Canberrans Encouraged to Nominate Local Nurses and Midwives for 2023 ACT Excellence Awards

The ACT Nurses and Midwives Excellence Awards is an annual event that recognizes the contributions and excellence of nurses and midwives in Canberra. This year, the public is encouraged to nominate nurses and midwives who have made a positive and long-lasting impact in their care. Nominations are currently open and will close on 6 March 2023.

The consumer recognition award, first presented in 2022, allows patients, carers, and their families to recognize the efforts of a nurse, midwife, or team in the past year.

Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the local community was instrumental in recognizing healthcare workers in last year’s awards and looks forward to seeing this continue, because, "The consumer recognition award gives the public a chance to say thank you to nurses, midwives, or teams they feel went above and beyond in their care, or who made a simple, thoughtful gesture [...], I’d like to encourage anyone who has had a positive experience with a nurse or midwife recently to send in a nomination to recognise what that experience meant for you and your loved ones. "

Photo by Jimmy Dury on Pixabay

Last year, 36 nominations were received from the public, each with heartfelt stories that demonstrated the kindness, patience and professionalism of Canberra’s nurses and midwives. Six individuals and teams from across the public and private health care sector received consumer recognition awards. They were Kaela Graham-Bowman from the Emergency Department of Canberra Health Services, Madeleine Charlton-Owen from the Canberra Clinic, IVF Australia, Neala Jocumsen from the Intensive Care Unit of Canberra Health Services, the Immunology Nursing Team from the Immunology Outpatient Clinic of Canberra Health Services, Hospital in the Home of Canberra Health Services and the Renal Supportive Care Unit of Canberra Health Services.

The consumer recognition awards will be announced alongside the peer-nominated Nurses and Midwives Excellence Awards categories: clinical practice, education, leadership, management, and research/quality improvement. The awards will be presented during Nursing and Midwifery Week which takes place between 5-12 May.

To nominate a nurse or midwife, members of the public can visit the website of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at https://health.act.gov.au/NMawards. Each nomination must provide the name of the nurse or midwife, where they work and the contact details of the place of work. The nurse or midwife must be currently registered. Members of the public are invited to say what, how and when the nurse or midwife demonstrated exemplary care, and why they think the nurse or midwife deserves recognition.

Nominations are currently open and will close on 6 March 2023.