A Lismore midwife was the winner of the inaugural ‘Consumer Appreciation’ award at the Northern NSW Local Health District’s annual Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.

Held last week in Ballina, the awards are the “night-of-nights” for nurses and midwives in Northern NSW and recognise their contribution to the health and wellbeing of our region.

The new ‘Consumer Appreciation’ category - which for the first time encouraged members of the community to nominate a nurse or midwife for their outstanding care - was won by Lismore midwife Debra Young.

Ms Young, from the Lismore Base Hospital Women’s Care Unit, was nominated by a family who she cared for before, during and after the birth of their son.

Director nursing, midwifery and Aboriginal health Katharine Duffy congratulated all the winners and nominees at the ceremony and acknowledge the contribution of nurses and midwives across the district.

“I was delighted with the number of nomination from our community in response to our new Consumer Appreciation Award,” Ms Duffy said.

Ms Young said she felt “honoured and humbled” to receive the award.

“I have the best job of all,” she said. “I have the privilege of being part of the most incredible journey of a woman to motherhood.”

Full list of winners

Excellence in Management & Leadership – Meryl Brown Award

Winner: Nancy Martin, Executive Officer/Director of Nursing MPS Sites

Commendations: Leigh Hooton – Casino District Hospital; Helen Rowston – Murwillumbah District Hospital

Excellence in Clinical Leadership Award – Jane Ackerman Award

Winner: Sheridan Lowe, CNE, The Tweed Hospital

Consumer Recognition Award

Winner: Debra Young, RM Women’s Care Unit, Lismore Base Hospital

Commendations: Heike Luswal, Womens Care Unit – Lismore Base Hospital; Denise Clark, Kyogle MPS

Excellence in Nursing/Midwifery – Assistant in Nursing/Assistant in Midwifery

Winner: Robin Stabler, Assistant in Midwifery, Women’s Care Unit, Lismore Base Hospital

Excellence in Nursing – Graduate Enrolled Nurse, Graduate Registered Nurse or Graduate Registered Midwife

Winner: Sally Smith, RN Surgical 1, The Tweed Hospital

Excellence in Nursing – Registered Nurse

Winner: Samantha Culver, Whole of Health, Lismore Base Hospital

Excellence in Midwifery – Registered Midwife

Winner: Vanessa Reidy, Women’s Care Unit, Lismore Base Hospital

Excellence in Nursing – Enrolled Nurse

Winner: Emmy-Lou Brettner, Casino District Memorial Hospital

Commendation: Shirley Roach, Casino District Memorial Hospital

Excellence in Innovation in Education Award

Winner: Noelene Williams, CNE Emergency, The Tweed Hospital

Excellence in Innovation in Research Award

Winner: Graham Turner, Renal Nurse Practitioner, Tweed

Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthcare- Ena Williams Award

Winner: Madeleine Richey, AIN, Aboriginal Cadet, Surgical Ward, Grafton Base Hospital.

Commendations: Sheridan Creighton, RN, Endoscopy – Lismore Base Hospital; Laurel Moore, Midwife – Grafton Base Hospital

Nursing and Midwifery Significant Contribution Award

Winner: Vicki Martin, RN Nimbin Multi-Purpose Site

Excellence in Person Centred Care – Board Recognition Award

Carly Boyle, CNS 2 Chronic and Complex Care, The Tweed Hospital

Best Poster and Best Paper Awards – Innovation Forum

Best Paper

Title “Insights Application”

Vicki Wale, Nurse Educator- MPS Sites and Nerida Adams, RN Lilli Pilli, Lismore Mental Health

Best Poster

Title – “Reducing falls and serious harm from falls”

Sebastian Pilon, Registered Nurse C7, Lismore Base Hospital