Dean of Health Sciences

New staff/appointments/promotions

• Pamela Eliason, Lecturer in Nursing, Shepparton
• Julia Sullivan, Lecturer in Nursing, Austin
• Sue Mills, Lecturer in Nursing, Bundoora
• Gayle McKenzie, Lecturer in Nursing, Bundoora
• Lael Ridgway, Lecturer Child Family & Community Programs, Bundoora
• Adele Callaghan Level B Nursing position.
• Mr Byron Perrin (Podiatry) has commenced .4 at the Bendigo campus to explore opportunities for development.
• Bart Strzebonksi, Publications and Promotions Officer, Faculty Office
• Daniel Bonanno has been appointed as full-time lecturer and Joanna Barrett as part-time associate lecturer in Podiatry.
• Lisa Hanson, Physio 0.6EFT at Bendigo

Resignations/end of contract

• Mark Smithers, Manager, E-Learning & Web Development, Bundoora
• Eileen Clark, Senior Lecturer, Albury-Wodonga
• Silvana Nikolaidis, PG Courses Officer, Bundoora
• Kaye Stubbings, UG Courses Officer, Bendigo
• Dr Nicole Phillips, Lecturer, Bundoora
• Nanette Lundie, Associate Head Nursing and Midwifery, Albury-Wodonga

The bioscience team took part in the accreditation of the public health graduate diploma for environmental health officers.
The following nursing and midwifery programs were recently approved as a ‘course of study’ by the Nurses Board of Victoria:

Undergraduate

• Bachelor of Nursing; and
• Bachelor of Nursing/ Bachelor of Midwifery;

Postgraduate

• Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Science (Child, Family & Community);
• Master of Nursing Science (Child, Family & Community); and
• Postgraduate Diploma in Midwifery Science;

International

• Initial Registration for Overseas Nurses – Division 1; and
• Return to Practice – Division 1

Several ARCSHS staff and postgraduate students attended the IASSCS VII Conference “Contested Innocence – Sexual Agency in Public and Private Space” in Hanoi, Vietnam, 15-18 April 2009. Gary Dowsett was a Session Chair and presenter at the conference. ARCSHS staff and students Murray Couch, Lynne Hillier, Biswajit Banik, Gillian Fletcher, Stephen McNally, Linda Bennett, Michael Hurley, Julienne Corboz and Jo Grzelinska made presentations at the conference. Also in attendance were Jeffrey Grierson, Marian Pitts and Cuong La Manh.

The Faculty recently awarded Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. Congratulations to Nora Shields, Physiotherapy for innovative and effective approaches to engaging physiotherapy students in learning and
Geraldine Lee, Nursing for the development and coordination of the Nurse Practitioner program and in particular the development of the Clinical Internship Model. Dr Shields’ project was further acknowledged by an award of a University Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.

Dr Helen McLachlan and Michelle Newton presented papers at the 13th Annual Congress of the “Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand” held in Darwin 19-22 April.  Helen’s paper was entitled “An individual, flexible approach to postnatal care: a pilot project to inform the development of a randomised controlled trial”.  Michelle’s paper was entitled “Comparing burnout and satisfaction: a survey of caseload and non-caseload midwives”.

In January, Dr Helen McLachlan (Division of Nursing and Midwifery and Mother and Child Health Research) and Dr Della Forster (Mother and Child Health Research) were invited visiting academics at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Centre, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. They presented a series of lectures and consultations to academics in midwifery, nursing, obstetrics-gynaecology, general practice and public health.

Monica Peddle, Manger, Nursing Skills Laboratory Manger, co-delivered and facilitated in the short course “Introduction to Instruction and Facilitation in Simulation Education Program” at Box Hill Institute Nursing Skills Centre of Excellence (NSCE) 20 - 22 April 2009.

March 21-25, 2009: Professor Merilyn Annells was the Keynote Speaker and a Workshop Presenter at an International Conference, Community Oriented Health Care, organised by Central Taiwan University of Science & Technology, Taichung, Taiwan – and invited Guest Lecturer at Central Taiwan University of Science & Technology Speaker plus also at Tajen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Bill McGuiness (Deputy Head, Nursing and Midwifery) has been successfully examined for his PhD thesis entitled: Using colour exhibited by venous leg ulcers to develop a range of hues that represent the clinical manifestations of erythema and wet necrotic tissue.

