Leaving scrubs behind and tucking their angel wings into street threads, hundreds of deserving nurses and midwives gathered at the Ballina RSL recently for the 2025 Northern NSW Local Health District Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.
This year’s winners were chosen from a list of more than 150 outstanding nominations, sent in by colleagues as well as patients and members of the public in the case of the Healing Heart category.
Divided into eight categories to align with NSW Health’s state-wide awards, the annual awards showcase the incredible contribution nurses and midwives make to healthcare across Northern NSW.
Compassion, commitment, dedication and resilience
Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) Director of District Nursing and Midwifery Katharine Duffy thanked every nurse and midwife in the district for their professionalism and commitment to ensure the needs of patients are met every day.
‘From those just starting off in their careers, to those celebrating a lifetime of service, the contribution our nurses and midwives to healthcare in our region is remarkable,’ she said
‘Through their compassion, commitment, dedication and resilience, our nurses and midwives provide excellent care to our patients – young and old – every day – delivering high quality healthcare across our hospitals and facilities in Northern NSW.
‘Congratulations to every staff member nominated as part of this year’s awards.’
The 2025 winners in each category are:
• New to Practice Nurse or Midwife of the Year – Tommy Mull-Mathers, Tweed Valley Hospital Emergency Department.
Tommy was part of the first intake of GradStart Registered Nurses at the new Tweed Valley Hospital in March 2024 and has excelled in the fast-paced emergency environment, demonstrating exceptional communications skills and patient assessment. His kind, friendly personality and strong work ethic genuinely lifts the spirit of his team, while his commitment to self-directed learning has seen him complete all competencies ahead of his cohort.
• Aboriginal Nurse or Midwife of the Year – Nikkita Johnson, Grafton Base Hospital, Medical Ward .
Nikkita’s ability to connect with patients, particularly those from an Aboriginal background, is remarkable. She provides culturally sensitive care, ensuring her patients feel understood and respected, while fostering a sense of community within the ward, enhancing teamwork and collaboration among staff.
• Nursing or Midwifery Team of the Year – Kamala Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, Lismore.
The Kamala Nursing Team is awarded for their exceptional contribution to youth mental health care through innovative, inclusive and patient-centred service, with a strong commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment. They strive to include young people and their families in care planning and daily routines, ensuring transparency, shared understanding, and alignment with recovery goals.
• Nurse of the Year – Joanna Martin, Indigo House, Integrated Prevention and Response to Violence Abuse and Neglect, Lismore.
A Registered Nurse with more than 18 years’ experience across a range of healthcare fields, Joanna demonstrates clinical excellence and outstanding nursing judgement, consistently exceeding practice standards, while leading and inspiring others along the way. Since 2022, Joanna has consistently demonstrated an urgent and unwavering commitment to improve staff responses to victim-survivors as Indigo House’s Domestic Violence Prevention Officer.
• Midwife of the Year – Jess Baxter, Midwifery Group Practice, Tweed Valley Hospital .
Described as ‘the glue’ of the team, Jess has been an integral member of the Tweed Midwifery Group Practice since 2017, where she ensures women are always at the centre of care. Passionately committed to continuity of midwifery care, and achieving the skills and knowledge required to work autonomously, Jess is currently exploring the Centering Pregnancy model for antenatal care for the practice.
• Brown Ackerman Leadership Award – Jenae O’Sullivan, After Hours Nurse Manager, Casino and District Memorial Hospital.
Named after two former NNSWLHD nursing leaders Meryl Brown and Jane Ackerman, this award recognises outstanding nursing or midwifery leaders across the District. 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 and Other Drugs. Jenae inspires and guides her colleagues, helping to foster a culture of learning and excellence within her team, while her own research, focussed on Closing the Gap and enhancing the clinical care of Aboriginal patients presenting to Emergency Departments, has achieved significant recognition.
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Narelle Gleeson, Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Lismore Base Hospital.
Throughout a distinguished 50 year career and particularly in her role as Director of Nursing and Midwifery at Lismore Base Hospital, Narelle has consistently exemplified professionalism, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the betterment of patient care and the nursing profession. She has been a stabilising force during times of significant organisational and clinical pressure, offering calm, measured leadership that inspires confidence across all levels of staff. Narelle is a tireless advocate for patient-centred care and is particularly passionate about the dignity and wellbeing of elderly patients with complex needs, regularly challenging the constraints of the acute hospital environment.
• Healing Hearts Consumer Recognition Award
This is a community nominated award to recognise a nurse or midwife who consistently provides extraordinary, safe, quality, and compassionate care. With more than 30 nominations, the judges found it impossible to identify only one winner, so awarded two joint winners, plus a highly commended nominee:
Joint winner – Nigel Watts, Intensive Care Unit, Lismore Base Hospital .
Nigel’s incredible compassion, understanding, support and empathy for a mother and her 18-year-old son at a time of significant distress resulted in her nominating him for this award.
Joint winner – Sarah Hendrikse, Tweed BreastScreen
Sarah’s gentle and empathetic nature as well as her ability to describe in simple language the process facing a patient with breast cancer, instilling confidence in the patient along the way, led to her nomination for this award.
Highly commended – Emergency Department, Casino and District Memorial Hospital – (award received by Shanette Lowe and Shania Carter on behalf of CDMH);
The entire ED was nominated by a mother of a young girl requiring care on multiple occasions. The mum 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’.
(Even though ‘winners’ were announced – we know they are ALL angels).
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