Medal of Distinction 2022
Do you know of a colleague or leader in children's healthcare whose exceptional endeavours have led to genuine improvements in children’s health?
If you do, please nominate them for the Children’s Healthcare Australasia Medal of Distinction for 2022, to be awarded at a networking Web Conference (TBC) in November 2022.
The CHA Medal of Distinction honours those individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to improving the health of children through service provision, leadership, or advocacy. The Medal of Distinction may be awarded both to individuals directly affiliated with CHA and also to members of the broader healthcare community.
Current Children's Healthcare Australasia Policy for the Medal of Distinction:
The medal may be awarded to members and non-members of Children’s Healthcare Australasia. For those directly affiliated with CHA, the criteria for awarding the Medal of Distinction include a significant period of service to CHA, and sustained leadership and advocacy for children’s health. The Medal of Distinction is not awarded for long service but, rather, for exceptional and meritorious service. For members of the broader community, the criterion is recognition at a national level for leadership and advocacy for children’s health.
Nominations:
Or download the PDF form below, fill it in and email to [email protected] by Friday 2 September 2022.
If you have any questions regarding nominations, please call our team on +61 (02) 6185 0325.
Previous Recipient of the CHA Medal of Distinction:
Helen’s contribution to children’s healthcare is both exceptional and outstanding. Helen has provided leadership at local, state-wide, and international levels and she represents her profession, our service and her country well.
Helen has contributed to the continual development of children’s services and the practice of the paediatric nurse. She is always keen to be at the cutting edge of new practices and procedures, ensuring good governance is embedded in implementation with appropriate training, policies and protocols. She continues to innovate and develop her service by encouraging increased scope of practice for her staff with skills such as IV cannulation, port access, multidisciplinary training and implementation of services such as Paediatric Hospital in the Home. Helen encourages her staff to grow and excel. Examples include mentoring a staff member to begin the process of studying to become a Nurse Practitioner and investigating how she can develop a Nurse Practitioner role within her service and supporting one of her nurses to study for Paediatric Diabetic Educator qualifications.
Helen’s commitment to children’s healthcare is not limited to her role as NUM. Helen has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to improving the lives and health of vulnerable children in third world countries. Her membership with the Soroptimist Foundation in conjunction with Hands across Boarders saw her forge a 15-year relationship with a small hospital in northern Cambodia.
Helen frequently liaises with tertiary services to identify ways her service can evolve to support families to get care as close to home as possible. She is currently collaborating with The Royal Children’s Hospital to explore ways of supporting children with cancer to have some treatments at Peninsula Health.