Two staff from the School of Human Communication Sciences, Dr Jacinta Douglas and Dr Miranda Rose, are part of a multi-university research team that has been awarded $2,495,200 for a new NHMRC Centre of Clinical Excellence (CCRE). The CCRE is in Aphasia Rehabilitation and the funding has been awarded for five years. Dr Douglas is a Chief Investigator for the CCRE and Dr Rose is an Associate Investigator.

Carol McKinstry and Dr Andrew Harvey have had in principle approval on their HEESP funding application (~$11,000) to undertake collaboration with Bendigo Senior Secondary College and Catholic College Bendigo around engaging local secondary school students with the Faculty.

Rob Townsend is conducting a fantastic peer mentoring program and has had in principle feedback on his HEESP funding application for program expansion.

The LTU School of Social Work and Social Policy, The Bouverie Centre and Melbourne School of Social Work with Take Two and VACCA have won a tender to provide two courses for Department of Human Services Child Protection workers, funded by the Department. These are a Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Practice and a Graduate Diploma in Child and Family Practice Leadership. The course curricula are currently being developed and the first cohorts of at least 30 students in each course will commence in August of this year. The collaboration between the consortia members has already proved mutually beneficial.

 Dr Amanda Kenny chaired sessions at the Nurse Education Tomorrow Conference at Churchill College Cambridge UK from the 1st to the 4th of September.

The Faculty is continuing its school visits program for 2008 and there is a great deal of enthusiasm amongst the regional secondary school population about the new course structure.

Occupational Therapy continues to market to prospective students, with strong interest at the Bendigo and Shepparton campus Open Days. OT will take its first intake in Bendigo in 2009.

Our first intake of oral health students completed their course this year and an informal graduation ceremony was held at the Visual Arts Centre. Students will receive their degrees at the formal ceremony in May 2009. Professor Mark Tennant attended from Perth to congratulate the students. The significant contribution that Professor Tennant made in establishing the oral health program was acknowledged.

Nursing, oral health and occupational therapy continue to have discussions with the international office about prospective students from China and Malaysia.

Discussions are continuing with Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE regarding possibilities for articulation.

Carol McKinstry has written an article on the new allied health courses at Bendigo Campus in 2009 for the Loddon Mallee Allied Health Network Newsletter.

This year the NSW Peak body, Association for Child Welfare Agencies (ACWA), focussed their Management and Leadership Institute Colloquia on the challenges of climate change. Chaired by Dr Jennifer Lehmann from La Trobe's Bendigo Campus, the day's program titled 'Leading in a Changing Climate: Green imperatives for community service governance, advocacy and client work' enjoyed strong attendance and engaged staff and managers of not for profit organisations in tackling some of the complex issues that are already impacting upon organisations in this sector.

Jennifer, together with other guest speakers, presented on aspects of climate change that are likely to affect service delivery, client participation and management in the coming years. Energy use, transport for outreach and access, and the use of technology were a few of the topics covered. Given the not for profit sector is largely reliant on funding through government contracts, and governments are beginning to address environmental footprints, carbon trading and other climate change related issues, this Colloquia marked the beginning of closer attention to the potential changes that will be required in the coming years and was a landmark occasion.

The School of Social Work and Social Policy conducted a "Writing for Publication" Seminar for academic staff and students on 16 September. There were 30 participants from 3 campuses. Presenters included Professor Allan Borowski, Associate Professor Christine Bigby and Dr Jennifer Lehmann.

Associate Professor Christine Bigby, Dr Tim Clement and Ian McLean, are pictured with other recipients of Partnership grants awarded by the Office of the Senior Practitioner. The grants are designed to support the creation and implementation of new strategies for people with a disability who are subject to restrictive and compulsory treatment—to prevent them harming themselves and others or destroying property. The successful partnership project is between La Trobe University, School of Social Work and Social Policy and Golden City Support Services, for evaluating a reputed exemplary residential support service for people with severe intellectual disability and challenging behaviour.

Congratulations to Bill McGuiness, Deputy Head, Nursing and Midwifery who was recently appointed as an honorary Wound Clinical Nurse Consultant at The Alfred Hospital. The appointment is viewed the same as a medical honorary and includes practice, research and teaching privileges. This is a first for nursing in the State and the appointment will provide opportunities to continue the development of this specialisation with the Division.

