Norma West has made a major contribution to the development and advancement of the nursing profession during a long and distinguished career as a senior nursing administrator and practitioner in regional Queensland.

After gaining extensive nursing qualifications, Norma was the youngest nurse ever to hold the position of Matron of a hospital in Queensland when she was appointed Matron of the Monto Hospital in 1959.  After two years in that position, Norma went on to spend six years as Matron of the Longreach Hospital. 

Norma West receives her award

Highly skilled and with ‘hands-on' experience, Norma was well qualified to take on the senior role of Head of Nursing at Rockhampton Base Hospital in 1971, a position she held for thirty years, becoming the longest serving person in that capacity in the history of the hospital.  During this time, her positions included Matron, Nursing Superintendent and Director of Nursing, the position she occupied at the time of her retirement in 2001.  

Norma's influence at the hospital was profound and many changes and improvements were made including the inclusion of intensive care and coronary care wards, and a push for a renal unit to be included in the construction of the new hospital extensions, when the original plans did not include those facilities.    She also played a significant part in the provision of oncology services in Central Queensland as a founding member and President of the Rockhampton Oncology Committee.  

With a focus on nurse training, Norma was one of the major drivers behind the move to upgrade training from ‘in hospital' to tertiary level.  The move resulted in degree level courses for nurse training being offered at Central Queensland University and she actively assisted and helped facilitate the migration of nurse training to the University.  In fact, such was her level of support that she was invited to jointly turn the first sod for the construction of the University's School of Nursing building with the then Head of School Dr Amy Zelmer.  She continued her support through regular in-service and refresher training programs. 

Norma's ongoing service to the nursing profession was publicly recognised in 1983 when she was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her ‘outstanding contribution to nursing in Queensland'.