Celebrating our B.R.A.V.E. Nurses this Perioperative Nurses Week.

This Perioperative Nurses Week (8 – 14 November 2026) we’re celebrating the incredible perioperative nursing teams right across country WA alongside this year’s theme B.R.A.V.E. – Balance. Resilience. Authentic. Voice. Empower.

The week is a time to reflect on the incredible skill and teamwork of our dedicated teams who provide nursing care to patients before, during, and immediately after surgery.

The outstanding work of our teams was highlighted on an international level earlier this year.

Perioperative Clinical Nurse Manager Doffitha Mathew receiving an honourable mention in the poster category at the Australian College of Perioperative Nurses (ACORN) 2026 International Conference in Brisbane.

Authored with support from Dr Wanjiku Gatonga and Dr Elizabeth Elder, Doffitha wrote a paper focusing on the resilience and adaptability of nurses working outside of the metropolitan area, and the unique challenges they face and the importance of tailored support systems.

Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery Alison Weatherstone said perioperative nurses played a vital role in providing safe, high-quality surgical care across country WA.

“Perioperative nursing is highly skilled practice, requiring clinical expertise, critical thinking and compassion throughout every stage of a patient’s surgical journey,” Ms Weatherstone said.

“The expertise of perioperative nurses extends well beyond the operating theatre. They are critical to patient safety, recovery and the overall experience of care for patients and their families.

“I am incredibly proud of the way WACHS perioperative teams combine expertise, adaptability and compassion to deliver outstanding, person-centred care across rural and remote WA.”