Inaugural UNDA Nursing Chair promotes research, clinical nursing links
THE University of Notre Dame Australia has unveiled its new School of Nursing and Midwifery, with a special focus on research.
Professor Leanne Monterosso, the inaugural Chair of Nursing and a former midwife and neonatal nurse, will initiate and conduct leading edge research programmes in nursing and midwifery that are both nationally and internationally competitive as a “fundamental goal”.
Linking with the university’s unveiling of the new School of Nursing and Midwifery on the Fremantle Campus recently, Prof Monterosso’s appointment is part of an initiative of the School and St John of God Hospital Murdoch (SJGHM).
“My intention is to develop a strong culture of research and develop productive working relationships with other schools at UNDA, as well as clinicians and researchers in the healthcare and tertiary sectors,” Prof Monterosso said.
“I intend to provide high quality supervision to higher degree nursing and midwifery research students and hopefully contribute to the development of the future leaders of nursing and midwifery research.”
Having initially trained as a registered nurse at St John of God Hospital in 1978, and holding clinical appointments in the tertiary health sector since then, Prof Monterosso maintains that a strong link is required between clinical settings and the university environment to prepare students for constant changes in the healthcare system. Prof Monterosso hopes to facilitate this vision with School of Nursing and Midwifery Dean Prof Selma Alliex by promoting a culture of research within the School to attract and support under-graduate and higher-degree students.