Staff profile

Ms Lael Ridgway

Lecturer in MCH Nursing & Midwifery

Faculty of Health Sciences

School of Nursing and Midwifery
Department of Nursing

Room 309, George Singer Building, Melbourne (Bundoora)

 

Qualifications

RN RM IBCLC PDAN (Child, Family & Comm) MNSc

Membership of professional associations

ANF VAMCHN AAMCFHN

Area of study

Midwifery
Nursing
Public Health

Brief profile

Lael has many years experience working as a nurse in a variety of fields of nursing, including as a private consultant. Lael has postgraduate qualifications as a Midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Maternal and Child Health Nurse. She commenced in her current role at La Trobe University in 2009, but has been involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education since 2005. Lael has been involved in many aspects of practice and policy development in Maternal and Child Health nursing and has recent experience as a Maternal and Child Health nurse in clinical practice in Victoria and the Northern Territory.

Teaching units

  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Community Health

Recent publications

Journal Articles

Barbaro, J., Ridgway, L. & Dissanayake, C. (2011). Developmental Surveillance of Infants and Toddlers by Maternal and Child Health Nurses in an Australian Community-Based Setting: Promoting the Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 26(4), 334-337.

Conference presentations

2011 4th National Association of Maternal, Child, Family and Community Nurses Conference. Continuing Professional Development: Supporting portfolio development for Maternal, Child & Family Health Nurses

2010 6th International QEC conference. An exploration of advanced nursing practices within a Victorian Early Parenting Service

2009 3rd National Association of Maternal, Child, Family and Community Nurses Conference Nurses’ views on electronic health records used in the Victorian Maternal and Child Health (MCH) service

2009 3rd National Association of Maternal, Child, Family and Community Nurses Conference ‘Prospectively identifying infants at risk of an ASD through the Victorian Maternal and Child Health Service: Results from the Social Attention and Communication Study (SACS)’ (Barbaro, Dissanayake & Ridgway)

2009 4th International Conference on Community Health Nursing Research Use of information technology in primary health care: the views and experiences of nurses working in the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Service, Victoria, Australia

2008 1st National Indigenous Family and Community Strengths Conference Challenges for the Educator: Incorporating a Strengths-based Perspective into Child, Family and Community Nursing Studies

Other

Invited DVD reviews (2010) Australian Journal of Child and Family Health Nurses

‘Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip: Education Module’ (DVD) Authors: Leo Donnan and Richard Angliss

‘Raising Children’ (DVD) Authors: Raising Children Network 2008.

 

Research projects

Professional Activities and Consultancies

2009 La Trobe University representative on ‘Maternal and Child Health Program Standards Working Party’ with DEECD/MAV

2007-8 La Trobe University representative on ‘Key Age and Stage Program Resource Guide Working Party’ with DEECD/MAV

2003 Member MCH SIG Issues Paper Reference Group Exploration of Maternal and Child Health Nursing Practice in Victoria, Australia 2001-2003 Issues Paper: February 2004

2004 Invited Member Collaborative (DHS/MAV/MCH) Working Party addressing MCH  issues with MAV and DHS representatives.