This special event will celebrate International Nurses Day by showcasing how nurse-led research is contributing to the economic power of care. Three nurse researchers will discuss their important work, demonstrating how investment in nursing can bring considerable economic benefits to care and improved patient outcomes.
Prof Krishnasamy is the program champion for the VCCC Alliance Nurse-led Research Program and believes that the development of cancer nursing research capability has the potential to enhance patient care, health outcomes and health services. She provides strategic direction and coordinates development of nurse-led research opportunity and implementation-of-evidence to address recognised knowledge and practice gaps across the alliance's seven clinical partners.
A key element of building capability is centred around the Nurse-led Research Hub. The hub aims to improve research literacy, overcome barriers, provide resources, and facilitate networks for education and support opportunities. Prof Krishnasamy leads a program of supportive care research that focuses on improving access to and coordination of care for adults with cancer, addressing the impact of social determinants of health on patient outcomes, and development and evaluation of nurse-led interventions. Her research is informed by embedded consumer engagement and encompasses the breadth of patient care from diagnosis to treatment and follow-up.
Kerrie Curtis is an expert cancer nurse specialising in vascular access and has worked in a diverse range of roles including clinical, education, research and project management. Currently Kerrie works clinically at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and at the Olivia Newton John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre. Her PhD is a multisite cohort study investigating all central venous access device (CVAD) complications and removal in patients with haematological malignancies across four hospitals in Melbourne, Australia.
Kerrie is the Chair of the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA) Vascular Access Device (VAD) Specialist Practice Network, the Victorian Chapter Lead for the Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research (AVATAR) and foundational member of the Australian Vascular Access Society. She is the first author of the CNSA VAD clinical practice guidelines, the eviQ and eviQ Education suite of CVAD resources including procedures, algorithms, patient education and videos.
Liz is a specialist cancer nurse with over ten years’ experience in surgical oncology, operating suite, and anaesthetics nursing. She is an emerging health services researcher with a passion for health outcomes research, equity in cancer care and digital health equity. Liz will be presenting on a current study examining missed nursing care, or care left undone or unfinished. This two-phase study is exploring factors that influence missed nursing care and the impact it has on quality and safety of care, healthcare costs, patient and nurse experiences, and nursing workforce retention.
Alison completed her Postgraduate Critical Care studies for her ICU training at RPA Hospital, Sydney in 2005 and then later completed the Graduate Certificate in Cancer Nursing through Peter Mac and University of Melbourne. She was awarded an Australian Legion of Ex-Servicemen and Women scholarship by the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre to complete her Master of Advanced Nursing Practice. Her PhD focus investigates the role of nurses and nursing leadership in the early recognition and management of sepsis across high and low-resourced clinical settings. It also explores how clinical team dynamics, cultural and linguistic diversity amongst staff, and psychological safety in organisational culture impacts on how nurses communicate concern and escalate care in response to patient deterioration.
