Nursing and midwifery research at Murdoch

Our Centre is the only dedicated nursing and midwifery research hub across the St John of God Health Care divisions. Whilst the scope of the Centre’s research activity is intentionally broad reflecting as many areas of care as possible, our specialty research areas include cancer, palliative care, orthopaedics and maternity.
  • It enables us to improve patient care and health outcomes, working in close partnership with our hospital’s clinicians.
  • It strengthens the expanding research culture within our hospital and the research expertise among our nurses and midwives.
  • The Centre’s research team strives to undertake research that has broad applicability to patients at other St John of God Health Care divisions, the public sector, nationally and internationally.
  • The Centre has built a strong track record of research that is not only responsive to the needs of our patients, but aligned with organisational and national research priorities and the Australian Council on Health Care Standards.

Improving whole person care: A mixed methods study
The study is being undertaken across five WA and Victorian divisions to explore patient and SJGHC caregivers understanding and perceptions of the importance of spiritual and emotional care, and raise caregiver awareness and competency in the multidisciplinary delivery of person centred care.

A cross-sectional study to establish the supportive care and health literacy needs of cancer patients undergoing anticancer treatment in a private cancer centre
This study aimed to obtain a detailed understanding of the unmet needs of patients at different stages in their cancer treatment within a private hospital cancer centre. Results are being used as the basis for development of supportive care and informational resources to help improve the health and wellbeing of our patients - before, during and after cancer treatment.

Bowel management post major joint arthroplasty: A randomised controlled trial to test two new bowel regimens
This study will determine which of two dosage regimens of polyethylene glycol with electrolytes (Movicol™) commenced preoperatively is most effective in facilitating a return to normal bowel function after major joint arthroplasty when compared with a control group. This study is an extension of the very successful Murdoch Bowel Protocol study, the protocol for which is being used nationally and internationally.

Fly-in fly-out families maternity care needs
The study aimed to develop a detailed profile of the healthcare needs of Fly-in-Fly-out (FIFO) families particularly in the antenatal and the early post-partum period to assist SJGHC to make informed decisions about the healthcare services the group provides to this demographic.

Peristomal skin complications in the first 12 weeks post ostomy formation surgery: A preliminary observational study
This study will determine the incidence of peristomal skin complications in the 12 weeks after ostomy formation surgery, and to describe the factors which contribute to peristomal skin irritation and breakdown. Results will be used to improve the care and education provided to patients with ostomies who face significant alterations to quality of life.

Development and evaluation of an educational video for patients undergoing ileostomy formation surgery
This project will develop an educational video to provide crucial patient education after formation of an ileostomy and evaluate its effect on knowledge retention at one week, one month and three months after discharge.

Cultural security of Aboriginal mothers birthing in an urban facility
This five year collaborative study investigated the cultural birthing practices of Aboriginal women living on country (Noongar Boodjar) in an urbanised environment; and their experiences with maternal healthcare providers (especially midwives). This study has examined and articulated the disjuncture of Aboriginal people’s belief in the need for social, cultural, spiritual connectedness and western medical biophysical risk as perceived by health professionals. The evidence identified that urgent and far-reaching changes are required in health systems to adequately support Aboriginal women and their families during the significant cultural and life event of childbearing.

(PIFI) Parent Infant Feeding Initiative: a study to enhance breastfeeding duration
This study aimed to develop, implement and evaluate three combinations of interventions designed to increase the duration of breastfeeding among new parents in urban areas. While the interventions will target both parents they will be primarily channeled through the father.

Incidence, risk factors and healthcare cost of falls post discharge after elective total hip and total knee replacement
This study aims to identify falls risk factors, the incidence and cost of falls as well as patient satisfaction and quality of life for 12 months after discharge in older people who have undergone total hip or knee replacement surgery.

The Women’s Wellness after Cancer Program: a national multicentre randomised wedgestep clinical trial of an e-health enabled lifestyle modification intervention to improve the health and wellness of women after cancer treatment
The study developed and tested a digitised multimodal lifestyle intervention (Women’s Wellness after Cancer Program) to improve health-related quality of life in women previously treated for blood, breast and gynaecological cancers.

