Nurses and midwives from NSW have been among the highly esteemed Australians honoured this Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend. 

The Honours are awarded to Australian citizens who have displayed excellence, achievement or meritorious service and contributions to society.

The following nurses and midwives received Queen’s Birthday Honours:

Judith Meppem: For significant service to nursing administration and to community health

Judith Meppem was a registered nurse and midwife from 1969 to the 2000s. She served in a number of roles across the state, before becoming the NSW Chief Nurse in 1990. She also sat on the boards of the Australian Council of Chief Nurses, the Australian College of Nurses, and the NSW Commission for Children and Young People. 

Karen Kemp: For service to nursing and the community

Karen Kemp is a registered nurse and midwife based in Broken Hill. She has spent time working in both public health and aged care. She has an extensive history of volunteering for community organisations, including Scouts NSW and AFS Intercultural Programs. She was the 2015 NSW Health Volunteer of the Year. 

Leanne Neal: For service to youth and nursing

Leanne Neal is a school nurse working at St Ignatius Riverview. She had previously worked at a number of NSW public hospitals, including Royal North Shore, Royal Prince Alfred, Manly, St Vincent’s and St George Hospitals. She is a current committee member of Ignatian Children’s Holiday Camp and serves on the board of the Sony Foundation. She is also a co-editor of the National Guidelines for School Nurses. 

Elizabeth Zachulski: For service to aged care and nursing

Elizabeth Zachulski is a registered nurse working in the aged care sector. She is the current Director of Nursing of St Catherine’s Aged Care, Bathurst.

Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Association Secretary Beth Mohle also received honours “for significant service to industrial relations, to the nursing profession and to the superannuation sector”.

The Lamp is proud of these nurses and midwives for their achievement, as well as their contributions to our profession and our community.