Healthcare: Te Whatu Ora Waikato crowns Nurse of the Year, Midwife of the Year

Waikato Nurse of the Year 2023 Nicola Griffiths (left) and forensic mental health nurse Krizia Ledesma-Libre. Photo / Te Whatu Ora Waikato

Te Whatu Ora Waikato, formerly Waikato DHB, celebrated its nurses and midwives with dedicated awards to acknowledge their “extraordinary contribution” across many areas of healthcare.

Local bowel screening nurse lead Nicola Griffiths has been crowned Waikato Nurse of the Year, Darjee Sahala was named Waikato Midwife of the Year and forensic mental health nurse Krizia Ledesma-Libre was presented with a Special Recognition award.

Griffiths won the award for her instrumental role in developing an online tool that enables the bowel screening team to access information on all screening patients and their corresponding stage on their screening journeys.

Ledesma-Libre was recognised for her exceptional work in forensic mental health nursing, where her knowledge and commitment have improved team cohesion and benefited staff and tāngata whaiora [people seeking health].

Chief nursing and midwifery officer Sue Hayward says that Griffiths works together with the team to improve the timeliness of patients’ procedures.

”Nicola incorporates Treaty of Waitangi principles into her practice, identifying barriers to patients receiving their bowel screening colonoscopy.

“Thanks to Nicola’s efforts, patients receive a streamlined and high-quality experience. The bowel screening team can easily access patient information and deadlines, allowing for timely processing and preventing any patients from being missed or lost in the system.”

Hayward also acknowledges Ledesma-Libre, saying her job was not easy, but her determination, thoughtfulness and understanding make her “a gem” in this field of nursing.

(From left): Director of midwifery Samantha Davenport, women’s health clinics charge midwife manager April Irwin, Midwife of the Year Darjee Sahala and midwife director Shyralee Parker. Photo / Te Whatu Ora Waikato

”Krizia’s compassion, kindness and respect for others has helped many tāngata whaiora who are going through the mental health system to regain a sense of hope,” Hayward says.

The 2023 Te Whatu Ora Waikato Midwife of the Year is Darjee Sahala.

Sahala’s nomination described her as a midwife “who has made a difference”.

“Darjee is compassionate and equity-focused when working with whānau and staff in challenging times in a pregnancy journey. She is a wealth of knowledge and has developed a whānau resource booklet for bereaved parents and added heart to our service.”

Sahala had been nominated for the award alongside Ilona Jackson, Jessica Dean, Sara-Jane Walker and Taku Stanbury-Poa.