The winners of the Northern NSW Local Health District Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards includes the entire emergency department of Casino and District Memorial Hospital and Jenae O’Sullivan, the after hours nurse manager at Casino Hospital.
This year’s winners were chosen from a list of more than 150 nominations sent in by colleagues and patients.
Some of the 2025 winners are:
Brown Ackerman Leadership Award – Jenae O’Sullivan, after hours nurse manager, Casino and District Memorial Hospital.
Named after two former nursing leaders Meryl Brown and Jane Ackerman, this award recognises outstanding nursing or midwifery leaders.
Jenae O’Sullivan has shown steadfast commitment to leadership at Casino and District Memorial Hospital and further afield, where she has taken on nurse manager roles in patient flow and mental health. Jenae inspires and guides her colleagues, and her research, focussed on Closing the Gap and enhancing the clinical care of Aboriginal patients presenting to emergency departments, has had significant recognition.
Highly commended – emergency department, Casino and District Memorial Hospital (award received by Shanette Lowe and Shania Carter).
The entire emergency department was nominated by the mother of a young girl requiring care on several occasions. The mother was impressed by the team’s welcoming and friendly manner, their professionalism and respect shown for the mother’s knowledge of her child’s condition, creating a feeling of confidence and empowerment, and ‘feeling heard’.
Other awards went to Tweed Valley Hospital Emergency Department, Kamala Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, Lismore, Grafton Base Hospital, Medical Ward, Tweed BreastScreen and Lismore Base Hospital.
This information was provided by the NNSWLHD.