RSL Care Nurse Announced as Australia's Nurse of the Year

RSL Care is proud to share that one of their nursing team has been announced as a winner in the HESTA Australian Nursing Awards.

Registered Nurse Catrin Dittmar who works at RSL Care Bolton Point was announced as the HESTA 2015 Nurse of the Year.

Ms Dittmar was recognised for her considerable leadership, resilience and resourcefulness in overcoming tremendous adversity to ensure the safety and wellbeing of RSL Care’s residents during the significant and violent storm which hit the Lake Macquarie region in April.

Cyclonic winds and torrential rain caused widespread damage to the region including loss of power over several days and damage to property at Bolton Point.

RSL Care CEO Stephen Muggleton said that Ms Dittmar’s leadership was vital due to the absence of normal operational supports or buildings with full functionality, the delivery of continuity of quality care was most under threat during and after this significant weather event.

“The calmness of leadership and clear direction helped focus the activities of staff onto new tasks and flexible ways of working and enabled Catrin to harness the collective efforts of the team and ensure a continuity of quality care,” Mr Muggleton said.

“Catrin led from the front supporting and comforting both residents and staff with her inspirational leadership and dedication.  Her efforts assured our residents’ care plans were delivered despite the extraordinarily challenging context she was operating within,” he said.

Ms Dittmar said that her priority was to re-organise the available care staff and limited resources around her to enable a flexible delivery of care that maintained the fundamentals, while at the same time reassuring residents with current information about the storm.

“After dealing with what was a chaotic situation over the hours and days that followed, we were able to slowly get back to an even footing, establishing a level of calm and order back into the facility,” Ms Dittmar said.

HESTA CEO Debby Blakey presented Ms Dittmar with the Award at an awards ceremony in Brisbane on 15 October 2015.

“We are pleased to recognise the dedication and commitment shown by Ms Dittmar in ensuring not only the safety of the residents but also ensuring they received quality care in extremely difficult circumstances,” Ms Blakey said.

Ms Dittmar said she planned to use the prize money to start her Master’s degree in Nursing, specialising in aged care and palliative care. She is also planning a well-deserved holiday.

RSL Care is proud of the work of all their care staff whose dedication to the care and support of our customers is exemplified by Catrin’s efforts and her humble yet inspirational leadership in the face of adversity to ensure the care and safety of residents.

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