Welcome to the latest Sydney Nursing School Newsletter. We are pleased to share valuable updates, highlights and news about staff achievements and contributions. This edition highlights the momentum in research, education and engagement across our School community and our commitment to inclusive, person-centred care, which was at the forefront of recent lectures and visits. We hope you enjoy this edition and it leaves you feeling connected to the broader work of our School community.

Congratulations to Dr Rebecca Raeside and Dr Sisi Jia, who have officially been awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy! Both Rebecca and Sisi are now Research Fellows (Level B) in Sydney Nursing School.  

As president of the Hunter African Communities Council (HACC), Dr Agness Tembo recently delivered a compelling presentation on the importance and vision of HACC at a special African Community Leaders' Workshop held in the Hunter region. The workshop brought together leaders from a wide range of African communities to engage in a collaborative needs assessment, aiming to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing African migrants in the region. This initiative was undertaken in partnership with HACC, reinforcing the organisation’s ongoing commitment to community-led development.The session highlighted key areas of concern including employment, youth empowerment, health access, education, and cultural representation. It also marked the beginning of a renewed effort to build stronger networks among African community organisations, government agencies, and service providers. The Hunter African Communities Council continues to play a pivotal role in championing collaboration, inclusion, and empowerment, and this workshop was another important step in shaping a brighter future for African Australians in the region.

The workshop explored how digital technologies are reshaping everyday practices and discourses around food, nutrition, and health, ranging from online shopping to digital food activism. While many of these practices occur in private spaces like the home, digitalisation increasingly makes them visible and interconnected through commercial platforms. Despite their apparent mundanity, these socio-digital food practices are rapidly evolving and warrant deeper scholarly attention. The concept of digital foodscapes framed the workshop’s aim to map current knowledge and develop a research agenda to better understand how digitalisation is influencing food-related behaviours and spaces. As a result, a series of grant applications, a position statement, and a webinar series are now underway.

Professor Kate Curtis and team recently visited Victoria and South Australia to enable over 250 nurses to attend a series of HIRAID® Instructor courses. Nurses came from over 65 metropolitan, rural and regional emergency departments and urgent care centres to learn how to implement the validated assessment and management framework. The new HIRAID® instructors can now go on to train the thousands of emergency nurses within their departments and health networks. Keep up to date with HIRAID® by joining the HIRAID ® Community of Practice

Hannah Dean, Catherine Stanford and Dr Giti Haddadan Guia (BHUDRH academics) presented at the Agency for Clinical Innovation’s Rural Innovations Changing Healthcare (RICH) virtual forum. They shared their work on rural healthcare models and community-driven research. The trio did a fantastic job representing not only BHUDRH and our research, but also SNS and the broader Far West community we serve.

A stakeholder round table was held at our Northwest campus in Bourke earlier this month to discuss student nursing placements across the Northwest. The meeting brought together local host sites, university partners and community voices, with everyone recognising the value students bring to rural health services. There was a strong shared commitment to ensuring placements are meaningful and immersive for both students and communities.

We were honoured to host Professors Mayuko Tsujimura and Namiko Kawamura from Japan’s Shiga University of Medical Science. Alongside Monash University’s School of Rural Health, we showcased our rural and remote nursing and student support pathways. The visit was a valuable opportunity to share experiences and strengthen international ties in rural health as global health.

If SNS colleagues want to follow along and see what your rural counterparts get up to, our social media is: https://www.instagram.com/brokenhilludrh/

Professor Tamara Power has collaborated with Education Innovation to develop a workshop for colleagues to develop their own Teaching Philosophy Statements. This is an opportunity for educators to articulate their personal beliefs and values about teaching and learning; identify and describe effective teaching methods that align with their educational goals; incorporate strategies for assessing student learning and evaluating teaching effectiveness; and draft a coherent and reflective teaching philosophy statement.

If interested, please block your calendar for 8.30-12.30, 10 June 2025. Attendance will be restricted to 20 attendees. An invitation will be circulated soon.

Shannon Philp recently attended the ASCCP Scientific Conference as an invited speaker in the first ever Nurse Colposcopists Session. Shannon presented her research Exploring Women's Experiences with Colposcopy: The Crucial Role of Nurse Practitioners. As one of only 2 nurse colposcopists in NSW, Shannon was invited to share her expertise and experience in relation to the conference theme of 'Innovate to Eliminate'.

We’re excited to share that Dr Horas Wong is co-chairing the Social, Political and Cultural Aspects Theme Committee for the upcoming Australasian Sexual & Reproductive Health (ASRH) Conference. The conference welcomes abstracts across biomedical, epidemiological, and social research related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Horas is teaming up with Emma Knowland, Nurse Practitioner and President of the Australasian Sexual Health and HIV Nurses Association, with a shared goal of amplifying nursing voices and research within the SRHR space. If your work explores sexual health, reproductive rights, or intersects with gender, culture, or care practices, especially from a nursing perspective, we strongly encourage you to submit an abstract. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase your research and contribute to shaping the future of inclusive, evidence-based care.

