The Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research-Barwon Health Partnership was established in 2007 and is uniquely positioned to tackle some of the most salient and complex challenges related to quality and patient safety issues in healthcare. Our focus areas are:

  • Patient experience,
  • Patient safety
  • Health workforce

Our researchers have expertise in evaluation, generating knowledge for evidence, supporting knowledge translation efforts, and utilising a range of research methods.

Recent Research Highlights

  • In December 2023, Prof Alison Hutchinson was appointed as an Adjunct Professor in Nursing, University of Southern Denmark.
  • Members of the centre are investigators on successful grant applications to the value of approximately $6 million in funding.
  • In May 2024, we welcomed Dr Jen Whan-Cooper to our team.

Research Areas

Recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives is one of the highest priorities for health services. Registered Undergraduate Students of Nursing and/or Midwifery (RUSON / RUSOM) are employed to undertake nursing or midwifery activities, delegated and supervised by a registered nurse or midwife. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of RUSON and RUSOM has grown substantially. RUSONs and RUSOMs represent the future health workforce; however, we have little understanding about their needs for support.

Projects include:

Nurturing Registered Undergraduate Students of Nursing and Midwifery to Optimise Their Experience in Practice Settings

The overall purpose of this research is to inform development of support systems and resources to optimise the experience of RUSON and RUSOM at Barwon Health, to help them transition and assimilate into the workforce, the health care environment, and their roles at Barwon Health. It is anticipated that providing a positive experience will promote the recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives following graduation.

The population for this study includes approximately 82 RUSON and RUSOM employed at Barwon Health during 2022/2023. All RUSON and RUSOM employed at Barwon Health have been invited by email to participate in the study via completion of a survey, and/or participation in an interview and/or co-design workshop. Recruitment of participants started in August 2023. This research is funded by the Victorian Nurses and Midwives Trust. Data collection and analysis is now complete, and publications are in preparation.

For further information please contact: barwonhealth-qps@deakin.edu.au

 

Improving workforce capability and capacity in communicating with people living with dementia (PLWD) using an artificially intelligent (AI) avatar, “Talk with Ted”

Most people living with dementia experience difficulties in communicating their needs, which ultimately impacts the quality of their relationships, health and well-being. Over 400,000 Australians live with dementia, which is projected to increase to 800,000 by 2058.

This project aims to contribute to the aged-care sector’s workforce capability and capacity by implementing evidence-based learning, via an avatar, that leads to scalable and translatable solutions and improvements in service delivery, promotes the adoption of technology, and ultimately leads to an improvement in the quality of care experienced by those living with dementia. This research is funded by Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA). Data collection will conclude by the end of August 2024.

 

Equipping Australia to Implement Trauma and Violence Informed Care to enhance Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander healthcare experiences: EquipAus

Many Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders who finally accept needing care from institutional organisations will present there but leave before receiving care, often citing racism and discrimination or poor treatment as rationales for leaving.

This 18-month quasi-experimental study project aims to enhance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences of healthcare by adapting, implementing and evaluating a Canadian Trauma and Violence Informed Care educational intervention in the Emergency Department at Barwon Health using an Integrated Knowledge Translation approach.

Loneliness and social isolation are significant challenges for those living in residential aged care and the COVID-19 pandemic has made this even more challenging. Reminiscing and story sharing activities have been shown to positively impact those living with mild dementia.

Projects include:

Virtual reality experiences for residential aged care residents with mild dementia 

This project will implement and evaluate innovative virtual reality (VR) experiences for residential aged care residents living with mild dementia. The VR experiences have been designed specifically for older people and provide the ability to go on a wide variety of virtual tours to places that may not be otherwise possible, e.g. a trip to the Eiffel tower. The experiences can also be undertaken together in groups with others, enabling social interaction. This research is funded by Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA). Data collection and analysis for this study is now complete and publication preparation is in progress.

Collaborating Organisations

Deakin University National Ageing Research Institute Dementia Australia
SilVR Adventures

Research Team

Deakin Distinguished Professor Alison Hutchinson, Chair in Nursing, Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research – Barwon Health Partnership; Adjunct Professor in Nursing, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark; Honorary Fellow, National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia

Dr Susan Perlen, Research Fellow

Dr Renee Fiolet, Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Knowledge Translation; Honorary Fellow, Department of General Practice and Primary Care, MDHS, University of Melbourne

Dr Vanessa Watkins, Research Fellow

Dr Jen Whan-Cooper, Research Associate

 

