Miss Natalie Russell-Hurst

Natalie is an experienced Registered Nurse and Nurse Academic at the School of Nursing and Midwifery. She completed her Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Newcastle, followed by a Graduate Certificate (UNE) and a Master’s Degree in Acute Care Nursing. She is currently pursuing a PhD with a research focus on improving educational delivery within the Simulated Learning Environment (SLE) to enhance student outcomes and nursing education standards.

Natalie has worked as a Professional Experience Facilitator and Nurse Academic since 2018, and she continues to maintain clinical currency, working in hospitals throughout the Hunter region. Her extensive clinical background spans over 10 years, covering specialties such as trauma, orthopaedics, otolaryngology, and cardiothoracic nursing.

As a passionate educator, Natalie integrates her clinical expertise with evidence-based teaching practices, ensuring students not only develop strong clinical skills but also critical thinking and reflective practice. She is particularly dedicated to enhancing the student experience through active learning and fostering independence, with a commitment to continuous improvement in nursing education.

Natalie’s PhD research is centered on co-designing interventions to improve nurse educator preparation for simulation-based learning. By integrating feedback from key stakeholders, her work aims to create effective professional development programs for educators, bridging the gap between clinical expertise and educational delivery. Her goal is to ensure that simulation-based education is both engaging and impactful, ultimately leading to better student learning outcomes and improved patient care.