Best Practice Awards in Nursing Announced

Nine nurse leaders have been acknowledged for their outstanding work in primary health care at the 2014 Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) Best Practice Awards in Nursing.
Recipients were recognised for their exceptional contribution to quality patient care, innovation and leadership.
Now in its eighth year, the annual nursing awards recognise regular nurses doing extraordinary things, with innovation and spirit, to improve the health of their communities.
Showing humility characteristic of the profession, winner Tracy Smith said, “It’s so nice to have my achievement recognised, I feel like I’m just doing my job”.
APNA President Julianne Badenoch said, “These nurses are leaders of their field, and without setting out to do so, they have shown exceptional leadership both clinically and professionally, not to settle with the systems they are presented with, but to strive to improve and innovate in their service and their community.
“Every year we are inundated with the stories of extraordinary nurses emerging from the profession, and each year the judging panels are impressed by the incredible spirit and get-up-and-go of the nurses who nominate themselves or who are nominated by colleagues and employers.
“One by one these primary health care nurses are changing people’s lives, helping their communities and improving the health of Australians.”
Along with the Award sponsors, APNA is proud to recognise the valuable work and determination of these individuals, which is summed up by the comments of winner Liz Phillips who said, “If you have one person who is supportive and progressive, you can make change”, and Bernadette Nicholls, “I’ve come to the conclusion I have only just begun”.
There were nine winners from five states, with nurses working in suburban and rural settings featured.
2014 Best Practice Awards in Nursing winners:
AGPAL Best Practice Award for Quality Improvement – Liz Phillips from The Clinic Werribee in Victoria.
Australian Medicare Local Alliance Best Practice Award for Leadership – Jane Bollen from Ingle Farm Family Practice in Adelaide, South Australia.
ASHM / NSW STIPU / Networking Health Victoria Best Practice Award in Sexual Health – El Thompson from Hobart Sexual Health Service in Tasmania.
bioCSL Best Practice Award in Immunisation – Bernadette Nicholls from Keilor Downs Medi-Clinic in Victoria.
Bupa Health Dialog Best Practice Award in Nursing for Innovation – Juliet Fieldew from Westcare Medical Centre in Melton, Victoria.
Cancer Council Best Practice Award in Cancer Control – Tracy Smith from a rural practice in Northam, Western Australia.
MSD Best Practice Award in Chronic Disease Management – Donna von Blanckensee who offers chronic disease consultancy nationally based in Aldinga Beach, South Australia.
TENA Best Practice Award in Continence Care – Emma Birch who is the Robotic Surgery Nurse Coordinator at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Victoria.
TENA Best Practice Award in Continence Care – Ros Male from Blue Care Wide Bay Continence Advisory Service in Hervey Bay, Queensland.
To learn more about the awards visit www.apna.as.au