
Ms Shanna Fealy
Associate Lecturer
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Career Summary
Biography
Shanna has over 10 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse and Midwife. Completing a Bachelor of Nursing Degree at the University of Western Sydney in 2001. Shanna embarked on a career predominately in cardiac nursing working at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney before taking the opportunity to Nurse abroad in various health facilities in the United Kingdom. Shanna began a career in midwifery in 2005 completing a Graduate Diploma in Midwifery through the Port Macquarie Base Hospital and Charles Sturt University. Shanna became interested in a career in nursing and midwifery education upon completion of her Master of Midwifery studies in 2008 at the University of Newcastle. She accepted various casual academic and clinical teaching appointments before becoming a permanent member of the teaching staff in June 2014.
Throughout this time Shanna has maintained clinical currency as a registered midwife/nurse at the Port Macquarie Base Hospital. Shanna has been involved with the Bachelor of Midwifery program at University of Newcastle Port Macquarie Campus as a lecturer since June 2013. Shanna was actively involved in the development of a new Bachelor of Midwifery curriculum that was accredited in December 2015 and is now actively developing course content for this program.
Shanna is an early career researcher and current PhD candidate with the University of Newcastle. Shanna’s research interests surround improving maternal and infant health. She is currently investigating antenatal weighing and gestational weight gain through her PhD work. As a member of the School of Medicine and Public Health and Hunter Medical Research Institute HMRI, Shanna has been able to establish research networks to progress research in the Mid North Coast Local Health District. Shanna is also involved with research teams currently researching, writing articles and grants for various research projects in the areas of maternal nutrition, perinatal mental health, teaching and learning innovations and translational research.
Shanna's main research interest and Phd focus is investigating antenatal weighing and gestational weight gain. Excessive gestational weight gain is independently associated with both short and long term adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. Weighing pregnant women during antenatal care episodes as an intervention to reduce excessive gestational weight gain particularly in the management of obese pregnant women is currently being recommended however the evidence base for this intervention has not been established. A systematic review and meta -analysis has been undertaken to determine the evidence base for weighing as a stand-alone intervention to reduce excessive gestational weight gain and is being currently being reviewed for publication.
Shanna is additionally a co chief investigator on a midwifery research project that has established a postnatal maternity outpatient clinic at the Port Macquarie Base Hospital. This was made possible by being awarded a
$15 000 Mid North Coast Local Health District Quality and Innovation Grant in 2015.
She is also the Chief Investigator of a postnatal psychosocial education smart phone application project that has attracted 17 000 in grant funding.
Qualifications
- Master of Midwifery Studies, University of Newcastle
Keywords
- Midwifery
- Nursing
- Phd Candidate
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
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111006 | Midwifery | 60 |
111799 | Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified | 40 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Associate Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Nursing and Midwifery Australia |
Academic appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
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1/12/2004 - | Clinical Midwifery Specialist | Mid North Coast Local Health District Port Macquarie Base Hospital Australia |
Awards
Award
Year | Award |
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2014 |
Teaching & Learning Staff Excellence Award Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (6 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
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2019 |
Fealy S, Chan S, Wynne O, Dowse E, Ebert L, Ho Chun Man R, et al., 'The Support for New Mums Project: A protocol for a Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial designed to test a Postnatal Psychoeducation Smartphone Application.', J Adv Nurs, (2019)
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2018 |
Wilson AJ, Fealy S, Barnett M, 'Barriers and enablers for smoking cessation amongst pregnant women: An Umbrella Review', Women and Birth, (2018)
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2017 |
Fealy SM, Taylor RM, Foureur M, Attia J, Ebert L, Bisquera A, Hure AJ, 'Weighing as a stand-alone intervention does not reduce excessive gestational weight gain compared to routine antenatal care: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials', BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH, 17 (2017) [C1]
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2017 |
Taylor RM, Fealy SM, Bisquera A, Smith R, Collins CE, Evans T-J, Hure AJ, 'Effects of Nutritional Interventions during Pregnancy on Infant and Child Cognitive Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.', Nutrients, 9 (2017) [C1]
