2015 RRCBP GRADUATES
NATALIE EDMISTON, NNSWLHD
Cohort study of predictors of unplanned hospital admissions among Regional People with HIV in NSW from 2012-2016; the impact of multimorbidityNatalie Edmiston is a staff specialist in sexual health medicine with North Coast Public Health. As a 2015 RRCBP cohort candidate she was able to complete a prospective cohort study of multimorbidity outcomes among People with HIV attending a regional sexual health service and continues to conduct research in this field. |
SHIBU JOHN, MNCLHD
Decision Making Capacity Assessment for Confused Patients in a Regional HospitalShibu John is a social worker with over 15 years of experience, who has been working at Coffs Harbour Health Campus for the last seven years. The idea for this research project came from an interest to protect the autonomy and safety of vulnerable confused hospitalised older patients; and to promote patient focused care in rural and regional health. |
MELANIE MALPASS, HNELHD
Advance Care Planning after Stroke: An interventional pilot study exploring the delivery of advanced care planning to stroke survivorsMelanie Malpass is a Speech Pathologist working for Hunter New England Health with the Aged Care and Rehabilitation Service in Taree. For the past 7 years she has provided speech pathology service to adults in sub-acute and community settings. Melanie completed a Master of Health Science (Stroke Specialisation) in 2013 and has strong interest in improving the provision of effective, client centred healthcare for patients with stroke. |
NICOLE RASCHKE, MNCLHD
The Perceived Research Capacity and Culture within Non-Metropolitan Local Health Districts in NSWNicole Raschke is the Research Operations Manager for the Mid North Coast Local Health District where she supports and facilitates staff to develop and conduct locally relevant research. Nicole has worked across a wide range of health fields and professions in Australia and overseas from laboratory science, IT, oncology and finally research operations. Her passion for knowledge has seen her complete a Bachelor of Applied Science, Graduate Certificate Health Management, Graduate Diploma Computing, Masters Clinical Trials Practice and is currently a PhD candidate extending her HETI RRCBP project further exploring The Enablers of Research in NSW LHDs. |
THEA RITCHIE, FWLHD
How the experiences of the Broken Hill Midwifery Group Practice Midwives can inform remote midwife-led models of care: An Appreciative Inquiry studyThea is a Registered Midwife with a Master’s degree in Midwifery, who filled the Project Officer role to establish a Midwifery Group Practice at Broken Hill which commenced in 2015. Thea has been responsible for evaluating the MGP model of care and sharing the outcomes with other rural health services. Thea hopes to use her research skills to continue improving rural maternity services, something she feel absolutely passionate about. |
CAROLINE SHORT, HNELHD
Experiences of informal caregivers in managing the care and the death in the rural palliative care home settingCaroline Short is a Clinical Nurse Consultant who has worked in specialist palliative care for 23 years, leading and developing the service. While completing a Master’s Degree in Public Health Caroline developed a deep interest in Health Promoting Palliative Care and Compassionate Communities philosophies. Belief in these philosophies as essential frameworks for practice has led to their application to everyday practice. Essentially this approach involves a team partnership with the community in thinking creatively to apply these philosophies, which lead to formalised research to investigate the lived experience of caregivers in the palliative care home setting in rural New South Wales. |
PETER SIRR, MLHD
Factors Associated with Fear of Falling in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Regional NSWPeter is a Titled Gerontological Physiotherapist. He has worked clinically in hospital, community and residential care settings over the last 10 years in both public and private settings. Peter has a passion for working with older people, striving to improve the life of older Australian’s through a proactive evidence-based approach to physiotherapy service. Peter combines his clinical role at Mercy Health, with employment at Charles Sturt University, assisting in programs that develop gerontology knowledge and skills for health professionals. |
NICOLE WESTON, WNSWLHD
Achieving an empty rectum for prostate radiotherapy. A randomised controlled trial comparing two laxation regimens for patients receiving radiotherapy to the prostate in rural Australia.Niki Weston is an Accredited Practising Dietitian currently working at the Central West Cancer Care Centre in Orange NSW. She has been working in the area of oncology and palliative care for the last 12 years and has an interest in research and student education. |
RICHARD WILLIAMS, WNSWLHD
Pain Management in Patient TransportRich graduated in the late eighties from the old apprentice training system at Lithgow hospital. He has been nursing for thirty years now and was the first CNS for the Acute Pain Service at Gosford Hospital. Over the past 17 years Rich has been enjoying the one on one patient contact and travelling around each day in his role with patient transport. In his spare time, he likes helping people find their unclaimed money. |
ANDREW WONG, MNCLHD
Does pre-operative Oxford Knee Score (OKS) predict patient reported success six months after total knee arthroplasty?Andrew Wong is a physiotherapist working at Coffs Harbour Health Campus in the Mid North Coast Local Health District. He is employed as the Orthopaedic Care Coordinator to facilitate patients on the waiting list for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Surgery. He is passionate about improving patient outcomes following total hip and knee replacement surgeries. |
