A Darwin registered nurse who was awarded an OAM for the critical role she played in the medical response to the 2002 Bali bombings is retiring after 22 years at Royal Darwin Hospital.
Nurse Alison Mustapha also made an invaluable contribution in several other mass casualty disasters including 2005 Bali bombing, Ashmore Reef Siev 36 response in 2009 and the TIO bombing in 2010.
Alison has been a pioneer in establishing the burns service in the Northern Territory and establishing a burns database contributing to national research. She has been instrumental in integrating telehealth technology into the burns service, offering burns consultation to remote Territory communities.
Mrs Mustapha has also been a passionate educator within the Darwin community raising awareness about burns prevention and treatment through the annual Burns Awareness Week held each June in the lead up to Territory Day, and playing a key role in providing clinical education both in the Northern Territory, interstate and overseas in South-East Asia.
Thirteen years on from the 2002 Bali bombings, the Royal Darwin Hospital now has a dedicated burns ward, a specialist burns out-patient clinic, three specialist doctors and two burns nurse consultants.
"Alison has been forerunner in the establishment of and growth of the burns service at Royal Darwin Hospital and her dedication to education and burns awareness has been invaluable," Dr David Read, Director of Trauma, said.
Mrs Mustapha will retire on Friday, 12 February. Alison commenced employment as a nurse with Royal Darwin Hospital in 1994 at which time the Royal Darwin Hospital did not have a burns service.
She has also been a board member both nationally and NT for the Australian and New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA) and held a number key positions within the prevention, steering and education committees. Alison is keen to remain in Darwin with her husband and is looking forward to spending her time travelling interstate to visit family and friends.
Media contact: Michelle Foster 0459166 801