2025 EMHS Nurse of the Year Lola Sikora grateful to her team

Lola Sikora is the 2025 EMHS Nurse of the Year and also received the Excellence in Leadership Award, for her outstanding management of the WA State Trauma Registry and research portfolio, the P.A.R.T.Y. Program (Prevention of Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth), and the WA Trauma Training and Education Unit (WATTEU).

A 17-year RPH trauma veteran, Lola also lectures at the University of Notre Dame School of Nursing & Midwifery and The University of Western Australia (UWA) School of Medicine.

“I’m very, very touched to receive these awards and while I’m very grateful and honoured, it really is a team sport,” Lola said.

“The amount of hard work and dedication that has been displayed by my team over the past 24 months – especially in times of enormous change within the service – has been incredible.”

Lola received widespread positive feedback for her management of  the seamless integration of the WATTEU from North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS) into EMHS.

“The support from the EMHS and RPBG executive team has been unbelievable and so greatly appreciated by us – so yes, I’m very honoured but it’s definitely not me in isolation, ” she said.

As part of her role, Lola supports clinical governance and drives quality assurance across the trauma system. The judges were told she brings a grounded, hands-on and people-focused approach to all she does, empowering staff through mentoring, building trust and offering opportunities to lead.

Before her role as Trauma Program Manager, Lola was a ward nurse in the State Major Trauma Unit (SMTU) and says she enjoyed it, for a number of reasons.