New nurse-led protocols for stroke patients, based on ACU research, led by the Nursing Research Institute, have resulted in changes to policy, guidelines and clinical practice in Europe and Australia. The protocols were developed through the Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Trial (published in the Lancet, 2011) to manage fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing (FeSS) post-stroke.
Professor Sandy Middleton FACN, FAAN is a Professor of Nursing and Director of the Nursing Research Institute at St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Australian Catholic University. She focusses on stroke and the way research can improve care, particularly analysing the way nurses can initiate care to improve patient recovery.
Professor Middleton was the lead investigator on the landmark NHMRC-funded QASC cluster trial that demonstrated decreased death and dependency following implementation of nurse-initiated protocols to manage fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing post-stroke, winning multiple national and international awards including ACU’s Vice-Chancellor’s Staff Excellence Award, Excellence in Research and Research Partnerships in 2019. These protocols have been translated into 64 hospitals in 17 European countries and in adopted in 36 NSW hospitals. She has published in high impact journals including The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Professor Sandy Middleton on these significant achievements in nurse-led acute stroke care.
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New treatment options under investigation for pelvic organ prolapse
Dr Shayanti Mukherjee, Research Group Head, Translational Tissue Engineering at the with her team at Hudson Institute of Medical Research is developing new ways to prevent and potential cure pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The technology aims to ultimately lead to safer and more effective treatment for women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) using a woman’s own stem cells to boost the effectiveness of a degradable mesh.
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Lived experience & human-centred design in healthcare
Recognised as one of the Top 100 Women of Influence by The Australian Financial Review, Melanie Tran is a visionary leader whose work lies at the intersection of design, technology, health, disability, and education. With a focus on human-centred design, digital strategy, and service design, she leads transformative initiatives as a Manager in Design, Digital and Data at Nous Group, a global consulting firm. Her work is driven by a deep passion for using creativity and technology to solve complex social challenges.
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Unleashing the potential of Paramedic skills and knowledge
According to a prominent paramedicine academic and researcher, paramedics have the potential to provide much-needed care in the community, changing the traditional healthcare model. Research points to paramedics having a wider healthcare workforce impact based on their ability to identify and fix problems 24/7.
Dr. Brendan Shannon is Head of Postgraduate Programs in the Department of Paramedicine at Monash University and a member of The Australasian College of Paramedicine. His interests including refining healthcare models, to ensure underserved communities receive requisite care. These alternative care pathways, like outreach programs, can work out of hospitals to provide care in underserved communities with social and complex chronic conditions.
