSKINS | |
| NOMINATION | |
| Nicole our true hero, is courageous, an advocate for her staff and patients, has lead our ED in an outstanding, professional manner with a great sense of humour. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| I have been nursing since 1998, in ED from 2003 and have completed a post graduate certificate for Emergency Nursing and Leading Great Care (leadership and Management). I am passionate about nursing and inspiring my colleagues and nursing staff to be motivated, innovative and proud of themselves and their workplace. I encourage all staff to celebrate all achievements which inspires and motives others. Nursing comes with great days and some challenging days as well. Working in ED comes with adapting to ever changing environment and highly pressured situations but its the nurses you work with through their support, camaraderie and genuine care and friendship that will get you through these days/ shifts, and always inspire me to come back each day and be the best nurse or leader I can be. The support, camaraderie and friendship you build through nursing is like no other industry and that is what makes nursing so amazing and inspires me as a leader to motivate other nurses. I strive for excellence in nursing and lead by example. To be treated as you would like to be treated is how I go into every situation. | |
| PAULINE TANNER | |
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NOMINATION |
| Pauline has supported women with gynaecology cancers across WA during a difficult time when there were staff changes at KEMH. Her advocacy for gynae-oncology is state renowned. | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
| As an oncology nurse my goal is “to improve outcomes for people affected by cancer”. I try to model and advocate for individualised, patient centred, best practice care. | |
| SUE MOREY | |
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NOMINATION |
| Incredible patient advocate. Goes above and beyond to ensure patient centered care. Does the job of 3! | |
| NOMINEE STATEMENT | |
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I don’t recall having any tough days because I get positive reinforcement from patients every day. Being in a position to make a difference to individual patients. I am to lead by example, be supportive and inclusive and acknowledge others’ contributions. |
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Key Dates
September 2020 –
Abstract submission open
October 2020 –
Online registration open
Monday 30 November 2020 –
Abstract submission closes
January 2021 –
Author outcomes advised & program released
Friday 26 March 2021 –
Early bird registration closes