Medals for Nurses campaigns for recognition while presenting long-service awards to 13 Great Southern nurses

The community-run organisation which is battling to have nurses recognised for their service in the same way as the armed forces and police, handed out awards to 13 Great Southern nurses and midwives at a ceremony on October 25. Medals for Nurses co-ordinator Paul Walling said his group had been campaigning for 15 years to have the awards recognised after presenting National Service Medals and WA Nurses Medals to a group of women based in Albany and Katanning. The women had a combined total of more than 400 years in nursing or midwifery. Four women received National Nursing Service medals to recognise 15 years in the job while seven were presented with WA Nurses and Midwives Service medals after completing 10 years of service. Mr Walling said it was time nurses were acknowledged in the same way as other key service personnel. “This started because we saw other public officers, including WA police and staff, corrective services, ambulance officers and staff, and many others, all receive a medal recognising their service,” he said. “Nursing, as an emergency service, does not receive any acknowledgement from the State. “It was a great privilege to present these medals to nurses who have dedicated their careers to the WA community.” Those recognised for 15 years in the profession were: Maureen Rose EN (ret.), Kellie Bilgic CN, Melanie Mott RM and Janeece Armstrong RN. Those with 10 years service were: Tammie Flower RN, Lauren Johnson CN, Geraldine Meyer ASEN, Janet Gibb RN, Annette Taylor RN (ret.), Karen Robinson RN, Lynette Tattersall RN, Maureen Cremin CN and Michelle Hands ASEN. Ms Cremin and Ms Hands were not at the ceremony. The Medals for Nurses organisation pays for the awards from contributions to its GoFundMe page while campaigning to have all State governments recognise the service of nurses to their communities.