LOCAL healthcare research has received a boost with St John of God and the Australian Catholic University joining forces to employ a joint professor of nursing.
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Professor Karen Francis will be based at Ballarat as part of the wider St John of God network on the east coast.
She said it was an exciting new position that she was still working to define. “The tricky part is starting to frame up a strategic framework from which to work,” she said.
St John of God Ballarat director of nursing Maria Noonan said they would now contribute to the sector more directly.
“We’re involved in trials and research, but we don’t lead it,” she said. “I think the big difference here is that we’re looking to lead that and have our own focus, rather than just being part of someone else’s trial or research.”
Ms Noonan said there were two professors of nursing in Western Australia and that they thought it was time to bring that focus on best practice to Victoria and New South Wales.
ACU school of nursing, midwifery and paramedicine deputy head Associate Professor Rosemary Ford said Professor Francis’ appointment would also help focus their research.
“Having Karen as part of the team means the capacity we’ve got in our school with our academic staff to do research and contribute to some of the quality outcomes at St John of God are going to be channelled,” she said.
