2025 Graduate of the Year – Hayley Williams,with Chief Executive, Sue Williams

Last week, the 2025 graduate nurse cohort gathered at a special graduation ceremony – an event that celebrated not only the end of their grad year but the beginning of Cabrini nursing careers.

Of the 51 grads, nurse Haley Williams, who had rotated through 6 West and Emergency Department during the Graduate Program, was named 2025 Graduate of the Year, among an “exceptional cohort”, Graduate Nurse Program Lead Sue Hewat said.

Hayley’s experience discovering a passion for an area of nursing that she never expected reflected that of so many of her graduating class.

“Neither respiratory nor ED were areas of nursing I’d ever considered,” she said. “I never had a placement in either of these areas, so I was very open to give them a try when the opportunity arose. And now I’ve finished my grad year, I remain in ED, where I ignited a passion for an area of nursing I’d never explored. I can honestly say that I love my job.”

Jess Clifford, Haley’s ED Nurse Unit Manager, said that Haley’s love for her job shows in every shift.

“Hayley has consistently demonstrated calm, compassionate, and capable care in what can be a chaotic, fast-paced environment,” Jess said. “She demonstrates strong prioritisation and teamwork, and a clear commitment to Cabrini values. She’s a deserving recipient of Graduate of the Year.”

Haley was recognised for living the Cabrini value of compassion during her grad year, and it’s a quality that hasn’t gone unnoticed from those who matter most.

“There’ve been so many memorable patient experiences from my grad year that I still think about,” Haley said. “The moments that stay with me are often during medical emergencies, where there can be so much happening both mentally and physically for the patient. Being able to provide reassurance, calmness, and comfort in those high-pressure situations is something I find incredibly rewarding.

“But the experiences that have stayed with me the most are when patients are transferred from the Emergency Department to the wards and say things like, ‘I wish you could come with me’. Hearing that is incredibly meaningful, because it reminds me that even during one of the most vulnerable moments in someone’s life, I was able to make them feel safe, supported, and cared for.

“Those are the moments that continue to shape the kind of nurse I want to be throughout my career.”

Congratulations to Haley and the 2025 graduating class.