international nurses day 2018

As part of the judging panel for this year’s HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards, Australian College of Nursing fellow Dr Carolyn Stapleton lent her expertise and insights to spotting our latest finalists and winners.

To celebrate International Nurses Day we spent more time with this inspiring leader.

What motivated you to take part in this year’s Awards judging panel?

I was honoured to be asked by Kylie Ward, CEO of the Australian College of Nursing. It is great to be part of an event that honours nurses and the work they do.

I want to congratulate HESTA for supporting nurses with these opportunities across many sectors for many years.

Nurses steward the health care system by leading between 60 and 75 per cent of the health workforce, and are responsible for a large proportion of health and aged care budgets. They successfully plan, implement and evaluate a wide range of initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes, and patient satisfaction.

What struck you about this year's nomination pool?

The 2018 finalists and winners epitomise outstanding standards of care and the highest levels of commitment to the nursing and midwifery profession from all levels of nurses.

What did you most enjoy about the experience?

Learning about the innovative models of care being delivered by amazing nurses that encompass the consumer, patient, family and community.

Nurses are first and foremost patient advocates, and as such advocacy sits at the core of what it means to be a nurse and what the nursing profession is. A nurse is not only an advocate for patients, but also for their carers, families and the community. That said, nurses promote independence, not dependence. They will not do for a patient what a patient can do for himself or herself. 

Can you give us a brief profile of your own career and why you chose nursing?

I am currently Manager - Policy and Advocacy at the Australian College of Nursing. I have had many opportunities in life and a varied health career. They have included nursing in the intensive care environment, and roles in senior leadership, government and the policy sector advocating for health reform so that we have a system that is accessible to all, at a time and in a place that it is needed.

Nursing can be a lifelong career which is recognised worldwide and spans many diverse settings ranging from hospitals, community settings, general practices, aged care facilities, military services, academia, government and management.