DHB honours Manawatu nurses.

Twenty-two nurses in the Manawatu region were honoured at the MidCentral District Health Board's (DHB) second annual nursing prizegiving in November. For the first time, the prizegiving included nurses working for private employers.

Emergency team leader Robyn Brady received an innovation award for a range of innovations in the emergency department, including the establishment of the GP after-hours service which accepts calls diverted from GPs during the night. According to one of those who nominated her, she had made the department "a fantastic place to work".

Manawatu Independent Practice Association (MIPA) nurse Jenny Ayling, who established Palmerston North's Youth Health Service, received the innovation award in primary health. She saw barriers to young people accessing sexual and reproductive health services and helped set up the service, a partnership between the MIPA and Youth One Stop Shop. She has also been involved in a palliative care partnership with Arohanui Hospice that gives nurses and doctors access to specialist advice in caring for terminally ill patients.

The MIPA immunisation co-ordinator Barbara Bradnock received an award for clinical excellence and Maori health workers she has helped with immunisation campaigns led an impromptu waiata in her honour when the award was announced. Nursing professor Jenny Carryer said those who nominated Bradnock made it dear "what a precious resource she is".

One of MidCentral Health's most qualified nurses Jean Clark received a standing ovation on receiving her research award. She is a clinical nurse specialist in palliative care, a joint appointment with Palmerston North Hospital and Arohanui Hospice. She has just completed her PhD through Australia's Newcastle University. Eighteen other nurses received awards for clinical excellence, clinical leadership, strategic leadership and service improvement and 16 received citations.