An awards night aimed at celebrating local heroes has recognised two of our own for their commitment to the serving Bundaberg residents.
Angela Conway and Jess Beutel were honoured with the prestigious Brian Prince Awards for Outstanding Service in Emergency Services.
Both Angela and Jess, who are Point of Care Clinical (PoCC) coaches, were recognised for their exceptional work in embedding the clinical coach model in the Bundaberg Emergency Department.
Nominated by their peers, their efforts have significantly enhanced emergency nursing education, fostering a culture of learning and growth in their department.
Since taking on the role of PoCC coaches, Angela and Jess have provided bedside coaching, facilitated assessments, conducted debriefing sessions, and offered a structured framework for emergency nurses to advance their careers.
Their work is vital in ensuring that emergency nurses are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the demands of their roles.
For Jess, receiving the Brian Prince Award is a career highlight.
"When I began nursing in 2017, my goal was to serve the community I grew up in. Seven years later, it's an honour to be recognised alongside my colleague Angela and the dedicated emergency services personnel,” she said.
The best part of Jess’s role is witnessing the growth of her peers.
“Just this week I completed triage training, support and assessment with a colleague who started her nursing journey within our Emergency Department as a third-year nursing student.
“This has been particularly fulfilling for me as I was her clinical preceptor during her time as a student.
“When she commenced her graduate year with us, I then had the pleasure of working alongside her as a colleague, following this she the commenced the Transition Support Program. I was then able to support her to complete her assessment days in resuscitation and trauma nursing, and most recently her triage training and support days.
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to watch her grow into a confident and competent valued member of our team.”
Through their work, Angela and Jess have not only improved nursing education but have also contributed to better patient outcomes.
“On a daily basis emergency nurses work in an environment that is dynamic and fast paced with undiagnosed and often critical unwell patients,” she said.
“As a clinical coach I am in a unique position to provide education and support in the clinical environment whilst actively working alongside my peers.
“It is really exciting to be a part of our emergency department education team to support and shape the future of emergency nurses.”