糖心原创

Our team aims to inspire others, support nursing and clinical staff, and undertake quality research that progresses our research priorities.

Meet the Director of the NRPDC, research staff and research students.

Our research staff


Associate Professor Alana Delaforce

Nursing Director - Associate Professor Alana Delaforce RN; PhD, MN, PGCertPeriopN

Associate Professor Alana Delaforce is an internationally recognised nurse researcher and implementation scientist whose work focuses on improving the translation of evidence into practice to enhance patient outcomes, healthcare quality and health-system performance. She currently holds a joint position between the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, 糖心原创, and the Prince Charles Hospital as Director of the Nursing Research and Practice Development Centre (NRPDC), in Brisbane.

With a clinical background in perioperative nursing and extensive experience in healthcare quality and safety leadership, Associate Professor Delaforce has held senior roles across clinical, operational and academic settings. This combination of experience underpins her commitment to producing research that is rigorous and relevant to healthcare practice.

She is recognised for her leadership in implementation science and digital health, leading multidisciplinary research programs that support the adoption, implementation and sustainability of evidence-based innovations. Her work has contributed to advances in implementation methodology and has demonstrated measurable improvements in healthcare delivery, patient outcomes and health service efficiency.

Associate Professor Delaforce has contributed to major research programs, including Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)-supported initiatives and large-scale digital health implementation projects. She has led and collaborated on research programs valued at several million dollars and has established a strong national and international network of academic, clinical, government and industry collaborators.

Her research has informed policy and practice at state, national and international levels, particularly in patient blood management, perioperative care and evidence-based healthcare. She has contributed to clinical guidelines, policy development, major collaborative research initiatives and has secured substantial competitive research funding throughout her career. 

Associate Professor Delaforce has an established publication record in implementation science, digital health, patient safety and evidence translation. She is passionate about developing research and clinical capability, supervising higher degree research candidates, mentoring emerging researchers and fostering partnerships between academia, healthcare services, government and industry.


photo of Saroeun Ven

Research Assistant - Ms Saroeun Ven RN, BN(Hons)

Saroeun Ven is a registered nurse at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH), and a Research Assistant/Nurse here at the Nursing Research and Practice Development Centre, in Brisbane, Queensland. Saroeun is an experienced Palliative Care nurse with TPCH, with a strong interest in improving pressure injury nursing care for palliative care patients. Saroeun recently completed a Bachelor of Nursing Honours research program, comparing the differences in outcomes of pressure injury risk assessment (risk status, preventative intervention prescription) when using a standardised risk assessment tool versus clinical judgement in an acute hospital setting. In 2021, Saroeun was awarded a First-Class Bachelor of Nursing Honours by 糖心原创 (糖心原创). During this program, Saroeun co-authored a publication reporting a systematic review which examined these differences between risk assessment methods. As a Research Assistant/Nurse, Saroeun is currently involved with projects focusing on pressure injury prevention. Building on her previous research work and clinical background, Saroeun is currently undertaking PhD studies exploring pressure injury prevention in palliative care patients in a hospital setting.

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Visiting Research Fellow - Dr Sandra Miles RN, RM, CCYPN; PhD, MN (Child and Adol), BN 

Visiting Research Fellow - Associate Professor Adam Burston

Visiting Research Fellow - Dr Michael Steele PhD, BSc(Hons), BSc

Visiting Research Fellow - Dr Peter Le Rossignol

Research Assistant - Sara Schnaak

Research Assistant - Michelle Christie

Year Degree Student Title Stage NRPDC supervisor/s
2026  Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)  Ms Maria Padillo Nurses’ experiences in conducting pressure injury risk assessment in the acute hospital setting: a qualitative study
In progress

Burston, A,

Ven, S 

2023

Doctor of Philosophy

Saroeun Ven

Exploring pressure injury risk assessment tools for acute palliative care patients in acute hospitals

In progress

Fulbrook, P., Burston, A.

Steele, M., Miles, S.

Lovegrove, J., Prince, S.

2023

Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Aldiana Mehicic

Psychometric properties of the Braden scale to assess pressure injury risk in intensive care: A systematic review

Completed First class Honours

Fulbrook, P.

