The South Australian Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards (Awards) recognise and acknowledge the significant contribution that nurses and midwives make to their professions and the wider community through their practice.
The 2026 awards mark a significant milestone – the 25th silver anniversary of the awards commemorating a quarter-century of honouring the dedication, skill and compassion of South Australia’s nursing and midwifery professionals.
The Awards are open to all nurses, midwives or nursing and midwifery teams working in a specialty area or health care environment. This includes those working in the public, private, aged care, primary health care, community, education, research or non-government sector who you feel deserve to be recognised for their excellence.
Congratulations to the finalists!
Finalists for the South Australian Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards 2026 have been determined.
Nominations across 13 categories have been assessed by judging panels comprising nurses and midwives from SA Health, the private and community sector, industrial and professional organisations and the higher education and training sector.
Excellence in Aged Care
- Golden Connections at Golden Grove: Generations in Conversation - Helping Hand Golden Grove
- Person Centred Care at Eldercare Seaford: Connection to Coast Program - Eldercare Seaford
- Nurse Consultant Residential Care Outreach Team and Older Persons Assessment and Liaison - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
Excellence in Clinical Specialisation
- Amelia Collins - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
- Aysha Lavery-Brook - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
- Vicki Packer - Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network
Excellence in Education
- Kylie Pellizzari - Royal Flying Doctor Service
- Menopause May: More than Hot Flushes - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Teisha Reid - Women’s and Children’s Health Network
Excellence in Leadership and Governance
- Lesley Legg - Central Adelaide Local Health Network
- Associate Professor Lynette Cusack - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Melissa Perry - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
Excellence in Leadership - Emerging Leader
- Heath Milne - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Lijo Mathew - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Lucy Mears - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
Excellence in Practice - Aboriginal Nurse/Midwife (Mary Buckskin Award)
- Jason Degenhardt - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Penny Harrison - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Sharon Milera - Yorke and Northern Local Health Network
Excellence in Practice - Early Career Nurse/Midwife
- Billie Hartmann - Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network
- Theresa Nuessler-MacRae - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
- Wenxin (Sherry) Sun - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
Excellence in Practice - Enrolled Nurse
- Anthony Schloithe - Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network
- Anuja Nair - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
Chelsea Couper - Eyre and Far North Local Health Network - Kellie Hearn - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
Excellence in Practice - Midwife
- Caitlyn Reid - Royal Flying Doctor Service
- Gemma Crichton - Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network
- Kerrianne Carter - Women’s and Children’s Health Network
Excellence in Practice - Nurse Practitioner
- Di Edwards - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Jeffrey Stewart - Central Adelaide Local Health Network
- Laura Hall - Women’s and Children’s Health Network
Excellence in Practice - Registered Nurse
- Chantal van Gasteren - Central Adelaide Local Health Network
- Maddie McPherson - Limestone Coast Local Health Network
- Melissa Reed - Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network
Excellence in Practice - Team
- Central Adelaide Palliative Care Service - Central Adelaide Local Health Network
- Metro Rural Nursing Exchange Program - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Yorke and Northern Local Health Network and Flinders University
- Virtual Intrapartum Midwifery Statewide Support Service - Women’s and Children’s Health Network & regional LHNs
Excellence in Research and Innovation
- Dr Chen Langduo - Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Kelly Vickers - Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Monica Diaz - Women’s and Children’s Health Network
Awards ceremony
Award category winners will be announced at the South Australian Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards Gala Dinner at the Morphettville Event Centre on Friday, 8 May 2026 and will receive a trophy and prize money of $1,500 in recognition of their achievements.
Ticket sales
The 2026 South Australian Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards Gala Dinner will be held on Friday, 8 May 2026. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Partners
If you are considering sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards, see the sponsorship prospectus (PDF 3.9MB).
SA Health would like to acknowledge the contribution of the following partners for 2026:
- Platinum Sponsor: Adelaide University
- Gold Sponsor: Flinders University
- Silver Sponsor: Your Nursing Agency
- Bronze Sponsor: Leahurst Nurses’ Foundation
- Award Category & Centrepieces: CATSINaM
- Award Category & Pre-dinner Drinks: Australian College of Midwives - SA Branch
- Award Category & Dance Floor/Music: Healthcare Australia
- Photobooth Sponsor: Nurse Midwife Health Program Australia
For more information
Contact the Nursing and Midwifery Office, SA Health on:
Phone: (08) 8226 5784
Email: health.nursingandmidwifery@sa.gov.au