By Melissa Blewitt

Pemdiki Sherpa, who works across Condobolin Health Service and Tullamore Multipurpose Service, was named a finalist in the Pauline Webster-Cox New to Practice Nurse of the Year category in the 2026 Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) Nursing and Midwifery Awards.
This award recognises nursing graduates who have demonstrated exceptional potential and commitment during their first year of practice. It celebrates emerging nurses who provide safe, compassionate, and patient-centred care while growing in confidence, capability, and professionalism.
The judging panel praised Pemdiki for showing “remarkable growth, maturity and clinical insight” across two diverse rural clinical settings.
Pemdiki’s citation read:
“Pemdiki Sherpa is an exceptional new graduate nurse who has shown remarkable growth, maturity, and clinical insight across two diverse rural clinical settings. She consistently delivers compassionate, culturally safe, and patient-centred care, demonstrating strong communication and critical thinking skills well beyond her level of experience. Pemdiki is highly regarded by colleagues and senior clinicians alike for her professionalism, curiosity, and ability to recognise and escalate patient needs.”
Ayushi Ayushi was named the overall winner of the Pauline Webster-Cox New to Practice Nurse of the Year during the District’s annual Nursing and Midwifery Symposium and Awards dinner, a two-day event that celebrates the nursing and midwifery workforce while showcasing innovation, leadership and best practice in care, last month.
This year’s Symposium theme, “Kindness and Bravery in Leadership and Care,” highlights the compassion and courage demonstrated by nurses and midwives every day in supporting patients, families and communities.
“It was a privilege to celebrate this year’s Award recipients, each one deserving of the recognition. I also want to commend every nominee and those who earned honourable mentions,” WNSWLHD Executive Director Quality, Clinical Safety and Nursing Adrian Fahy stated.
“Every year I’m impressed with the quality of all our nominations. As usual, it was an incredibly difficult task to select our Award recipients, which is testament to the commitment of our workforce.
“The Awards acknowledge the passion, dedication and significant contribution nurses and midwives provide to patients and communities across Western NSW. Their tireless efforts are at the heart of the care we provide, whether in hospitals, community health centres, or in the homes of our patients.”
Award recipients of the Western NSW Local Health District Nurse, Midwife and Team of the Year Awards are nominated to represent the District in the NSW Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.