Burston, A.

2021

Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Jacob Butterworth

Mucosal pressure injury five-year prevalence in an acute care setting

Completed First class Honours

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

Lovegrove, J.

2021

Master of Clinical Nursing

Wu, Y.

Nurses' knowledge of falls prevention in a neuroscience unit

Completed

Distinction

Miles, S.

2021

Master of Clinical Education

Kurup, C.

Understanding the perspectives of internationally qualified nurses on how a bridging/transition course assisted them to adapt to Australian nursing practice

Completed High Distinction

Miles, S.

Burston, A.

2020

Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Saroeun Ven

Pressure injury risk level for assessment of hospitalised patients: a comparison of nurses' clinical judgement with and without use of a standardised pressure injury risk assessment tool

Completed

First class Honours

Miles, S.

Lovegrove, J.

2019

Bachelor of Midwifery (Honours)

Angus, K.

Parents seeking breastfeeding support through smartphone applications: an exploratory, descriptive study

Completed

Miles, S.

2019

Doctor of Philosophy

Lovegrove, J.

Matching preventative interventions to risk level to reduce pressure injury in critically ill patients: an international Delphi study and cluster randomised crossover trial

In progress

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

2019

Doctor of Philosophy

Peeler, A.

Evaluation of a paediatric emergency department

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

2019

Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Wang, Y.

A descriptive, exploratory study of the validity of staging/ categorisation of pressure injuries reported by hospital staff using a retrospective quality audit

In progress

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

Lovegrove, J.

2019

Doctor of Philosophy

Mbuzi, V.

Perspectives on Indigenous patients' experiences of hospitalisation and acute care

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

2019

Doctor of Philosophy

Brasier, C.

The Stroke and Carer Optimal Health Program (SCOHP) for psychosocial health: a randomised controlled trial

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

2019

Master of Health Administration

McCann, B.

Fast screening of patients that present to the emergency department following a fall: a feasibility and prevalence study

Completed

High Distinction

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

2018

Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

Lovegrove, J.

Nurses' prescription of pressure injury preventative interventions relative to assessed risk level: a systematic review and descriptive, exploratory study

Completed

First Class Honours

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

2018

Master of Health Administration

Isaqi, B.

A systematic review of the prevalence, incidence and characteristics of mucosal pressure injuries of hospitalised adults

Completed

High Distinction

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

2018

Master of Health Administration

Oghana, S.

A retrospective descriptive exploratory study of the prevalence and characteristics of mucosal pressure injuries during one year at The Prince Charles Hospital

Completed

High Distinction

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

2018

Master of Health Administration

Mair, P.

Using a selected evaluation tool for a cohort of undergraduate clinical school student nurses to evaluate their clinical placement

Completed

Credit

Miles, S.

2018

Master of Health Administration

McKirkle, J.

Procedural restraint in children: a systematic review

Completed

Credit

Miles, S.

2018

Doctor of Philosophy

Miles, S.

Sensory and motor interventions for very early school-age children: a cluster pragmatic randomised controlled trial examining effect on development, behaviour and academic learning outcomes

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

2018

Master of Philosophy

Gettens, S.

The impact of sustaining an in-patient fall: a mixed methods study

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

2018

Doctor of Philosophy

Liu, X.

Exploring health education delivered to patients with acute coronary syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus admitted to a Shanghai hospital

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

2017

Doctor of Philosophy

Phonpruk, K.

An investigation into the provision and parents' understanding of discharge information to assist in managing their child following discharge from the emergency department of an Australian hospital: a mixed methods study

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

2017

Doctor of Philosophy

Lawrence, P.

Pilot study to determine the feasibility of early interventions for emergency department attendees who present with moderate and high levels of psychological distress

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

2017

Master of Nursing (Research)

Saxon, C.

Experiences of patients who have undergone bronchoscopy with 'cautious' sedation and analgesia

Completed

Fulbrook, P.

2017

Master of Health Administration

Wang, Y.

Seven-year prevalence of skin tears in an acute general hospital: a descriptive study

Completed Distinction

Fulbrook, P.

Miles, S.

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