Developing a wellbeing education program for cancer nurses
This multisite study explored current levels of perceived stress, coping mechanisms and resilience of cancer nurses; and developed a wellbeing educational program for cancer nurses.

Professor Leanne Monterosso – Chair in Nursing Research
Dr Gail Ross-Adjie – Nurse Researcher
Alexis Cranfield – Clinical Nurse Research

Taylor K, Chivers P, Bulsara C, Joske D, Bulsara M, Monterosso L. (2019) Care After Lymphoma (CALy) trial: A phase II pilot pragmatic randomised controlled trial of a nurseled model of survivorship care. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 40, 53-62. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2019.03.005.

Platt M, Coventry T, Monterosso L. (2019) Perioperative nurses’ perceptions of cross-training: A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Perioperative Nursing. 32, 19-25. doi.org/10.26550/2209-1092.1042

Monterosso L, Platt V, Bulsara M, Berg M. (2019) Systematic review and meta-analysis of patient reported outcomes for nurse-led models of survivorship care for adult cancer patients. Cancer Treatment Reviews. 73, 62-72. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2018.12.007.

Johnson C, McVey P, Rhee J, Senior H, Monterosso L, Williams B, Fallon-Ferguson J, Grant M, Nwachukwu H, Aubin M, Yates P, Mitchell G. (2018) General practice palliative care: patient and carer expectations, advance care plans and place of death - a systematic review. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. Epub ahead of print. DOI: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2018-001549.

Taylor K, Monterosso L, Bulsara C. (2018) Qualitative results from a phase II pilot randomised controlled trial of a lymphoma nurse-led model of survivorship care. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 35, 9-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2018.01.011.

Pugh J, McCoy K, Williams A, Bentley B, Monterosso L. (2018) Rapid evidence assessment of approaches to community neurological nursing care for people with neurological conditions post-discharge from acute care hospital. Health & Social Care in the Community. 27, 43-54. DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12576.

Davies K, Bulsara M, Ramelet A-S, Monterosso L. (2018) Reliability and criterion-related validity testing (construct) of the endotracheal suction assessment tool (ESATc). Journal of Clinical Nursing. 27, 1891–1900. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.14269.

Taylor K, Bulsara M, Monterosso L. (2018) Test retest reliability of the short form survivor nnmet needs survey. Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing. 5, 165-171. DOI:10.4103/apjon.apjon_4_18.

Mitchell GK, Senior HE, Johnson CL, Fallon-Ferguson J, Williams B, Monterosso L, Rhee JJ, McVey P, Grant MP, Aubin M, Nwachukwu HT, Yates PM. (2018) Systematic review of general practice end-of-life symptom control. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. 8, 411-420. DOI: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2017-001374.

Monterosso L, Taylor K, Platt V, Lobb E, Krishnasamy M, Musiello T, Bulsara C, Stratton K, Joske D. (2018) Living with multiple myeloma: A focus group study of unmet needs and preferences for survivorship care. Journal of Patient Experience. 5, 6-15. DOI: 10.1177/2374373517715011.

Monterosso L, Taylor K, Platt V, Lobb E, Krishnasamy M, Musiello T, Bulsara C, Joske D. (2017) A qualitative study of the post-treatment experiences and support needs of survivors of lymphoma. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 28, 62-68. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2017.03.002.

Davies K, Bulsara M, Ramelet AS, Monterosso L. (2018) Content validity testing of the ESATc: A decision aid tool for performing endotracheal suction in children. Australian Critical Care. 31, 23-30. DOI: 10.1016/j.aucc.2017.01.006.

Anderson DJ, Seib C, McGuire A, McGuire, Porter-Steele J, Balaam S, Song W, Tjondronegoro D, Yates P, King N, Young L, Turner J, Monterosso L, White K, Lee K, Hall S, Krishnasamy M, Wells K, McCarthy AL. (2017) The women’s wellness after cancer program: a multisite, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial protocol. BMC Cancer. 17,98. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3088-9.

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