Grafton Base Hospital nurse Laurel Moore has been named among the state’s most exceptional nurses for her outstanding contribution to health care in NSW. Laurel Moore works in the Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service AMIHS, which commenced in the Clarence Valley in 2009. The service provides culturally appropriate community based maternity care in pregnancy and the postnatal period for up to eight weeks. The care is provided by the AMIHS team consisting of an Aboriginal Health Education Officer and midwife. The service provides a holistic approach to supporting the health and wellbeing of the women and families involved in the service. Ms Moore said that it was an honour to be selected as a finalist in the 2016 Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards, in the category of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthcare. “I was one of three finalists out of the 244 nominees,” said Ms Moore. “It’s a team approach to the delivery of this service and this award could not have been achieved without the strong support of my co-workers in Aboriginal Health and in particular, my co-worker Larissa Johnson. “The Aboriginal Health team at Grafton Community Health is a wonderful team to be a part of. “Their professionalism and high level of care, along with the support they provide to the community makes them a credit to the health service. “Our managers Jo Andrews and Jane Wear are very supportive of us as workers, enabling a positive and rewarding work environment,” she said. Ms Moore was presented with her award at a ceremony which was held at Parliament House in Sydney, on Wednesday, 7 November.