Nurses honoured in state awards Two Royal North Shore Hospital nurses have
in helping patients who suffer from serious problems related to their bowels, incontinence, and constipation. She has spent over 20 years specialising in the area and has always felt appreciated by patients. “You are really helping them with a problem that can be debilitating,” she said. “Seeing them get better and helping them to have control over their problems is the most rewarding thing because they are so grateful.” Gillian has also long kept up to date with new practice and current research in the field. “It is always interesting,” she said. Northern Sydney Local Health District Chief Executive Anthony Schembri congratulated the pair for being named finalists and said their nomination highlighted their exceptional talent. “This is a wonderful achievement for Caitlin and Gillian, particularly to be up for a Healing Heart Award, which is a peer-nominated category,” he said. “It is an honour to have one’s patient care be recognised by colleagues.” The awards recognise a total of 29 nurses and midwives in nine categories, including Nurse of the Year and Midwife of the Year. Finalists and winners will be celebrated at an awards ceremony, which will be held at Parliament House on 16 November 2023.
been named finalists in this year’s NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards. Caitlin MacDonagh and Gillian Prott are in the running for the colleague-nominated Healing Heart Award category, which acknowledges an outstanding nurse who is an inspiration and role model in the workplace and for patients. The pair were both surprised and honoured to be recognised. Caitlin is a palliative care nurse and has been at the hospital since 2012. While she has worked in different departments, including surgical nursing and emergency, she has always been drawn to palliative care. “It’s very satisfying,” she said. The nurse says the bulk of her palliative work is focused on talking to a patient to find out how they want to live. “The nicest part about my job is pulling up a chair next to a patient’s bed,” she said. “How do you live well with this knowing that you’ve got an incurable illness? How does life look?”. Caitlin also paid tribute to her colleagues, including her fellow nurses and the various specialties she works with. “It’s the team approach and having all of us combined actually makes patient care,” she said. Gillian works in RNSH’s Neurogastroenterology Unit, specialising
Gillian Prott works in RNSH’s Neurogastroenterology Unit
Caitlin MacDonagh is a palliative care nurse at RNSH
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