Lights, camera, action: Prince of Wales announces Nurse of the Year winners over live broadcast
The Prince of Wales Hospital 2020 Nightingale Nurse of the Year Awards took a fresh format this year, with a virtual ceremony broadcast to all staff on Friday, 28 August.
The on-camera hosts Karen Tuqiri, Director of Nursing and Benjamin Newlyn, Acting Nurse Manager, Nursing and Clinical Services, ensured viewers were entertained, presenting pre-recorded videos throughout the ceremony.
These included a moving story from patient Kate – who shared some of the ways nurses made a positive difference to her healthcare journey – as well as a touching compilation of thank-you messages from multidisciplinary staff and vox-pops from award nominees and nominators.
The highlight of the broadcast was the announcement of Nurse of the Year, awarded to Nikita Donnelly, Clinical Nurse Consultant for Clinical Emergency Response Systems, with the prize presented by last year’s winner, Sarah Dunn, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Respiratory Ward.
“To be named Nurse of the Year at Prince of Wales Hospital has made me feel proud and given me a sense of achievement – it means a lot to me to do work that creates change and makes a difference to staff, as well as patient care and outcomes,” Ms Donnelly said.
“As part of receiving this award, it’s really important to me to say thank you to the hospital executive and all of my colleagues. They have believed in me, helping to shape the work I do and who I am as a person.
“From when I started in this role until now, I wouldn’t have achieved half as much without their support.”
The other winners for the 2020 award categories were:
Michael Breeze, Clinical Nurse Educator, General Medical/Surgical Ward – Inspirational Leadership
Norma Escorrido, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Emergency Department – Clinical Nurse
Corey Sclater, Registered Nurse, Acute Aged Care Ward – Champion of Change
General Surgical Ward (DB2S) – Nursing team
The Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation generously sourced gifts for each award recipient, and organised snack packs for delivery to all nursing units for staff to enjoy while they watched the ceremony.
The action-packed broadcast was attended by Kim Olesen, Director of Nursing and Midwifery, SESLHD, who drew the lucky door prize winners. The celebrations concluded with a song put together by some of the hospital’s most creative nurses.
Pictured: Nurse of the Year: Nikita Donnelly.
