Biography

Extensive experience in nursing and nurse education including informational teaching and research in support of upgrading nurse qualifications and nursing practice. Provided leadership in academic and university governance in senior positions within the university sector.

Qualifications

• PhD, James Cook University, 1999
• Master of Education, University of New England, 1994
• Bachelor of Arts (Social Science), La Trobe University, 1990
• Diploma in Nurse Education, Lincoln College of Health Sciences, 1978

Research

Research keywords

• Cancer nursing
• Complementary therapies
• Palliative care

Research expertise

I am currently a member of three active research teams at the University of Newcastle and I have established links with senior medical and health professionals to conduct research in palliative care, cancer research and complementary therapies. Much of my research work has been as a principal researcher of multidisciplinary teams. Examples of this research:

• 2004 Hydration and Nutrition at the end Stage of Life (Victorian Registration Board). Awarded jointly with Denise Brookes (Unit Manager Palliative Care Unit) and Professor M. Ashby (Monash Medical Centre). Duration of project: 2 years.

• 2005 Nurses' and Doctors' perceptions and attitudes of patient nutrition and hydration at the end of life in a palliative care setting. New Staff Grant. The University of Newcastle. Research team members include Dr Isabel Higgins and Milly Sneesby and Dr Phillip Good from the Mater Hospital.

• 2005 RIB Grant - Attitudes of health care staff regarding older people. Shared with Dr Isabel Higgins.

• 2006 Grant applications submitted with 3 colleagues (Dr Isabel Higgins, Dr Phillip Good and Milly Sneesby) for Margaret Mitchell Grant and Wig Week Grant . Investigation of Nurses' and Doctors' perceptions and attitudes towards patient nutrition and hydration at the end of life in an acute care setting.

In 2009 I undertook two projects in Northern Thailand with Thai nursing colleagues to investigate the use of complementary therapies in patient care:

(i) Complementary Therapies in Rehabilitation:A Thai Perspective.

(ii) An exploratory pilot study of the health benefits of selected complementary therapies used during the rehabilitation of brain and spinal injury patients in Thailand.

Results of these studies have been submitted to professional journals for publication.

Collaboration

Palliative care, in particular feeding and hydration in terminally ill patients.

Chronic illness

Attitudes of nurses to the older person

Cancer nursing

Complementary Therapies-Relaxation, massage, meditation, visualisation

Wellness and wellbeing for health professionals and the community.

Stroke-Complementary therapies

Fields of Research

Centres and Groups

Centre

• Hunter Medical Research Institute
• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Gender, Health & Ageing

Group

• Hunter Medical Research Institute - Public Health

Memberships

Body relevant to professional practice.

• Member - Palliative Care Special Interest Group
• Member - Complementary Therapies Special Interest Group
• Fellow College of Nursing Australia

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

• Member - Australian Complementary Health Association

Other

• Fellow - RCNA

Awards

Recognition.

Administrative

Administrative expertise

I have broad experience as a program coordinator, course coordinator, Deputy Head of School and Head of School in the tertiary education sector. In each of my positions I have been responsible for academic policy development and implementation, management of large enrolments in undergraduate and post-graduate programs, monitoring of student progress, and marketing of nursing programs for the community. For example in 2004 I was Undergraduate Convenor of the Bachelor of Nursing and in 2005 Postgraduate Convenor. Both of these positions involved curriculum development, review of teaching and learning practices, working with teaching staff and collaboration with domestic and international partners (John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Heatlh and Hartford, Hong Kong).

In 2008 I was appointed Deputy Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery with responsibility for administrative matters including staffing. In 2010 I was appointed Head of School (Associate Professor level) for the 12-month period in the absence of the designated Head of School. Following the completion of this role as Head of School, I have returned to the position of Deputy Head of School (Admin). In 2011 the University fo Newcastle has seconded me for a position as Student Experience and Engagement Coordinator to work within the School of Nursing and Midwifery and Faculty of Health. This position in 0.5 of my total load and involves the work accross the three campusus (Callaghan, Ourimbah and Port Macquarie).

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Aged Care
• Palliative care
• Teaching and Learning

Teaching expertise

I have over 20 years of teaching experience in tertiary institutions (at five different universities) both in Australian and overseas. I have also had extensive experience in the health care industry and the corporate environment.