📝 Abstract submissions close 4 May https://www.hivsrh.conference.org.au/

It is with great pleasure that we share colleagues’ success in the recent University Education Focused Academics’ Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grant round. Two projects were funded for Sydney Nursing School to a combined amount of $30,000. 

Professor Tamara Power with colleagues Elizabeth Leonard, Louise Sheehy, Belinda Clough, Michelle Maw, Professor Jacqueline Bloomfield and Associate Professor Murray Fisher will be undertaking a project called: The ethical use of artificial intelligence in nursing education: Co-designing assessment principles with students. 

A second project is being led by Elizabeth Leonard with colleagues Professor Tamara Power and Kylie Lovato: Exploring the experience and support needs of postgraduate international nurses.

We’re proud to announce that two members of the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery have achieved recognition on the High Ranked Scholars 2024 list—earning the #1 and #2 positions in the Clinical Nurse Specialist category!

Professor Debra Jackson AO and Professor Brendan McCormack were ranked first and second respectively. This prestigious distinction honours researchers whose work stands out not only for the volume of scholarly output, but also for its lasting influence and academic excellence. The rankings are powered by ScholarGPS™, a system that analyses over 200 million scholarly publications and creates detailed profiles for millions of scholars. Researchers are evaluated across 350,000 specialties and 14 broad academic fields based on factors such as productivity, citation impact, and h-index, while accounting for author contribution and removing self-citations.

Being named among the top 0.05% of scholars worldwide is a rare and exceptional achievement—and having two of our own at the very top is something truly worth celebrating! 

Congratulations Debra and Brendan on this great accomplishment!
Highly Ranked Scholars | Clinical nurse specialist | ScholarGPS

Associate Professor Stephanie Partridge interviewed for ABC Lifestyle - Can you take fresh produce back to the supermarket if it's poor quality?

Associate Professor Stephanie Partridge interviewed for SBS Food - Are ultra-processed foods really that bad for you?

Dr Sisi Jia, Associate Professor Stephanie Partridge, Dr Rebecca Raeside, Allyson Todd, Noa Blair, Jack Ko (2025 Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics placement students) wrote a blog for Croakey Media - New Uber Eats feature risks fuelling unhealthy eating habits among young Australians

It was my pleasure to host the Sydney Nursing School Annual Distinguished Nursing Lecture in the Susan Wakil Health Building on 2 April 2025. This year’s lecture was particularly significant as it marked the launch of our new Curriculum Theory, The Integrated Indigenous and Person-centred Practice Theory (IIPCT) and the associated Curriculum, The Integrated Indigenous and Person-centred Curriculum Framework (IIPCCF). Our distinguished lecturer, Nadine Gray, a Māori woman, Elder, and Chief Nurse of Health for New Zealand embodies the qualities we aim to grow in future nurses who graduate from Sydney Nursing School. Nadine is truly a global leader and so having a large number of our existing students attend the lecture and engage so positively with her was a real joy and exemplified our commitment to an excellent student experience, which is a key part of the school’s strategic action plan. In their questions to Nadine and their post-lecture reflections, the students highlighted the importance of being educated as global citizens and becoming global leaders – our core mission as a school. 

Nadine illustrated so beautifully what the philosopher Kirkegard understands by the importance of ‘helping’, “to help is not to dominate but to serve, to help is not to be the most dominating but the most patient, to help is a willingness for the time being to put up with being in the wrong and not understanding what the other understands.” I encourage you to watch the recording of Nadine’s lecture and colleagues’ post-lecture reflections linked below.

Professor Brendan McCormack
Head of School and Dean, Sydney Nursing School

We were delighted to recently welcome Professor Calvin Moorely RN, PhD, Churchill Fellow, from London South Bank University to Sydney Nursing School. Visiting as part of his Churchill Fellowship, which focuses on addressing anti-racism in nursing to improve the experiences of racially minoritised nurses, Professor Moorely’s visit offered a valuable opportunity for both students and staff to engage with his innovative work on the intersection of gender, race, culture, and health which he examines through a social justice lens. During his time with us, Professor Moorely delivered a seminar and lecture to first-year nursing students and met with faculty members to strengthen existing partnerships and explore new collaborative opportunities. 

