Flinders alumni are among winners in the Northern Territory and South Australian Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards announced at separate ceremonies in May. These awards are run by the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers in each state and territory.
The NT Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards winners were announced at the 2021 gala dinner on 15 May which recognised both finalists and overall winners for 2020 and 2021, after the 2020 awards were postponed due to COVID-19.
The winner of the 2021 Northern Territory Flinders University Award for Excellence in Nursing/Midwifery Education is Anija Mathew (GradDipClinRehab ’18), Acting Clinical Nurse Educator in the 24-bed Rehabilitation Ward at the Palmerston Regional Hospital.
“I am extremely honoured and privileged to receive the Flinders University Award for Excellence in Nursing/Midwifery Education-2021,” Anija says.
“Rehabilitation Nurses, that include me, work in partnership with the patient, family and multidisciplinary team to facilitate the attainment of client-centred goals and priorities and support adjustment to ongoing limitations.
“The most rewarding part of my job is being able to a role model, inspire, educate and facilitate shape the nurses that will have an impact on many patients, families, and other nurses – and importantly rewarding to see the progress of patient.”
Two Flinders graduates of the Flinders Alice Springs Centre for Remote Health Graduate Certificate in Remote Health Practice won two categories of the 2020 Northern Territory Awards: Matilda (Tilly) Starbuck (GradCertRemoteHlthPrac ’20) of the Yuendumu Health Clinic at the Central Australia Health Service won the 2020 New to Practice Award.
“It was lovely to be acknowledged and receive the award for New to Practice Nurse of the Year in 2020,” Ms Starbuck says.
“I have been lucky enough to have worked with two amazing and supportive clinic teams in both Yuendumu and Wadeye in the Northern Territory. The wide variety of clinical presentations gave me opportunities to grow in my profession and interact with many agencies and people who support remote communities,” she says.
“Whilst remote work does come with its challenges it has been a very rewarding experience building on knowledge, skills and developing a close rapport with community members. Everyday is different and continues to expose you to a diverse range of presentations that allow you to critically think, adapt quickly to new situations and work within a broad scope of practice.”
Tarrant Tolatta (GradCertRemoteHlthPrac ’18), Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department of the Katherine District Hospital won the Client Appreciation Award for Excellence in Nursing/Midwifery. He was nominated by a patient for his care and attention during an emergency admission. All winners and finalists are listed on the NT Health website.
In the 2020 South Australian Awards announced on 7 May, winner of the 2020 Excellence in Research and Knowledge Translation (Registered Nurse/Registered Midwife) was Karen Royals (GradCertHlth 2012), Respiratory Care Program Director at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. All winners and finalists are all listed on the SA Health website.