Dr Shep Chidarikire
Senior Lecturer
School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Email:shep.chidarikire@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 4921 5661
Career Summary
Biography
Dr Shep Chidarikire is an experienced mental health nursing academic and clinician. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Nursing in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle. Before becoming a mental health nurse, Shep trained as a primary school teaching in his native Zimbabwe. He is a UK trained mental health nurse and a holder of a Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) from La Trobe University, Australia.
Shep is passionate about the influences of culture and mental health especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. His PhD research thesis, awarded in 2021, explored the experiences and quality of life of people living with schizophrenia in Harare, Zimbabwe using a focused ethnography. My research highlights the importance of language, culture, and idioms of distress in understanding mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. This is important if we as mental health providers will achieve better health outcomes for those that speak a different language other than English and have different cultural beliefs and norms.
Dr Chidarikire is a passionate teacher and academic with over 10 years’ experience. He holds the following qualification, Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner), Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) from Charles Sturt University and the PhD from the University of Tasmania.
Clinical ExperienceShep has several years of clinical nursing experience in adult forensic, acute and community mental health nursing. I have expertise and recent extensive experience in a wide range of mental health settings. After finishing his pre-registration nurse training at the University of York (UK), he worked in forensic adult psychiatry at Ravenswood House, a medium secure hospital located in Fareham, Hampshire. UK. He also worked as a community mental health nurse for Spelthorne Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) in Staines, a town on the outskirts of London, close to Heathrow Airport, UK. The area of Spelthorne Borough Council has a multi-ethnic population. After moving to Tasmania, Shep worked as a community mental health nurse with the Adult Community Mental Health Team (ACMHS) in Burnie, north-west of Tasmania.
Teaching Experience
Shep's teaching philosophy is based on the idea that learning must be fun to foster a relaxed, respectful, and co-collaborative learning environment. It acknowledges students as active learners and help to nurture students’ commitment to life-long learning. He is driven by quality and excellence in his teaching which ensures students meet registration standards for nursing.
He has extensive experience in coordinating and teaching into large units on multiple campuses. Shep has been a teaching intensive academic for over 11 years. In 2022, a teaching team led by Shep were awarded a team-Teaching Merit Certificate in recognition of his leadership in teaching practice at the University of Tasmania.
Research Experience
Shep has recognised research expertise in mental health nursing, with a record of demonstrable scholarly and professional achievement in the discipline. Graduating with his PhD after 8 years of part-time study, reinforced his standing as an expert in mental health nursing. The PhD helped him to advance the knowledge of mental health nursing through his original research. The results from his research can benefit local, national, and international communities and stakeholders of people living with a mental illness. Also, translating the WHO approved WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire into Shona has demonstrated Shep's expertise, influence and standing within the discipline of nursing on the international stage. Shep's is very proud of this achievement. To further enhance his standing, he has published articles in reputable first quartile high-quality journals.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy (nursing), University of Tasmania
Keywords
- ethnography
- faith
- mental health
- mental health nursing
- qualitative research
- spirituality
- transcultural mental health
Languages
- English (Fluent)
- Shona (Mother)
- Nyanja (Chichewa) (Fluent)
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
420504 | Mental health nursing | 100 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|
Senior Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Nursing and Midwifery Australia |
Academic appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
30/1/2012 - 17/3/2023 |
Lecturer (Mental health) |
University of Tasmania School of Nursing and Midwifery Australia |
Professional appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
7/1/2008 - 27/1/2012 | Community Mental Health Nurse | Department of Health Tasmania Australia |
