2021 Order of Malta Nursing Prize
Congratulations to Jade Churchwade, the winner of the Australian Catholic University (Brisbane campus) 2021 Order of Malta Nursing Prize.
The prize is awarded to a second year Bachelor of Nursing student studying the unit ‘Principles of Nursing: Context of Ageing’. The successful student must consistently show a positive attitude towards the subject matter of end of life care alongside ageing, actively engage in class participation and achieve good results.
The North-Eastern region (NER) of the Order of Malta have sponsored this annual prize for many years as it specifically highlights the importance of professionally delivered palliative care nursing as the appropriate treatment for patients during the challenging end-of-life period.
Order of Malta, Regional Hospitaller Danny Higgins explains “The sanctity of life requires defending. A contribution to this is support for palliative care, as a viable alternative offer compared to euthanasia. Nursing professionals are an integral component of this care, supporting patients, their families, and staff as they journey together.”
On receiving the award, Jade said “Caring for the elderly in the later stages of their lives is one of the most rewarding roles that I have had the privilege to do. These people have had such a fulfilling life and have given so much of their lives to path the way for us now. As a nurse I feel privileged to be able to give back to those who have come before us and hopefully make a difference in the care that they receive to ensure they feel appreciated and not forgotten. Palliative care is such a delicate role, caring for people in those end stages of life is of utmost importance to both clients as well as their families. It requires a holistic person-centred gentle approach to ensure that those last moments with family are cherished forever.”