Dr Wendy Smyth ~ Adjunct Senior Research Fellow

I have over 40 years nursing experience in clinical, education, management and research positions in the private and public health sectors, and tertiary facilities. In 1984-85 I was a recipient of a short-term Kellogg Foundation Australian Nursing Fellowship, through which I spent six months at the University of Rochester, New York, U.S.A., exploring my interest in integrating theory with practice.

I have held the position of Nurse Manager – Research, Townsville Hospital and Health Service, since February 2002. A major responsibility of this role is to assist nurse clinicians to engage with research, by undertaking studies and through implementing evidence into their daily practice. I provide research education sessions, and assist nurses and midwives across the health service to: plan and conduct research; write submissions to Human Research Ethics Committees and grant funding bodies; and disseminate research findings. I organised the research forums held annually on International Nurses Day for 10 years. I also collaborate with staff across disciplines on research projects, grant submissions, and research education. I sit on various committees within the health and tertiary sectors, including being part of the Organising Group and Abstract Review Group for the Townsville Health Research Week. As part of Tropical Health Research Unit, I organised and led the monthly Nursing and Midwifery Grand Rounds for the Health Service for five years since their inception in late 2010. I have successfully co-supervised one Master of Nursing Science student to completion; I have also been on the supervisory panel for Bachelor of Nursing Science Honours students. In 2014, I joined the Townsville Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee as a Member ‘Category C: Professional care, counselling or treatment of people’.

Academic Qualifications

·         Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (JCU, Townsville), 2008

·         Master of Business (Quality) (QUT, Brisbane), 1998

·         Graduate Diploma of Quality with Distinction (QUT, Brisbane), 1997

·         Master of Applied Science (Nursing, Clinical Research) (Sydney University), 1991

·         Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Education) (Macquarie University), 1981

Interests

Research

• Qualitative research methodologies
• Critical theory
• Using research in clinical practice
• Developing nurses’ research awareness and expertise
• History of nursing research

Experience

• 2002 to present - Nurse Manager - Research, Townsville Hospital & Health Service (The Townsville Hospital)

Research Disciplines

• Nursing (1110)
• Public Health and Health Services (1117)
• Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine (1114)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Health (9299)
• Health and Support Services (9202)
• Specific Population Health (9205)

Awards

• 2010 - Queensland Health, Healthcare Improvement Symposium, Research informing healthcare improvement: From benchtop to bedside category. Member of winning team.
• 2008 - Inaugural Passionate about Practice Conference, Brisbane - Poster Award
• 2006 - Graduate Research School, James Cook University - Graduate Research International Travel Award, $1,000

Other

• 2008 - Queensland Nursing Council, 2009 Conference Attendance Scholarship, $2,000
• 2006 - Queensland Nursing Council, Postgraduate Studies Scholarship, $2,500

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Edwards D, Wicking K, Smyth W, Shields L and Douglas T (2018) Information needs of parents of infants diagnosed with cystic fibrosis: results of a pilot study. Journal of Child Health Care, 22 (3). pp. 382-392
• Jessup M, Smyth W, Abernethy G, Shields L and Douglas T (2018) Family-centred care for families living with cystic fibrosis in a rural setting: a qualitative study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27 (3-4). pp. e590-e599
• McArdle J, Wicking K, Smyth W and Gardner A (2017) Haemodialysis central venous catheter exit site dressings in the tropics: a crossover randomised controlled trial. Wound Practice and Research, 25 (4). pp. 200-207
• Smyth W, Lindsay D, Brennan D and Lindsay D (2017) Medical and allied health staff self-reported long-term conditions: findings from a regional Australian health service. International Journal of Workplace Health Managment, 10 (6). pp. 418-433
• Smyth W, Abernethy G, Jessup M, Douglas T and Shields L (2017) Family-centred care in cystic fibrosis: a pilot study in North Queensland, Australia. Nursing Open, 4 (3). pp. 168-173
• Moyle W, Bramble M, Bauer M, Smyth W and Beattie E (2016) 'They rush you and push you too much ... and you can't really get any good response off them': a qualitative examination of family involvement in care of people with dementia in acute care. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 35 (2). pp. E30-E34
• Smyth W, Lindsay D, Holmes C, Gardner A and Rahman K (2016) Self-reported long-term conditions of nurses and midwives across a northern Australian health service: a survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 62. pp. 22-35
• Smyth W and Abernethy G (2016) Sustaining nursing and midwifery grand rounds in a regional Australian health service. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing , 47 (7). pp. 316-320
• Smyth W, Kruze R, Al Mamun A, White A and Shields L (2016) Working with families in community services: multidisciplinary perceptions of working with children and their parents. Neonatal, Paediatric and Child Health Nursing, 19 (1). pp. 18-23
• Smyth W, McArdle J and Gardner A (2016) Central venous catheter exit site dressings: balancing patients' needs, nurses' experiences and the research evidence. Wound Practice and Research, 24 (1). pp. 41-46
• Heyer E, Smyth W, Laffin N and Gardner A (2015) Protocol paper: a randomized trial of 2 creams in the skin care of patients receiving radiation therapy for breast cancer in the tropics. Cancer Nursing, 38 (4). pp. E35-E41
• Laffin N, Smyth W, Heyer E, Fasugba O, Abernethy G and Gardner A (2015) Effectiveness and acceptability of a moisturizing cream and a barrier cream during radiation therapy for breast cancer in the tropics: a randomized controlled trial. Cancer Nursing, 38 (3). pp. 205-214

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 53+ research outputs authored by Dr Wendy Smyth from 2003 onwards.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• "Optimising Freedom of Movement" Intervention For Low Risk Primiparous Women Who Labour in the Conventional Birth Suite Setting. (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

• Tropical wound dressing protocols for haemodialysis central venous catheter exit sites: a cross-over randomised controlled trial (2016, Masters , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.