30/5/2005 - 21/12/2007 | Community Psychiatric Nurse | Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust United Kingdom |
1/11/2003 - 26/5/2005 | Senior Clinical Nurse (Forensic) | Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust United Kingdom |
Awards
Teaching Award
Year | Award |
---|---|
2023 |
Teaching Merit Certificate University of Tasmania |
Prestigious works / other achievements
Year Commenced | Year Finished | Prestigious work / other achievement | Role |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | 2016 | I translated the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire from English to Shona language (Zimbabwe). The translated WHOQOL (BREF, Shona version is availabe via the WHO webiste here https://www.who.int/tools/whoqol/whoqol-bref/docs/default-source/publishing-policies/whoqol-bref/shona-whoqol-bref WHO | Translator |
Teaching
Code | Course | Role | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
12244 |
Master of Mental Health Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle |
Lecturer | 18/4/2023 - 25/1/2025 |
NUR137 |
Mental health 1 University of Tasmania |
Course Coordinator | 30/1/2012 - 17/3/2023 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (10 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2023 |
Ekemiri KK, Botchway EN, Ezinne NE, Sirju N, Persad T, Masemola HC, et al., 'Comparative Analysis of Health- and Vision-Related Quality of Life Measures among Trinidadians with Low Vision and Normal Vision A Cross-Sectional Matched Sample Study', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20 6436-6436 [C1]
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Nova | ||||||
2023 |
Naamara W, Twesigye J, Muhwezi WW, Chidarikire S, 'Forms of social support received by family caregivers of patients with schizophrenia in Sub-Saharan African urban settings: an integrative review of literature', SOCIAL WORK IN MENTAL HEALTH, 21 306-328 (2023) [C1]
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2021 |
Molloy L, Beckett P, Chidarikire S, Scott MP, Guha MD, Tran Merrick T, Patton D, ''First tonight, the contentious new code telling nurses to say, 'sorry for being white': Mental health nurses' beliefs about their Code of Conduct and cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, 30 1630-1639 (2021) [C1]
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2020 |
Chidarikire S, Cross M, Skinner I, Cleary M, 'Ethnographic Insights into the Quality of Life and Experiences of People Living with Schizophrenia in Harare, Zimbabwe', ISSUES IN MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, 42 65-78 (2020)
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2020 |
Molloy L, Beckett P, Chidarikire S, Merrick TT, Guha M, Patton D, 'Culture, the Stigma of Mental Illness, and Young People', JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOCIAL NURSING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, 58 15-18 (2020)
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2020 |
Chidarikire S, Cross M, Skinner I, Cleary M, 'An ethnographic study of schizophrenia in Zimbabwe: The role of culture, faith, and religion', JOURNAL OF SPIRITUALITY IN MENTAL HEALTH, 22 173-194 (2020)
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2018 |
Chidarikire S, Cross M, Skinner I, Cleary M, 'Treatments for people living with schizophrenia in Sub-Saharan Africa: an adapted realist review', INTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, 65 78-92 (2018)
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2018 |
Chidarikire S, Cross M, Skinner I, Cleary M, 'Navigating Nuances of Language and Meaning: Challenges of Cross-Language Ethnography Involving Shona Speakers Living With Schizophrenia', QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH, 28 927-938 (2018)
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2016 |
Mandizadza EJR, Chidarikire S, 'A Phenomenological Study into the Role of Spirituality and Religiousness in the Mental Health of People with Cancer in Zimbabwe', Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 18 145-161 (2016) This study examines the role of spirituality in illness management and mental health of selected people with cancer in Harare, Zimbabwe. The study inspects religiosity and spiritu... [more] This study examines the role of spirituality in illness management and mental health of selected people with cancer in Harare, Zimbabwe. The study inspects religiosity and spiritual elements among people with cancer. Narratives of women and men with cancer situated on different body sites was gathered using qualitative methodology. Data is analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Results indicate the central role of spiritual well-being and spirituality among people with cancer. Crucially, owing to scarcity and low uptake of institutionalized services, churches become essential conduits to cater for the spiritual well-being of people with cancer in resource constrained settings like Zimbabwe.
