Empowering healthcare transformation in Australia
Bringing solutions to real-world health challenges
Professor Ritin Fernandez and Professor Alison Hutton have recently established a new JBI Collaborating Entity, the Centre for Transformative Nursing, Midwifery and Health Research: A JBI Affiliated Group, in Gosford, NSW, Australia.
Ritin has been an active member of the JBI Collaboration (JBIC) for many years and has been a wonderful mentor to many of our JBI Collaborating Entities, particularly in India. Ritin is the recipient of international and national awards for her work in evidence synthesis for clinical practice, and is currently the professor of nursing at The University of Newcastle. Ritin is passionate about evidence synthesis and is leading evidence synthesis projects in heart disease and diabetes with investigators from India and Turkey. Additionally, Ritin has undertaken research around the clinical nursing workforce, and teaching and learning in the clinical setting.
Professor Hutton is the deputy director of the new JBI Affiliated Group. Alison is new to the JBI family and is keen to gain experience in evidence synthesis. Alison is an expert in mass gathering and disaster nursing with over 120 publications.
The new JBI Collaborating Entity will reside within The School of Nursing and Midwifery (SONM) at The University of Newcastle. SONM is recognised for its leadership in teaching, research and clinical practice in nursing and midwifery, both on a national and international scale. Ritin shares that:
a key activity of SONM is providing direction, guidance and developing effective research skills for postgraduate research students, early career researchers and other academic staff. Research is undertaken in collaboration with their Indigenous and local communities, and national and global partners, and is focused on ground-breaking solutions to real-world health challenges.
Alison adds that the new entity will align with the vision of SONM, which is to have excellence in research; develop the next generation of researchers, meet the needs of the local regional, rural and Indigenous communities, and translate those outputs into a national/international perspective, thereby increasing the profile of both the SONM and JBI.
Additionally, the entity will expand the existing body of knowledge by generating evidence for practice across the life continuum from the prenatal stage to healthy aging. The newly established entity is well suited to do this as its members have expertise in chronic conditions, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease; maternal, child, and family health; disaster preparedness; digital technologies; and Indigenous health. It is this expertise and knowledge that will contribute to evidence synthesis in these areas to improve the health and well-being of the Indigenous population. Furthermore, members bring a wealth of experience in disaster planning and addressing youth health at large gatherings, such as concerts, which is unique to this JBIC Entity.
JBI is thrilled to have Ritin, Alison and their team join the JBI Collaboration and we look forward to seeing some amazing work coming from this dynamic and multidisciplinary group.