Baldwin, A., Hungerford, C., Jackson, D. & Cleary, M. (2025). Respectful Rebels: Counteracting Groupthink to Foster Innovation in Nursing Academia. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2025.2476171

Bond, C., Watson, A. and Jackson, D. (2025), Addressing Potential Researcher Distress in Nurse-Led Research: Ethical Considerations and Practical Strategies. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 81: 2159-2164. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16799

Dunsmore, M. E., Jeon, Y. H., Sheehy, L., Mari, E., Lee, C. Y., Jeong, Y. S. S., & Watson, K. (2025). Reimagining Nursing Identity in Aged Care: Addressing the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing Key Action Areas. Journal of Clinical Nursing.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/BYZJ4PXSR9EGH8B3VCT5?target=10.1111/jocn.17745

Jackson D.  (2025). Reflections on Death and Dying: The Artistry of Nursing at Life's End. Journal of Advanced Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16753

Jackson, D. & Hayter, M. (2025). Recognising and responding to loneliness in older people, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing.34. e13420  https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13420

Jackson, D. (2025). Why Writing Matters in Nursing: Reflections on the Connections Between Nursing and Writing, Journal of Advanced Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16921

Jackson, D., Le Lagadec, D. and Cleary, M. (2025), Hypoactive Delirium: The Critical Need for Collaboration Between Families and Nurses in Prevention, Recognition and Care. Journal of Advanced Nursing 81:2834-2836. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16778

Jia S, Bennett R, Gupta A. The emergence of meal delivery applications: a research agenda to advance the next decade of progress in nutrition. 2025. In Press. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-025-01597-y

Jia SS, Owen KB, Phongsavan P, Allman-Farinelli M, Gibson AA, Partridge SR. Assessing socioeconomic disparities in emerging hybrid food environments: a cross-sectional analysis of the DIGIFOOD dashboard. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101504

Jones R, Jackson D, Rice K, Usher K, Davies R, Toole-Anstey C, Chhabra J, Smith J, Morley L, Russ E, Statham D, Sharma A. (2025). Sexual Violence and Assault in Rural Australia: A Scoping Review of Regional, Rural, and Remote Contexts. Trauma Violence & Abuse:15248380251320988. doi.10.1177/15248380251320988 Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40071838.

Jones, R., Ranse, J., Rice, K., Usher, K., Jackson, D., Sutton, C., Kabir, H., Gayed, A., Wong, H., Clegg, L. and Arena, A. (2025), Rural Contexts: Digital Interventions and Strategies for First Responders' Mental Health. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 34: e70046.  https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.70046

Mackay, J., Clapham, K., Molloy, L., Smith, K., & Best, O. (2025). Bridging historical understanding with culturally safe nursing and midwifery care for indigenous people: a scoping review’s telling gap in literature. Contemporary Nurse, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2025.2469564

Mellifont, D., Villeneuve, M., Nila, F., Crawford, T., Subramaniam, P. & Yen, I. (2025). Holistic Policy Responses for Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction: A Rapid Review. Journal of Public Policy and Service Analysis (Jurnal Analisis Kebijakan dan Pelayanan Publik), Volume 11, No 1. https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/jakpp/article/view/41945

Needham C, Partridge SR, Alston L, Rawstorn JC, Livingstone KM. Co-designing interventions to improve diets in rural communities: a narrative review. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2025: 1-7. doi:10.1017/S0029665125000060

Priddle, T., Crawford, T., Wong, H., & Power, T. (2025). The visibility of LGBTQ+ content in undergraduate nursing curricula: A qualitative analysis of student, early career nurse and educator perspectives. Nurse Education Today, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106605

Raeside R. Advancing adolescent health promotion in the digital era. Health Promotion International - Mike Daube Early Career Advocacy Series. 2025; 40 (2): daae172. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daae172

🎉 The Alumni Festival has evolved into the USYD Community Festival! 
Happening on Saturday 8 November, this refreshed event brings a broader, more inclusive focus, offering a great opportunity to connect, engage, and showcase the fantastic work happening across FMH. We’re now calling for Expressions of Interest (open until 21 May) – whether you have a standout speaker, an exciting topic, or an interactive research display, we’d love to hear from you!See here for more information.

Are you looking to make an impact in Gerontological Nursing? Tap into your potential and consider the following: The Aus-Hartford Consortium of Gerontological Nursing Excellence is calling for an EOI from Member Schools for one Early Career Director.

Please forward your EOI and CV to the Aus-Hartford Secretary Associate Professor Susan Slatyer by Friday 30 May, 2025. Email: Susan.Slatyer@murdoch.edu.au

9:30am Ceremony Guest speaker – Jacqui Cross PSM, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, NSW
12:00pm Ceremony Guest speaker – Professor Pandora Patterson, CEO, Community First Step

Guest speakers will deliver their addresses towards the end of each ceremony. If you would like to tune in to hear their inspiring messages, you can watch the livestream: The University of Sydney 2024 Graduations Ceremonies

I was delighted to welcome so many colleagues, friends and partners to our 2025 Distinguished Nursing Lecture.  It is rare to find such a great photo opportunity to capture four of the great Australian Nursing leaders in one photograph – Professor Donna Waters, Professor Jill White AM, Adjunct Professor Anna Thornton, and Jacqui Cross PSM. What a line up!

Can you think of a suitable caption for this photograph? Donna, Jill, Anna, and Jacqui are keen to read your suggestions. Please email your suggestions to brendan.mccormack@sydney.edu.au