Every year at St Vincent’s Hospital in Lismore, there’s a coveted prize that all the staff fiercely fight for. It’s the accolades for winning the best decorated ward competition.

This year, the competition was won by the renal dialysis unit – to the happiness of staff and patients on the ward, including the ward’s clinical nurse specialist, Jacquie Mallaby.

Jacquie said it’s a highly competitive event, with all wards across the hospital going to a huge amount of effort to make them as inviting and cheerful as possible.

Renal Dialysis Unit

As you enter the renal dialysis unit, you walk down a corridor lined with paintings of all of Santa’s reindeer - they were painted by one of the artistic minded nurses on the ward. Then you spy the Christmas tree, lit up with presents underneath it. Behind it is a present wrapping station.

The whole ward is inviting and feels like the Christmas spirit resides there.

Jacquie said for many patients at the hospital who have to come multiple times a week for treatment, having a cheerful and inviting environment makes everything so much better.

Read more about the renal dialysis unit: St Vincent's Hospital renal dialysis unit gets an early Christmas present

When you tour around the different wards of the hospital, you see so many different and colourful themes of decorations.

Oncology

In oncology, there’s a huge tree growing up the wall behind the nurses’ station, with leaves and branches dripping down and baubles hanging from the roof. Along the walls are pictures of all the staff dressed as Santa’s elves.

There’s also a huge hospital fundraiser hamper there - and people have been buying tickets to win it. It’s a hamper that grows bigger every year as people come together to support the hospital.

Ward four

In ward four, the decorations are in the theme of Disney’s movie Frozen.

The corridor has icicles and there’s a snowman made of hard foam the staff squeezed into shape.

Costume competition and ward three

In ward three, the surgical unit, unit manager Jenny Prosser carries the title of best dressed staff member in a Christmas theme.

It’s a title she has been winning year after year – which becomes apparent when you see her costumes. She often searches online for her stunning dress ups.

“Every year all the staff have the opportunity to do this dress up but not everyone does,” Jenny said.

“Every year we have a theme in this ward and whatever the theme is, I try and get a costume that goes with that theme.

Candy cane lane

The ward this year had a candy cane lane theme, so she dressed as a candy cane.

“Last year we had a snow theme, so I dressed as a penguin,” Jenny laughed.

“I’ve been a Christmas Tree and a snowman and a Christmas bauble.”

“We have a staff member here that makes all the baubles in the ward by hand. It’s a huge amount of effort and they go all out.

“Were a highly competitive bunch – and the prize is just a certificate – so, it’s all about the accolades.

Judges

Jenny said most years, it’s usually the kids that judge the competition, but this year it was some of the hospital managers who judged the winner.

“When the kids see the decorations, they smile,” she said.

“I had a three year old who had her tonsils out the other day and she walked out in the morning and had a big smile and said ‘mum, he’s been’ and she got a candy cane.

“It’s so lovely - we don’t it for competition, but for fun.”

Jenny Prosser in some of her previous years' costumes.