The University of Queensland

Research Interests

• Healthcare workforce in priority settings
  At present, healthcare delivery relies heavily on acute care services which are challenged to appropriately meet the needs of these populations. Additionally, geographic diversity in Australia means that outside of metropolitan areas acute care services are not readily available. As a result, Australians living in rural and remote areas face unique health challenges and suffer poorer health outcomes compared to people living in metropolitan areas. Importantly, focusing on acute care services to meet the needs of these populations does not reflect the focus of contemporary healthcare policy which emphasises the importance of delivering appropriate and cost-effective care, in appropriate environments at a time when care is needed. There is currently very limited information about the factors associated with the intention of early career healthcare workers to preference employment in primary healthcare, and in particular in non-metropolitan areas. This is an important area to address in order to build a future workforce. Whilst there is evidence to suggest that employment setting preferences are impacted upon by a number of factors, including university program curricula, perspectives projected by academic staff, personal and placement experiences and preconceived ideas of settings; current research has focused on barriers and negative factors associated with practising in these settings. This highlights a much neglected and important area of research. Whilst there is research related to barriers to seeking postgraduate employment in these settings there is a dearth of information related to why healthcare workers do seek employment in these areas.
• Factors that influence early career nurse employment outcomes
  Despite an increase in graduate numbers, anticipated higher employment rates and increased retention of Early Career Nurses (ECN) remains elusive. My PhD study found that success in gaining employment is affected by having English as a second language (ESL). This may be because the English language requirements prior to registration as a nurse may not be aligned with industry requirements. This may lead to a bias against ECNs with ESL gaining employment as RNs in Australia.
• Transition experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse early career nurses
  My research has found that not having English as a first language impacts on securing employment as an RN. This research also found differences for those early career nurses (ECNs) with ESL who secured work compared to those who had English as a first language. ESL ECNs working as Registered Nurses (RNs) reported lower Readiness for Practice (RFP), job satisfaction, Work Environment, Support and Encouragement (WESE) scores, and support mechanisms. This implies that the transition experiences of ECNs with ESL are different from those who have English as a first language. There is currently no theoretical research focused on ECNs with ESL limiting the evidence base for supporting their transition to practice to ensure retention.
• Early career nurse job mobility and development
  My research has identified the factors that impact on early career nurses' (ECNs’) intention to remain in the profession longer than 10 years. There is evidence that job mobility in the ECN population is desired and undertaken for perceived labour market gains. Stress and Work Environment, Support and Encouragement (WESE) scores predicted whether respondents would intend to remain in the profession longer than 10 years. Industry, academia and government should focus on facilitating career progression of ECNs through supporting them past their initial 12 months of employment. This can be done through flexible working contracts, increasing opportunities for high-quality continuing professional development, and flexible career pathways that facilitate the transfer between departments, organisations, and sectors.