Aged Care Transition and Liaison Nurse Deborah Jones (pictured centre) has been named Western Australia’s Nurse of the Year for 2020.
Ms Jones, from the Rockingham Peel Health Group, also won the category award for Excellence in Primary, Public and Community Care.
Her award was presented at the WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards (WANMEA), held last weekend (15 May) at Rockingham General Hospital.
Ms Jones has been involved in a project that aims to achieve sustainable outcomes for older adults at risk of readmission to hospital.
She works closely with patients as they are discharged from hospital, ensuring they transition safely from acute care to home.
Judges said her work had led to a decline in adverse outcomes and readmission to hospital with patients reporting improved understanding of their medical conditions and medications.
A further 12 of WA’s most accomplished nurses and midwives from across public and private health and the education sector received awards in the individual categories.
Two new Lifetime Achievement Honour Awards recipients — Gavin Leslie and Rhonda Marriott — were also announced.
The two professors were honoured for the significant impact they had made to the nursing and midwifery professions on a local, national and international level.
The Health Hub Team, Pilbara Population Health, won the Excellence in Person-Centred Care Team Award for bridging the gap in access to primary health care while improving engagement satisfaction among Aboriginal populations.
The efforts of WA nurses deployed to Victoria to assist with the State’s COVID-19 response last year were also recognised at the awards event.
A full list of WANMEA winners can be accessed at this PS News link.
