The Allied Health Award recognises outstanding leadership and commitment to patient care.

Stephen Pinzone has been an anaesthetic technician working in theatre at RCH for many years and in particular as a regular member of the Labs and Lines theatre list team. He is a loved and respected member of our team. This nomination was suggested by patients, parents and staff.

Steve, on a daily basis, embodies the RCH values of respect, excellence, integrity and unity.

Steven is a highly skilled and professional anaesthetic technician who supports the work of the Anaesthetists and proceduralists. He works above and beyond his duties to make an outstanding contribution to the work and reputation of the RCH, and an impact that is obvious to the parents and to the staff who work with him. Steve is a quiet leader and role model for treating everyone with respect and care.

Steve Pinzone regularly works in the labs and lines list in the operating theatre, which is the list where oncology and haematology patients have regular procedures such as lumbar punctures and bone marrow biopsies. The children on this list are often anxious and afraid. Steve uses his fantastic interpersonal skills and humour to relax the patients so that their experience is a positive one. The children love him, as do the parents.

He unfailingly treats everyone with respect, with care and with his gentle humour. Steve’s skills support patients and parents to manage the anxiety they might feel about having repeated procedures in theatre. He gives the children a feeling of control over their surroundings by giving them choices as he distracts them from what is going on. Parents say they feel safe leaving their children in the theatre with our team. Steve’s influence in the room is certainly a part of this feeling of security for families. Steven is always alert to what other team members might be needing to make their job easier. He assists the haematologists in the correct positioning of each patient so the procedures can be performed in the safest, most efficient way.

Over the years Steven has developed a whole suite of distraction toys and tools to delight and engage children, parents (and staff) of all ages. He is a very creative person with musical and other talents which he brings into his work setting to great effect. He plays guitar to a high standard, sings, has an ‘angry bird’ hat, a motorised car, bubble machine and numerous other toys at the ready when children walk in.

He continually goes above and beyond the call of duty to make the potentially stressful theatre environment a place that many children now enjoy coming to. He has managed to broaden the role of anaesthetic technician to include his contribution to engaging children in a meaningful way before they are anaesthetised.

“Steve’s continual and consistent friendliness, competency, organization, ability to keep the technical aspects moving fast and without complaint is a huge assistance to the anaesthetist and the whole theatre team,” said Dr Liz Prentice, RCH Anaesthetist.