''The idea of spending $10,000 on anything in this organisation, is, like, oh my goodness . . .''
a surprised Sharon Ayto said when she was named supreme winner of the Southern Innovation Challenge.
Mrs Ayto, the board's Well Child service clinical nurse manager, appeared at the Dunedin ceremony by video-link from Southland Hospital.
She will use the money to make an educational film to be shown to young children to promote the safe sleeping position for babies to prevent sudden unexpected death in infancy.
Mrs Ayto was inspired by watching small children playing with their dolls.
''The children extended a lot of care to their `babies'.
''This included ... putting them down to sleep in a pram while talking to the babies throughout. Then they proceeded to cover them completely with the multiple covers available.''
In some sudden unexpected infant deaths, the last person to put the baby to bed was a family member, like a grandmother or aunty, so it made sense for the children around them to be informed about the need to put babies on their backs.
''Safe sleep messages can be introduced to preschoolers in doll play, thus creating a generation of individuals who have safe sleep practices as their norm.
''It could be all the difference in the baby waking up the next morning.''
Mrs Ayto hopes the film will be used in early child care centres well beyond the Southern District Health Board area, and potentially around the world.
''To be offered $10,000 to make this happen is amazing.''
she told the Otago Daily Times.
The other winners were Kylie Machin, of the building and property division, Dunedin ($3000 for online fire safety training); Bernie Thijssen, of forensic services, Dunedin ($2000, off-unit tracking); Maryanne Mulcahey, Beckie Baird, Ofelia Jackson, Elaine Godman, of Dunedin orthopaedic, ($45, falls stickers); Olivia Murray and Lara Gleeson, of Southland Hospital emergency department ($4000, fracture clinic redesign).
Chief executive Carole Heatly said the board was putting more emphasis on staff ideas - and not just during the annual innovation awards.
Now in their fourth year, the awards attracted 13 applications, of which 12 were present to a judging panel last month.