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2014 |
Fealy S, Hure A, Browne G, Prince C, 'Developing a clinical care pathway for obese pregnant women: A quality improvement project', Women and Birth, 27 e67-e71 (2014) [C1] © 2014 Published by Elsevier Australia. Problem: Obesity in pregnancy is associated with an increased incidence of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality, from conditions lik... [more] © 2014 Published by Elsevier Australia. Problem: Obesity in pregnancy is associated with an increased incidence of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality, from conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth and stillbirth. Between 20% and 25% of pregnant women in Australia are presenting to their first antenatal appointment with a body mass index (BMI) =30kg/m2, defined as obesity in pregnancy. These figures are concerning for midwifery and obstetric staff directly involved in the clinical care of these women and their families. In the absence of national or state clinical practice guidelines for managing the risks for obese pregnant women, a local quality improvement project was conducted. Aim: To plan, implement, and evaluate the impact of an alternative clinical care pathway for pregnant women with a BMI=35kg/m2 at their first antenatal visit. Project setting: The project was undertaken in the antenatal clinic of a rural referral hospital in NSW, Australia. Subjects: Eighty-two women with a BMI=35kg/m2 were eligible for the alternative care pathway, offered between January and December 2010. Intervention: The alternative care pathway included the following options, in addition to usual care: written information on obesity in pregnancy, referral to a dietitian, early plus repeat screening for gestational diabetes, liver and renal function pathology tests, serial self-weighing, serial foetal growth ultrasounds, and a pre-labour anaesthetic consultation. Findings: Despite being educated on the risk associated with obesity in pregnancy, women did not take up the offers of dietetic support or self-weighing at each antenatal visit. Ultrasounds were well received and most women underwent gestational diabetes screening.
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2014 |
Hure A, Gresham E, Lai J, Anderson A, Martin J, Fealy S, Blumfield M, 'Nutrition in pregnancy: The balancing act', International Journal of Birth and Parent Education, 1 7-12 (2014) [C2]
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Show 3 more journal articles |
Conference (3 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2017 |
Fealy S, Jones D, Ebert L, Dowse EM, Wynne O, Chan W, '¿Supporting new Mums¿ ¿ Developing a postnatal psycho-educational smartphone application for first time mothers', ¿Supporting new Mums¿ ¿ Developing a postnatal psycho-educational smartphone application for first time mothers, Adelaide, South Australia (2017)
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2017 |
Tierney O, Fealy SM, 'Postnatal Maternity Outpatient Clinic: An innovation in postnatal care', Postnatal Maternity Outpatient Clinic: An innovation in postnatal care, Adelaide, SOuth Australia (2017)
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2016 |
Fealy S, Jones D, Ebert L, Dowse E, Wynne O, Zhang M, Chan S, 'Developing a ¿Postnatal Psychoeducational¿ smartphone application for first time mothers', Developing a ¿Postnatal Psychoeducational¿ smartphone application for first time mothers, HMRI (2016)
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Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 3 |
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Total funding | $52,697 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20172 grants / $37,697
Supporting postnatal first-time mothers – An RCT of a new mobile$20,000
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute |
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Project Team | Professor Sally Chan, Doctor Lyn Ebert, Mr Donovan Jones, Doctor Eileen Dowse, Ms Shanna Fealy |
Scheme | Project Grant |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | G1700189 |
Type Of Funding | C3120 - Aust Philanthropy |
Category | 3120 |
UON | Y |
An app-based postnatal psychoeducational program for first-time mothers – A randomized controlled trial$17,697
Funding body: Mid North Coast Local Health District
Funding body | Mid North Coast Local Health District |
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Project Team | Ms Shanna Fealy, Professor Sally Chan, Doctor Eileen Dowse, Mr Donovan Jones, Doctor Olivia Wynne |
Scheme | Research Support Grant Program |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2017 |
Funding Finish | 2017 |
GNo | G1600633 |
Type Of Funding | C2220 - Aust StateTerritoryLocal - Other |
Category | 2220 |
UON | Y |
20151 grants / $15,000
Research Quality & Improvement Grant$15,000
Funding body: Mid North Coast Local Heralth District
Funding body | Mid North Coast Local Heralth District |
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Scheme | Mid North Coast Local Health District |
Role | Investigator |
Funding Start | 2015 |
Funding Finish | 2016 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Other Public Sector - Local |
Category | 2OPL |
UON | N |
Ms Shanna Fealy
Position
Associate Lecturer
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Faculty of Health and Medicine
Contact Details
shanna.fealy@newcastle.edu.au |