A CONFERENCE FOR ...

 

Nursing Students, Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses and Assistants in Nursing; nurses aspiring to leadership positions; nurses in leadership positions; nurses confronted or struggling with change; nurses being challenged to take up opportunities amidst change. 

 

OBJECTIVES

 

· Provide a forum for nurses to share experiences and explore issues as a Christian and a nurse.

· Facilitate identification and/or establishment of networks for Christian support in the workplace

· Align contemporary trends, and concepts of nursing leadership with Christian thought and Biblical perspectives.

· Increase knowledge of Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF) as a resource and support network for Christian nurses in all spheres of nursing.

 

 

Conference speakers

Speaker’s details are presented here in order of their appearance on the program

 

Sonya Grypma  PhD, RN.

 

is an award-winning Canadian nurse historian. Her first book Healing Henan: Canadian Nurses at the North China Mission, 1888-1947 was published by UBC Press in 2008.  Her new book China Interrupted: Japanese Internment and the Reshaping of a Missionary Community is expected to be released in 2012.

 

A long-time member of Nurses Christian Fellowship, Sonya Grypma is currently Associate Professor of Nursing at Trinity Western University in Canada.  She has held national and international leadership positions.

 

Do-Rhen Angking  RN, BN (NZ), MN (UWS)

Lecturer, Southern Cross University School of Health & Human Sciences, Coffs Harbour Campus

 

 I commenced my nursing training in New Zealand and completed the Bachelor of Nursing degree towards the end of 1999.  I migrated to Australia in 2000 with my husband and started working mainly in areas such as Emergency, PACU, Anaesthetics and of late, Justice Health. Five years ago, I was awarded Master of Nursing at University of Western Sydney. 

 

After giving birth to my second child, I became part of the academic staff the following year until mid 2010 when my family decided to permanently move up to North Coast.  Soon after, I joined the academic staff at Southern Cross University as an Associate Lecturer where I am also currently a professional doctorate student.  My research focus is on the identity and spiritual development of Aboriginal youth in incarceration. 

 

Louise Parkes

  Louise started with Voice Project in 2004, and has worked with organisations across all sectors to develop and implement engagement, service quality and leadership surveys. She has managed large and complex survey projects, as well as workshopping with smaller organisations to develop organisational values, strategic priorities and action planning. Louise particularly enjoys working with Voice Project’s not-for-profit clients, and has partnered with leaders in the sector to develop tools to give a voice to staff and service users with a disability. Louise also coordinates and directs Voice Project’s research and development activities. Her current research interests are in the area of ‘Purpose’ – organisational culture and values, person-organisation fit and work-life alignment. Louise works 4 days per week with Voice Project, as well as enjoying time with her family, teaching Scripture in schools, and serving on a NFP Board.

 

Dr Tracey Thornley  RN, BN (Hons), Grad Cert (Higher Education), NNC, PhD, MRCNA

I began my nursing education at Sydney College of Advanced Education in 1985 and graduated in 1988. I began work at Prince Henry Hospital in 1988 in the neurosurgical/medical ward and completed a post basic certificate in neurosciences at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 1990. After this I worked in several neurological units including a position as a clinical nurse consultant at Concord Hospital.

 

I completed a Bachelor of Nursing with first class Honours in 2000, my Honours project “Exploring the use of science by Registered Nurses”. This research fostered the development of my doctoral research study which examined the Expert Nurse. My research has allowed me to develop insights into the development of knowledge and advanced practice, as well as theories of skill development. I completed a Doctor of Philosophy in 2007 at Sydney University, my thesis titled Discovering the expert: A grounded theory study of Registered Nurses.

 

I have extensive experience in both undergraduate and postgraduate nurse education especially in the areas of clinical skill development, advanced and reflective practice and the development of clinical judgment. My clinical interests include neuroscience nursing, diabetes management and acute care.

 

 

Wendy Morris

 

Wendy Morris Head of Residential Care North for Hammond Care  – is a Registered Nurse with a Masters degree in Management and Adult Education. She has worked in the Community Care sector for over 25 years working across a number of organisations providing innovative and quality services for older and younger people living in the community. In November 2010 she was won over to Residential Care and now is shocked to find she loves the interaction with Staff, Residents and families!

 

Nicola Nolan

is a Registered Nurse with Graduate Certificates in Dementia Care and Aged Care Management. She has worked for HammondCare for the past eleven years working across the areas of Community Care, Residential Care and Risk and Quality. Improving the quality of life of those living with dementia is Nicola’s main focus which is not always easy in the highly regulated, compliance driven aged care industry.

 

Sonja Frischknecht RN, BN, MN(Hons)

 

Avondale College of Higher Education, Wahroonga, NSW

Bio to come.

 

 

Toby Raeburn

RN, CNS (Adult and Community Mental Health), B.Nursing, Grad.Cert (Mental Health Nursing), Cert IV in Workplace and Assessment Training, MNCF, MACMHN, MNSWNA

 Toby is a registered nurse and psychotherapist in private practice. He is a clinical lecturer at the University of Sydney, and has received various awards for his mental health nursing including a 2009 Churchill Fellowship, a 2007 special commendation from the Australian Altruism Foundation and a Mental Health Matters Award from the Mental Health Council of Australia in 2006.  

In 2010 Toby was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to “investigate nurse lead mental health services amongst disadvantaged populations in the USA.” The Fellowship afforded Toby the opportunity to meet experts in the field, mental health nurses in private practice, service leaders, managers and academics working in a variety of models of care with disadvantaged groups in Los Angeles, Washington, New York and Boston.