Nurses and midwives across South Australia have been celebrated for the significant contribution the professions make to the health system, with the winners of the 2024 Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards named last night.

From growing the next generation of midwives in Adelaide’s North to supporting aged care residents with dementia in Strathalbyn and a nurse who has doubled the number of people receiving breast care services in Port Augusta, the 14 winners for 2024 are outstanding examples of the diverse, high-quality services which nurses and midwives deliver across the state.

Overall, there were 30 individual finalists and seven teams nominated for the awards, which were celebrated with a gala ceremony at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

The prestigious Excellence in Practice - Team Award was won by two worthy finalists. The Early Pregnancy Unit, Northern Adelaide Health Network was recognised as providing South Australia’s only midwifery-led service which provides care for complications such as pain and bleeding in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.

The service relieves a great source of stress and anxiety for new parents, providing empathetic, prompt and comprehensive care.

Equally, the Let’s BRUNCH 24hrs a day – CALHN Surgery Programs 1|2|3 at Central Adelaide Local Health Network was recognised as an outstanding quality improvement initiative by nursing staff teams across surgical wards at Royal Adelaide Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Nursing teams focussed on different care initiatives each week over six weeks, reducing hospital-acquired infections and improving the patient experience.

The winners are:

Excellence in Clinical Specialisation: Ashleigh Mabbott - Limestone Coast Local Health Network

Excellence in Education: Donna Boord, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice - Enrolled Nurse: Theresa Xanthopoulos, Eyre and Far North Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Aboriginal Nurse/Midwife (Mary Buckskin Award): Courtney Nowak, Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network

Excellence in Research and Innovation: Dr Megan Cooper, Flinders University

Excellence in Practice - Early Career Nurse/Midwife: Marrisha Singh, Central Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Registered Nurse: Joint winners - Mary Young, Central Adelaide Local Health Network and Michael Fitzgerald, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Practice - Midwife: Name withheld, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Aged Care: BIRCH Team Strathalbyn and District Aged Care, Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network

Excellence in Leadership and Governance: Nicole Kelly, Central Adelaide Local Health Network

Excellence in Leadership – Emerging Leader: Michelle Lock, Women’s and Children’s Health Network

Excellence in Practice – Team: Joint winners - Early Pregnancy Unit, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network and Let’s BRUNCH 24hrs a day – CALHN Surgery Programs 1|2|3, Central Adelaide Local Health Network

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

I was incredibly honoured to attend last night’s awards that recognised the amazing work that our nurses and midwives do every day in South Australia.

As a state, we are so fortunate to have world-class healthcare professionals who go above and beyond to provide quality care across our state’s hospitals, community, aged care and non-clinical services.

They are truly the backbone of our health system and we are proud of the work they do.

This Government is doing everything it can to build our nursing and midwife workforce by hiring an extra 691 nurses above attrition in our first two years of office.

We are also investing in our next generation with 832 graduate nurses and midwives starting this year, which includes 206 in regional South Australia.

Attributable to Department for Health and Wellbeing Chief Executive Dr Robyn Lawrence

The Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards celebrates the best of our best, right across the South Australian health system.

All the finalists and winners should be extremely proud of their achievements – they make a significant difference in the lives of patients and women every day.

For more information about finalists, winners and high quality video footage visit SA Health’s website.