2024 Excellence in Leadership - Emerging Leader

Calina Ting – Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, North Metropolitan Health Service

Calina is the Clinical Nurse Consultant within the nephrology department at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Her role is pivotal in the selection, education, and preparation of patients for kidney transplantation, and she advocates for her patients, linking teams of physicians and surgeons. An exemplary healthcare professional, Calina’s contributions range from community-based services and patient education to navigating complex international transplant procedures with her leadership, influence, innovation, and commitment to patient wellbeing make her. Her meticulous coordination ensured the successful arrival and subsequent recovery of both the recipient and donor. Highlighting her commitment for patient safety, during COVID, Calina ensured her patients were protected by negotiating an e-referral pathway for eligible patients, mobilizing nursing contacts to support the clinic. She also initiated the Renal Transplant Indigenous Reference Group in Carnarvon, expanding services beyond Geraldton, reducing the need for patient transfers, as well as the Young Adult Renal Transition Tour Group to address the traumatic aspect of life-long disease for both the patient and their families. Taking on additional responsibilities, Calina played a crucial role in the World Transplant Games 2023 held in Perth bringing together athletes from over 59 countries competing in 17 sports, helping the athletes to celebrate life through organ and tissue donation.

Judith Brand – Armadale Kalamunda Health Service, East Metropolitan Health Service

Judith is the Nurse Unit Manager and a key team leader, with a ‘what matters most in caring for patients’ attitude, within the Palliative Care Unit at Kalamunda Hospital. She ensures all key performance indicators are met, and standards are continually improved and maintained while ensuring optimal and evidence-based patient outcomes. Being values driven Judith’s wish is to see Kalamunda Hospital as a centre for excellence in Palliative Care, managing the department in a caring, fair, and equitable manner across the whole multidisciplinary team. Leading by example, she drives and coaches staff to develop their potential, encouraging and supporting them to upskill and enhance the level of care provided to patients. Due to Judith’s persistence the Palliative Care ward is now registered for the Program of Experience in Palliative Approach to support staff in gaining palliative care experience, enabling support of patients at end of life in any care setting. Among other things, she has also implemented the Forget Me Not program to upskill palliative care volunteers and bring new life to the volunteer program, Pet Therapy with a therapy dog now regularly visiting the site, and music therapy. With the introduction of the Voluntary Assisted Dying program, Judith worked compassionately with her team to help them understand the processes and introduce normalcy to help this become an accepted part of care allowing patients and family the opportunity to undertake the program with dignity and respect.

Lorelle Palmer – Armadale Kalamunda Health Service, East Metropolitan Health Service

Lorelle is the team leader of the HealthCare to Community Service at Armadale Health Service managing a multidisciplinary team of registered nurses and allied health staff to provide an integrated and coordinated service. An exemplary manager, she demonstrates incredible leadership qualities including integrity, self-awareness, learning agility, courage, and respect. Her gratitude, empathy, optimistic enthusiasm, and open communication foster a productive work environment which influences positive outcomes for staff and patients. Staff find her supportive and understanding demonstrated through job satisfaction and retention. Lorelle uses her exceptional expert knowledge and innovative ideas to be an inspiring role model in advancing her team and the nursing profession, leading the way to advance nursing outside of traditional career opportunities. Working with stakeholders, she has provided an impactful new service designed to support the patient from hospital to community and prevent hospital re-presentations, making a significant positive difference to the healthcare system and standard of patient care. Lorelle is a passionate nurse with a strong work ethic who goes above and beyond for her patients in partnership with hospital specialists and the greater community. She has created a holistic service that supports and advocates for all patients, with patient centred care at the heart of all her decision making.