NURSES who have made G Ward of Dubbo Hospital a "safer place for patients and a happier place for staff" are being toasted across the Western NSW Local Health District.
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On International Nurses Day yesterday they officially became the health district's 2014 Nursing Team of the Year for making a ward with "very sick" patients and heavy workload a "shining beacon".
The naming of team member, endorsed enrolled nurse Sue McNicol, as Dubbo Hospital Nurse of the Year revealed her role in reinvigorating the ward.
Dubbo Hospital director of nursing Jenny Johnson said Mrs McNicol had been pivotal and persistent in encouraging others to embrace the Essentials of Care program being rolled out across the state.
"The beauty of it is that it is run by staff who meet and decide what they feel is above and below-the-line behaviours, and how they want to change the culture of the ward," Mrs Johnson said.
The director of nursing said changing management in G ward had not prevented its staff from making it a safer place for patients and a happier place for staff.
"What they have done in G Ward is implement team nursing where a senior and a junior nurse are paired and together they look after eight to 10 patients," Mrs Johnson said.
"They support each other and it has just worked fantastically.
"How we know it has worked is complaints have reduced and patient feedback is good."
The director said that G Ward patients were the real winners with renewed staff morale and passion for the nursing vocation evidenced in every aspect of its operations.
For example when a patient rang a bedside bell it was answered immediately, she said.
"The nurses decided it wasn't acceptable to leave someone waiting for 10 minutes," Mrs Johnson said.
The health district covering 40 communities put together a judging panel to decide which of 10 nominations should take out the Nursing Team of the Year title, while Mrs McNicol's award was the result of peer voting.
Nominations spoke of her compassion for patients, dependability, reliability, positive approach and work to "bring G Ward back together".
Mrs McNicol, "speechless" when receiving her award, shone the light on the team when she found her voice.
The reformation of G Ward was achieved "with the support of all my co-workers", she said.
Health district manager nursing and midwifery education Jacqui Blackshaw said the G Ward team of 35 nurses was a "shining beacon for the rest of our district" in turning around low morale by making a commitment to patient safety and each other.
Dubbo Hospital peer awards were also presented yesterday to long-time nurse unit manager of paediatrics Deanne Dent and registered nurse of two years Paige Edwards.
