Nursing Research Section Committee
We are as follows:
Scroll down or click on a link above to view the committee member profiles.
For information about joining, please contact Hemaima Hughes at hem-jon@xtra.co.nz
Jean Russell - Chairperson
Jean Russell
From a medical background in nursing, much of my training and clinical experience has been gained within a small rural hospital setting. In the last five years I have branched out and worked in positions more diverse - Saudi Arabia in the V.I.P. unit, aged care work in a Retirement Home, for Waitamata Health, and currently as Visiting Coordinator for a national home healthcare provider.
I have an ongoing interest in study and research and want every nurse to understand that, if they read research it will provide them with a greater understanding of their patients and benefit their practice. My interest and commitment to NRS is because I believe we must build sound support systems for all New Zealand nurses undertaking research.
Dianne Marshall - Secretary
I am currently employed as a Senior Lecturer at The University of Auckland, School of Nursing with teaching responsibilities in the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
My clinical background includes experience in general surgical nursing with responsibilities as a nurse educator and cardio-thoracic intensive care where I worked as a charge nurse.
I have various research interests including clinical teaching and learning; quality and safety in health care; inter-professional learning for nursing, medical and pharmacy students; and promoting research evidence in clinical practice. The topic of my Master’s thesis was exploring the role of the preceptor in student clinical evaluation. I have also been a core team member of the Centre for Evidence-Based Nursing Aotearoa (CEBNA) for a number of years.
Dr Debbie Payne - Treasurer
Debbie Payne
I am employed at AUT university as a part-time senior lecturer. My main current role is as the director of the Centre for Midwifery and Women's Health Research. I have along standing interest in research in women's health. My master's thesis was a qualitative study exploring the experiences of public hospital surgical patients in relation to their rights, and my doctorate thesis was also a qualitative study. It was an analysis of the discourses drawn on by maternity practitioners and women when they talked about pregnancy and birth for women who are aged 35 or over. Two studies that I am involved in are: the experiences of mothers returning to work and breastfeeding; and nurses who work in the area of infertility.
Looking forward to talking with you.
Therese Heffernan - Committee Member
Therese Heffernan RN,BN,MHM
Therese currently works for Mana Awhi Nursing Agency and Silbury Rest Home.
Her clinical experience includes surgical, medical, psychiatric, paediatric and elderly care which was gained within NZ and overseas. She has an interest in nursing research and is currently also on the NERF Committee as the NRS representative.
Michele Barber- Committee Member
Michele Barber RN BA MN
Michele has worked for the West Coast District Health Board in a variety of clinical, leadership and management roles, since 1998. She is currently employed as Nurse Consultant as has responsibility for professional nursing programmes and projects.
Her clinical experience includes medical, critical care, practice, psychogeriatric and rehabilitation nursing. She has held Clinical Nurse Leader positions, and roles leading change projects and supporting professional development. Michele's CV lists membership or leadership of many projects, committees and professional and quality initiatives within West Coast DHB. She has strong professional networks through her involvement in the New Zealand Nurses Organisation's Diabetes and Research Sections, Intravenous Nurses New Zealand, the College of Nurses Aotearoa, and the West Coast Primary Health Care Nurses Network. She has a keen interest in rural nursing research.
Hemaima Hughes- Committee Member
Managing Director Maima Oranga Services Ltd, Nelson. Relief Duty Manager, -After Hours Nelson Hospital, Nelson Marlborough District Health Board.
Hemaima Hughes is a independent Māori Nurse Consultant and the managing director of Maima Oranga Services Ltd. She is a mother of five and grandmother of five. Hemaima is a New Zealand registered nurse with a background of 35 years in clinical nursing, Māori health, nursing education and service delivery firstly Malaita- Solomon Islands and then New Zealand Currently Hemaima works as a relief duty manager-after hours, is engaged in policy development, research and provides supervision to nurses employed in Māori health and primary health care. Her expertise includes:
- clinical and cultural advisor Te Ropu Awhina for Central Regional Health Authority (CRHA),
- Whakatuoranga Māori advisory group for Crown Health Enterprise (CHE) Nelson Marlborough Health Services,
- clinical and cultural mentoring of Māori registered nurses for the University of Auckland’s post graduate Disease State Management diploma programme,
- Iwi Māori representative Nelson Marlborough Regional Ethics Committee,
- management of Nelson based Māori health and social services provider Ngati Koata,
- teaching associate of the Post Graduate. Palliative Care nursing programme, Graduate School of Nursing and Midwifery Victoria University of Wellington;
- Iwi Māori representative interim board Nelson Bays Primary Health Organisation,
- Mataawaka representative Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) Council, Iwi advisory to NMIT,
- current president of Matangi Awhiowhio branch Māori Womens Welfare League Nelson,
- Member of the national Programme Development and Recognition of learning Programmes (PDRP) working group,
- Māori Advisor for the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ),
- Member Competence review panel -NCNZ,
- Wharangi Ruamano national Māori educators,
- Te Kaunihera o Nga Neehi Māori/National Council of Māori Nurses (NCMN) and
- Clinical Governance Committee member Nelson Bays PHO.
- Also a member of the Global Indigenous Nursing Group since attending the International Indigenous Health Knowledge Development Conference Vancouver Canada 2005.
Hemaima graduated with her MA (applied) Nursing with Merit December 12 2007 and is honoured to be a member of NZNO’s Nursing Research Section.
Anne Brinkman - NZNO Professional Nursing Advisor
I trained at Waikato Hospital in the 70s. I worked in the States for a couple of years in hospital environments. In NZ I’ve worked in Hamilton, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington with the bulk of my career having been spent in nursing education. I worked at Wellington Polytechnic from 1982 through its transformation to Massey and left in 2006 to come to my current job as a PNA in the National Office.
My academic qualifications have involved completing a BA in English Lit in 1982 at Victoria University. Within that degree I took the three Nursing Studies papers that were available at the time with Bea Salmon – she was a wonderful teacher and mentor! I did my bridging course to ‘comprehensive nursing’ in 1997 via Whitireia Polytechnic. I completed my MA (Appl Nurs) in 2000 from Victoria University having done a 40,000 word thesis on ‘A study into the causes and effects of occupational stress in a regional women’s health service’. This study was mainly based on a quantitative methodology though I was able to secure qualitative input through the comments made on the survey forms. I surveyed all staff in the service gaining a 65% response rate. The thesis process was an education in itself!
So, yes, I’m very interested in research and asking the right questions. I certainly think that nurses need to look at the big picture and strategically position themselves for political impact. It will be wonderful if the STAR Research Grant that is currently being put in motion via the five universities makes its effect and lifts nursing outcomes in the PBRF rankings.
I’ve been married to Alan for 25 years now and we have three fantastic children, David (23), Laura (21) and Andrew (17).
