Subiaco nurse wins WA nursing award

23 May 2018

17 May 2018 

Simon won the Consumer Appreciation category of the prestigious awards after being nominated by a client he works with through the hospital’s Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network (DAWN).

“It is such an honour to win this award for doing a job I absolutely love,” Mr Hulatt said.

“To know that one of my clients nominated me for this award and then have that nomination validated by my peers who have named me the winner in this category is humbling.”

“As a nurse, I want to be able to make a difference not only in helping my clients through their withdrawal but also to help them address the issues which have led to addiction so they can make meaningful and lasting changes in their life.”

DAWN is a free community service to support people to stop or reduce their drug and/or alcohol use. It is run by clinical nurse specialists who provide care and support to people in their home.

St John of God Subiaco Hospital Chief Executive Officer Professor Shirley Bowen said this award is especially meaningful as the nomination came from a patient, and it recognises the important role DAWN plays in the wider community.

“We are extremely proud of Simon for his nomination and success in being named the winner of the consumer appreciation category of these important awards. Simon was nominated by one of his patients, which highlights his dedication and commitment to going above and beyond for people,” she said.

“We are also very proud that this award recognises the value of our Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network service to the community.”

Simon said he felt privileged to work with DAWN and his patients who welcome him into their lives through their journey in recovering from drug and alcohol dependency.

“Helping people through addiction is not just about caring for their physical needs which are often the most obvious concerns, but also their emotional needs,” he said.

“When you start to withdraw from addiction, the issues and challenges that led to that dependency emerge and need to be addressed alongside the physical needs so that clients can build a valued and meaningful life once more.”

The WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards were presented on Saturday 12 May 2018.

Did you know?

It is the fourth time in three years the WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards have recognised the DAWN service. Most recently DAWN Manager Ann Annetts (pictured with Simon) won the consumer appreciation category in 2016.