Featured Publications

  • McMullen, N., Fiolet, R., Redley, B., & Hutchinson, A.M. (2024). A beautiful Bush Space on Country: Indigenous women’s perspectives on the cultural significance of a placenta garden.  Women and Birth. Accepted for publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2024.101630
  • Fiolet, R., Brown, C., McKay, D., Marsden, S., Leins, K., & Harris, B. (2023). Perpetrator perceptions on the emotions and motivations driving technology-facilitated abuse in relationships: a story completion study. Journal of interpersonal violence, 38(23-24), 11999-12024.
  • Hutchinson, A.M., Chalmers, C., Nankervis, K., Phillips, N.M. (2022). Managing academic- health service partnerships, in Graham, I.D., Rycroft-Malone, J., Kothrai, A., McCutcheon, C. (Eds.), Research Co-Production in Healthcare, (pp. 155-166). Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781119757269.  ch9.
  • Bloomer, M.J., Poon, P., Runacres, F., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022) Facilitating family needs and support at the end of life in hospital: A descriptive study. Palliative Medicine, Mar;36(3):549-554. doi: 10.1177/02692163211066431.
  • Bucknall, T.K., Considine, J., Harvey, G., Graham, I.D., Rycroft- Malone, J., Mitchell, I., Saultry, B., Watts, J.J., Mohebbi, M., Bohingamu Mudiyanselage, S., Lotfaliany, M., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022). Prioritising Responses Of Nurses To deteriorating patient Observations (PRONTO): a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a facilitation intervention on recognition and response to clinical deterioration. BMJ Quality and Safety, Apr 21;31(11):818–30. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2021-013785.
  • Schoch, M., Bennett, P.N., Currey, J., Smith, V., Orellana, L., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022). Point-of-care ultrasound-guided cannulation versus standard cannulation in hemodialysis vascular access: A controlled random order crossover pilot feasibility study. Journal of Vascular Access, Jan 27:11297298211069821. doi: 10.1177/11297298211069821.Epub ahead of print.
  • Squires, J.E., Hutchinson, A.M., Coughlin, M., Bashir, K., Curran, J., Grimshaw, J.M., Dorrance, K., Aloisio, L., Brehaut, J., Francis, J.J., Ivers, N., Lavis, J., Michie, S., Hillmer, M., Noseworthy, T., Vine, J., Graham, I.D. (2022). Stakeholder Perspectives of Attributes and Features of Context Relevant to Knowledge Translation in Health Settings: A Multi-Country Analysis. International Journal of Health Policy Management. 2021 May 1, 11(8):1373–90. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.32.
  • Watkins, V., Nagle, C., Kent, B., Street, M., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022). Labouring Together: Women’s experiences of “Getting the care that I want and need” in maternity care. Midwifery, Oct, 113:103420. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103420.
  • Williams, R., Ockerby, C., Redley, B., Rawson, H., Hutchinson, A.M. (2022). Enablers and barriers to engaging in dementia-specific education: A cross-sectional survey. Collegian, 29(5): 581-589. doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2022.01.007.
  • Fiolet, R., Tarzia, L., Owen, R., Eccles, C., McGough, K., Owen, M., Fry, S., Knox, J., & Hegarty. K. (2021). Indigenous perspectives on help-seeking for family violence: voices from an Australian community. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519883861
  • Fiolet R, Tarzia L, Hameed M, Hegarty K. (2021). Indigenous Peoples’ Help-Seeking Behaviors for Family Violence: A Scoping Review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(2):370-380. doi:10.1177/1524838019852638
  • Chamberlain, C., O’Mara-Eves, A., Porter, J., Coleman, T., Perlen, S. M., Thomas, J., & McKenzie, J. E. (2017). Psychosocial interventions for supporting women to stop smoking in pregnancy. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2(2), CD001055. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001055.pub5
  • Watkins VJ, Wong Shee A, Field M, Alston L, Hills D, Albrecht SL, Ockerby C, and Hutchinson AM (2024) Rural healthcare workforce preparation, response and work during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: Lessons learned from in-depth interviews with rural health service leaders. Health Policy, Volume 145, July 2024, 105085 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105085

Support Our Research

Participate in a Clinical Trial

To find out about clinical trials currently underway at Barwon Health, click here.

Donate

Research requires ongoing investment and there are several ways to support this amazing work.

You can make a donation today and contribute to an item on our research wish list, consider a bequest in your will, or establish a lasting legacy fund in your name. No matter what size, your philanthropic support with deliver an immediate impact.

To donate now or for more information and further discuss your support, please contact the Barwon Health Foundation.

Wish List

  1. $1000 – $5000- A coding framework for research concerning dignity and quality of life.
  2. $5000 -$20000 – A project that explores the perspectives and values systems of older people with diabetes about what safe and personalised care is.
  3. $5000 -$20000 – An impact evaluation of the End of Life Guidelines and accompanying resources.

Page last updated: December 2, 2024