Celebrating Excellence in Perioperative Nursing: Honouring Our 2025 Award Recipients

We are deeply inspired by the dedication and impactful contributions each nurse has made to perioperative practice in the province of Saskatchewan.

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We are honoured to present the Marg Farley Excellence in Nursing Education Award to an outstanding perioperative nurse who has made a significant contribution to perioperative nursing in Saskatchewan. Margaret Farley was a founding member of SORNG, a past president of ORNAC and a tireless volunteer and advocate for improving perioperative nursing.

The winner of this year’s award is an exemplary nurse who is both an exceptional leader and educator. After becoming proficient in her chosen specialty, she has trained numerous nurses to become safe, competent and compassionate perioperative nurses themselves.

She has volunteered her time and expertise to the perioperative nursing profession, serving as an executive member of SORNG, and ORNAC. 

The nominee will be joining the Moose Jaw International Medical Mission to Guatemala in February 2026, volunteering her time and sharing her skills with individuals in need.

She continually seeks to hone her skills and participate in continuous professional development and ensures research guides her practice through regular participation in the journal club that she initiated and co-leads with her perioperative nurse colleagues. She is the embodiment of this award.

SORNG would like to congratulate Shannon Williams for her inspiring contributions to perioperative nursing through her practice, teaching, and committee work.

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We are pleased to present the Sharon Wandzura Award for Nursing Leadership Excellence. This award is given to an outstanding nurse who has made a significant contribution to perioperative nursing in Saskatchewan, to a person with a passion for perioperative nursing, who reflects the practice and ideals of Sharon Wandzura, known as a nurse with “dedication and commitment beyond the call.”

This year’s award winner has had a lengthy registered nursing career in several areas, settling on the operating room and moving from OR team member to educator to unit manager. She is known as someone who generously shares her perioperative knowledge, encourages and demonstrates the importance of continuous learning, and has been an important voice for improving service delivery and elevating patient outcomes in Saskatchewan by encouraging innovation, seeking opportunities for improvement, and promoting a collaborative workplace. 

A rarity in today’s climate, this individual has a passion for uplifting perioperative standards, which is evident in the positive changes she has implemented and the culture of excellence she fosters within her team. She leads with integrity, compassion, and a deep commitment to her staff, consistently promoting best practices and ensuring patient safety remains at the forefront of every decision.

SORNG would like to congratulate Ginette Marchildon for using her extensive experience as a power for change, and her unwavering leadership to go beyond the call in her service to the public. 

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The SORNG Memorial Bursary is presented this year to Heather Harrison. Heather is a proficient perioperative registered nurse and nursing educator. Her guidance and enthusiasm have helped many perioperative students to realize their potential. Heather’s passion for education has driven her to take on numerous challenges, including interim perioperative head at SaskPolytech, presenting at an ORNAC national conference, and now completing her Master’s of Education in Health Professionals Education.

Congratulations Heather and best of luck in your continued learning journey!