Naomi Mason, BSW(Hons) was joint winner of the Albury-Wodonga Campus medal and the Helen Horton memorial Prize

Cath Norris (BSW yr 4) was winner of the Albury City leadership prize

Cath Bryan (BSW yr 4) was winner of the Lisa Malone Scholarship

2nd year nursing student, Christopher Mullins was a member of the successful 4×100m T35-38 relay team that won gold in world record time at the Beijing Paralympics.

John Mccormack from Social Work is an invited guest at the Max Planck sponsored 7th Workshop on Supercentenarians in Montreal on 28th September 2008

In recent months ARCSHS had the following funding successes:

Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing confirmed to continue for three years starting 2008-2009 financial year $812,000 per annum

AusAID for the Capacity Building of research in South East Asian and Pacific regions as one of nine members of a Consortium confirmed $1,200,000 over three years

AusAID for the Targeted HIV Social Research Program focussed on people living with HIV/AIDS, and young people in South East Asian and Pacific regions. $650,000 over three years

Queensland Health Department tender for the evaluation and reporting of outcomes of the Hepatitis C shared care initiative in Queensland, with an invitation to extend the cope of that project from ten to fifteen hospitals. $57,819 for initial work in 2008-2009

Health Corporate Network tender to create Parent Sexual Health Resources in Western Australia for sex education in schools. Project involves conducting research into what parents want, followed by creation of the actual resource: $87,025 – 2008

Beyond Blue (ceded) to investigate depression in the GLBTI Community $15,000 - 2008

Bristol-Myers Squibb invitation for a Hepatitis B project. $50,000 – 2008

UNAIDS Research for the Commission on AIDS in the Pacific $75,000 – 2008

Prof Marian Pitts, Dr Jeffrey Grierson and Karalyn McDonald (presenting posters) and Prof Gary Dowsett attended the XVII International AIDS Conference, Mexico City.

Recent research staff appointments include Dr Catherine Barrett, Julienne Coboz, Duane Duncan, Dr Penny Johnson, Anthony Lyons, Jennifer Power and Roz Ward.

Assoc Prof Anne Mitchell appeared on the Network Seven Sunrise program as part of a story for parents about how to have a conversation with sons and daughters about sexuality. Anne was also interviewed by Derryn Hinch on 3AW radio about the comments of Jeff Kennett likening bisexuality to paedophilia.

Post Doctoral Fellow Brian McCoy’s book Holding Men: Kanyirninpa and the health of Aboriginal Men was launched in July at the University of Melbourne and simultaneously in Alice Springs. Brian was subject of a Profile feature in The Age newspaper in connection with the launch which was a big success, attended by a large cross section of key personnel.

The Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria (GLHV) Clearinghouse received the HONCode award in May, which was presented by Health on the Net, a Swiss based NGO backed by the World Health Organization. The organisation maintains a register of accredited websites that offer health and medical information. The GLHV Clearinghouse met the eight criteria required to receive accreditation.

Prof Marian Pitts gave a presentation entitled “The Role of Social Research in Australia’s HIV response” to H.E. Mr Truong Vinh Trong, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, as part of his study visit to review Australia’s response to HIV and drug use in May.

Prof Marian Pitts attended the 3rd AOGIN (Asia-Oceania Research Organisation in Genital Infection and Neoplasia) Conference in Seoul, South Korea.

The conference focused on cervical cancer, HPV, and HPV vaccinations, people’s knowledge of and attitudes towards sex and the vaccinations. A large number of people from the medical profession attended.

Hello I'm Hal Swerissen, the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The Faculty offers an exciting and diverse range of professional and research education and health sciences and Human services.

We have programs in metropolitan Melbourne and our regional campuses at Mildura, Bendigo, Shepparton and Albury Wodonga. Our programs are designed to be flexible, we have a pathway direct from school into our professional degrees. Our first year is common across a range of courses so there are opportunities to transfer to another course in second year. Graduates with a relevant degree can go directly into our graduate entry Masters program, for courses like Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology. We also offer a range of research programs, postgraduate masters degrees and professional doctorates.

Details on these programs are available through this website. I encourage you to explore your options in Health Sciences at La Trobe. Professional programs in Health Sciences provide fantastic career opportunities, which are portable across Australia and Internationally. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you need further information or if you want to give us feedback, contact details are available on this website.

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