10/10/05
Royal Perth Hospital nurse Joy Fong has been awarded this year’s Bali Fellowship in recognition of her work in treating patients in the 2002 Bali bombings.
Health Minister Jim McGinty said Ms Fong, a clinical nurse consultant at RPH’s Burns Unit, was a worthy winner, given her experience, expertise and commitment to the care and management of patients with burn injuries.
Mr McGinty said the $15,000 fellowship would allow Ms Fong to undertake a study tour to examine new treatment methods in the area of disaster management.
“During the 2002 bombings, Ms Fong worked with Dr Fiona Wood and was responsible for co-ordinating the admission of patients to Royal Perth and planning their ongoing management in the Intensive Care Unit and the burns unit,” the Minister said.
“Ms Fong also provided ongoing support to staff, patients and their families during what was a very stressful and emotional time.
“She is a shining example of the professionalism that Western Australian nurses are renowned for and thoroughly deserves this accolade.”
The Bali Fellowship was established to commemorate the 2002 Bali bombings and to honour the contribution of nurses during times of disaster.
Mr McGinty said a panel of nursing experts selected Ms Fong because she was dedicated to increasing her knowledge of nursing burn injuries.
“With the fellowship, Ms Fong will tour several facilities in the United States including the Presbyterian Hospital Burn Unit in New York, which treated many burns victims following the terrorist attacks in 2001,” he said.
“Ms Fong will also be able to tour the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong, which has highly-developed disaster management strategies for injuries resulting from burns and natural disasters such as typhoon and earthquake.
“The fellowship will provide Ms Fong with new skills and expertise in treating burns patients, which will greatly benefit Royal Perth Hospital’s Burns Unit and further reinforce it’s reputation as a world-class facility.”
Ms Fong has also won the Department of Health’s 2005 Nurse Leader of the Year Award, as well as the 2005 Nurse of the Year Award from the Nurses Board of WA.
Minister's office: 9220 5000
