Dr Natasha Reedy

Natasha is passionate about the care and concern of Graduate Registered Nurses (GRNs) as they transition into their role and life as a Registered Nurse. Her 2019 PhD thesis is titled: `Becoming and Being a Nurse: A research informed theory to guide contemporary university and industry approaches to preparing and supporting graduate nurses¿. Natasha used a mixed methods methodology within the overarching paradigm post-positivism. Using this innovative research design, she was able to explore the experience of first-year GRNs in regards to life balance between work, study and personal life. Natasha defined this in her study as the Load Triad. Importantly, this research identified a variety of factors impacting the GRNs' overall balance. Findings show that the first year for GRNs is difficult and causes them to question their preparedness. Natasha has provided a set of recommendations, with the main recommendation to partner with GRNs to improve GRNs¿ preparedness and transition support. From this research, Natasha has proposed three new theories: Becoming and being a nurse transition theory, Nursing preparedness and 21st century life career preparedness theory. Natasha is planning to release her research thesis as a book soon in order to reach a larger audience and increase the research impact. Additionally, Natasha has begun the planning to launch the implementation of her main recommendation, to partner with GRNs and to share their insights, back to the university sector and industry to continue to improve GRNs preparedness and transition support to ensure their retention and well-being in the ever changing health context.

In addition, Natasha continually strives to concentrate on linking her research findings to her undergraduate teaching and sharing of her findings with her fellow colleagues. She aims to focus on priority areas, such as fundamental nursing cares, communication and the development of critical thinking. Furthermore, Natasha continually strives to foster first year student nurses¿ inclusive practice as one of the key building blocks in delivering person-centered care, within her teaching and scholarship. In order to have a wider impact than her teaching alone, Natasha has co-authored a chapter in the text book `Opening eyes onto inclusion and diversity¿, titled `Fostering first year nurses¿ inclusive practice: A key building block for person-centered care¿.

Aside from these particular focus areas, Natasha is also passionate about caring for older people. Consequently, she focuses the preparation of undergraduate and postgraduate students in how to care for the older person. In particular, her teaching and scholarship advocates for the older person¿s rights, in particular receiving personalised, holistic high quality and safe care. Care that is well planned and co-ordinated, and delivered and evaluated by highly trained professionals. In order to reach a larger audience she co-published a chapter in 2017, in an e-text book `Caring for older people: Principles for nursing practice¿ titled `Risk assessment for older people. Associated with this publication, she has also produced e-resources to assist educators in how to teach risk assessment and clinical reasoning to students by linking theory to practice. These resources are underpinned by digital learning theory which combines traditional learning theories and cognitive learning theories.

If you are interested in contacting Natasha, she can be reached via the following email: Natasha.reedy@usq.edu.au