Sonya Caruana

Ward Manager – L&D – Lifetime Achievement Award

Sonya was nominated by a colleague for the amazing work she’s done over her career, inspiring all around her, helping create our current SDEC, and more:

“I first met Sonya eight years ago as a newly qualified nurse, when she was a Ward Manager. She wasn’t in an office or sitting in a meeting, she was behind a curtain, transferring a patient who had just arrived from ED. That moment has always stayed with me, because it typifies who she is: a hands-on leader who leads by example. A nurse’s nurse. A true role model.

“Over the last eight years, I’ve had the privilege of working with her in many different roles. She shaped my early career, and without her influence and encouragement, I simply wouldn’t be the nurse I am today. But it’s not just me – she has influenced the careers of hundreds, if not thousands, of nurses over the last thirty years.

“She brings the very best of both worlds to her practice: an old-school nurse with deep roots in traditional values, combined with a modern, human, forward-thinking touch. Her care is compassionate, her standards are high, and her work ethic is unmatched. She carries the hospital’s values with grace and grit, underpinned by integrity and honesty.

“She has also been fundamental in the creation and development of the new Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit. Drawing on fifteen years of experience managing wards, she’s played a key role in shaping SDEC into one of the leading units across the region. Her collaboration with the medical team, senior managers, and General Managers has helped bring to life a shared vision of transformative, responsive care. SDEC today is a direct reflection of her proactive thinking, clinical insight, and deep dedication to service development.

“Put simply, she has given her soul to this place. And her legacy is not bricks and mortar it’s the people. Over the last three decades, she has probably worked with over a thousand staff, and I can guarantee she’s made a lasting impression on every single one of them.

“This nomination isn’t just from me. It’s from everyone who’s had the honour of working with her, learning from her, or being led by her. We don’t want to be generic and say she’s inspirational because for nurses, that should be a given. What we want is for her to have her flowers. To feel the gratitude from all of us whose careers she’s shaped, whose voices she’s lifted, and whose practice she’s quietly but powerfully improved.

“You’ve dedicated your life to this role. Please enjoy your moment. You’ve more than earned it.”