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Show 7 more journal articles |
Conference (3 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2019 | Chidarikire S, Cross M, Skinner I, Cleary M, 'Importance of language, culture and idioms of distress in understanding schizophrenia in Zimbabwe: an ethnographic study', Lisbon, Portugal (2019) | ||||
2014 |
Chidarikire S, Harris D, Skinner I, 'The Role of Traditional and Faith Healers in Mental Health Care: A Meta Synthesis of Case Reports from sub-Saharan Africa', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING (2014)
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2014 | Chidarikire S, Harris D, Skinner I, 'A cultural paradox: Understanding the experience of living with schizophrenia in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING (2014) |
Other (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 |
Chidarikire S, Cross M, '03 - IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND IDIOMS OF DISTRESS IN UNDERSTANDING SCHIZOPHRENIA IN ZIMBABWE: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY', Morressier (2019)
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Preprint (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2019 |
Chidarikire S, Cross M, Skinner I, Cleary M, 'An ethnography exploring the quality of life of people living with schizophrenia in Zimbabwe: Implications for health service policy and practice (2019)
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Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 3 |
---|---|
Total funding | $889,100 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20241 grants / $9,935
CESE Multidisciplinary Strategic Investment - Liyaning (Maggie) Tang - 2024$9,935
Funding body: Universtiy of Newcastle
Funding body | Universtiy of Newcastle |
---|---|
Project Team | Doctor Shaleeza Sohail, Doctor Liyaning Maggie Tang |
Scheme | Internal Competitive Schemes |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2024 |
Funding Finish | 2024 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20231 grants / $864,165
National Mental Health Pathways to Practice Program Pilot $864,165
Funding body: Department of Health and Aged Care
Funding body | Department of Health and Aged Care |
---|---|
Project Team | Professor Charlotte Rees, Professor Kristen Pammer, Professor Kristen Pammer, Professor Amanda Johnson, Doctor Gary Crowfoot, Doctor Gary Crowfoot, Doctor Shep Chidarikire, Doctor Shep Chidarikire, Associate Professor Samantha Ashby, Associate Professor Samantha Ashby, Doctor Kirsti Haracz, Doctor Kirsti Haracz, Professor Margaret Alston, Professor Margaret Alston, Mr Brad Peschar, Mr Brad Peschar, Mrs Rebecca Bojkowski, Mrs Rebecca Bojkowski, Doctor Sally Hunt, Doctor Sally Hunt, Mrs Sonja Pohlman, Mrs Sonja Pohlman, Doctor Tanya Hanstock, Doctor Tanya Hanstock, Professor Stephen Maloney, Doctor Milena Heinsch, Professor Esther May |
Scheme | National Mental Health Pathways to Practice Program Pilot Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2023 |
Funding Finish | 2025 |
GNo | G2301300 |
Type Of Funding | Scheme excluded from IGS |
Category | EXCL |
UON | Y |
20101 grants / $15,000
Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship$15,000
Funding body: Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing
Funding body | Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing |
---|---|
Scheme | Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2010 |
Funding Finish | 2012 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | External |
Category | EXTE |
UON | N |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | PhD | Evaluating the Experiences of Mental Health Services for Consumers with First Episode of Psychosis Engaging with ACT Emergency and Inpatient Mental Health Services | PhD (Nursing), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Research Projects
PhD Thesis Titled: A Focused Ethnography Exploring the Experiences and Quality of Life of People Living with Schizophrenia in Harare, Zimbabwe. 2012 - 2020
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects about 20 million people worldwide irrespective of race, culture, or language. There is limited research on the experiences and quality of life of people living with schizophrenia in low-income countries such as Zimbabwe. This PhD study addressed this knowledge gap by using a focused ethnography. Shona language had no word or phrase for schizophrenia; it is understood as kupenga (mad), or kurwara nepfungwa (illness of the mind). Findings revealed that factors such the environment, culture, beliefs, and language impacted on their quality of life. Most people reported experiencing different forms of stigma from relative, friends and the community. People had difficulty in accessing affordable medications and support. However, their faith, spirituality and belonging to a religious group was an untapped therapeutic resource that provided support. Care givers were mainly family members who often faced financial and emotional challenges. This study showed that future research should aim to recruit participants from rural backgrounds to obtain a deeper knowledge and compare the experiences of rural and urban people living with schizophrenia.
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Dr Shep Chidarikire
Position
Senior Lecturer
School of Nursing and Midwifery
College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing
Contact Details
shep.chidarikire@newcastle.edu.au | |
Phone | (02) 4921 5661 |
Mobile | 0439269080 |
Office
Room | RW120 |
---|---|
Building | Richardson Wing |
Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |