Professor Vasiliki Betihavas

Professor of Nursing
RN BN GCLT MN MPH PhD

Email: vasiliki.betihavas@nd.edu.au

ORCID Profile

  • Biography

    Professor Betihavas holds registration with Ahpra as a registered nurse and is a Public Health social researcher who is internationally recognised as an expert in risk prediction of adverse events with a research focus in identifying social determinants of health that contribute to adverse outcomes.

    As an educator, I believe it is imperative to undertake research in the discipline of education. I believe that knowledge can be powerful in contributing to the education of nursing and midwifery students using delivery methods that address the psychology of learning. In addition, contributing to nursing students learning how to critically reason so that they may be safe in their practice is paramount. Safe practice also includes learning how to engage with patients in a meaningful manner that empowers the patient to also make autonomous decisions about their care. This leads into my second focused area of research, risk prediction of adverse events. Ultimately, I would like for patients to be empowered in their disease management, to contribute to collaborative discussions with health care providers that lead to meaningful lives and hopefully prevent readmission to hospital.

    The disciplines of nursing that I research are care of persons with cardiovascular disease and trauma & injury prevention. Both disciplines are aligned with the Australian National Health Priority Areas.  These disciplines are considered high priority due to the association of a greater number of Australians being burdened with this disease/injury and the high financial burden to the individual and health care system. I also, believe the burden associated with the psychological impact to the individual and their family needs to be acknowledged and implemented into education. Ultimately, principles founded in social justice and primary health care and a belief that health and education are fundamental human rights and not a privilege for persons who are wealthy is what drives my research.

  • Teaching Areas

    • Evidence-Based Practice
    • Critical Care Nursing
    • Public Health

  • Research Expertise and Supervision

    • Risk
    • Chronic Heart Failure
    • Critical Care
    • Nursing Education

  • Book chapters

    • Elliott, Doug, Linda Denehy, Sue Berney, Jennifer A. Alison, Vasiliki Betihavas, Phillip J. Newton, Hui Yun Du, Peter S. Macdonald, Steven A. Frost, and Simon Stewart. "GUEST EDITORIAL Surviving critical illness _ 152.

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    • Grota, T., Burston, A., Betihavas, V., & Jacob, E. (2024). Nurse-surgeons in the Australian public health system: A descriptive quantitative survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 7, 100268.
    • Kurup, C., Burston, A. S., Betihavas, V., & Jacob, E. R. (2024). Internationally qualified nurses' perspectives on transitioning specialty skills within Australia: A content analysis. Nursing Open, 11(9), e70032.
    • Grota, T., Betihavas, V., Burston, A., & Jacob, E. (2024). Roles of nurse‐surgeons in global surgical care: A scoping review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 80(8), 3006-3036.
    • Kurup, C., Burston, A. S., Betihavas, V., & Jacob, E. R. (2024). Transfer of internationally qualified nurses’ specialty skills to developed countries after immigration: A multicentre policy review. International Nursing Review.
    • Kurup, C., Burston, A. S., Betihavas, V., & Jacob, E. R. (2024). The perspectives of internationally qualified nurses regarding their specialty skill transition to Australia: A cross‐sectional survey. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 80(5), 1868-1881.
    • Coyte, B., Betihavas, V., Devenish, S., & Foster, K. (2024). Resilience, posttraumatic growth and psychological wellbeing of paramedicine clinicians: An integrative review. Paramedicine, 21(1), 16-35.
    • Kurup, C., Betihavas, V., Burston, A., & Jacob, E. (2023). Strategies employed by developed countries to facilitate the transition of internationally qualified nurses specialty skills into clinical practice: An integrative review. Nursing Open, 10(12), 7528-7543.
    • Tan, X. Y. D., Wiseman, T., & Betihavas, V. (2022). Risk factors for nosocomial infections and/or sepsis in adult burns patients: An integrative review. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 73, 103292.
    • Grota, T., Betihavas, V., Burston, A., & Jacob, E. (2022). Impact of nurse-surgeons on patient-centred outcomes: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 4, 100086.
    • Ding, R., Betihavas, V., McElduff, B., Dale, S., Coughlan, K., McInnes, E., Middleton, S., Fasugba, O. and QASC Europe Investigators, 2022. Fever, Hyperglycemia, and Swallowing Management in Stroke Unit and Non–Stroke-Unit European Hospitals: A Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Europe Substudy. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, pp.10-1097.
    • Pacleb, E., & Betihavas, V. (2021). Identifying the effects of supplemental oxygen administration on the health outcomes of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome and oxygen saturation> 93%–a systematic review. Contemporary Nurse, 57(6), 422-438.
    • Grota, T., Betihavas, V., Burston, A., & Jacob, E. (2021). Current methods of nurse-surgeon training and education: Systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 3, 100048.
    • Choi, E. S. C., Wiseman, T., Gordon, C. G., & Betihavas, V. (2021). The biomedical, socioeconomic and demographic predictors of heart failure readmissions. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 20(Supplement_1), zvab060-058.
    • Choi, E. S., Wiseman, T., & Betihavas, V. (2021). Biomedical, socioeconomic and demographic predictors of heart failure readmissions: a systematic review. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 30(6), 817-836.
    • Tan, D., Wiseman, T., Betihavas, V., & Rolls, K. (2021). Patient, provider, and system factors that contribute to health care–associated infection and sepsis development in patients after a traumatic injury: An integrative review. Australian Critical Care, 34(3), 269-277.
    • Choi, E., Wiseman, T., Gordon, C., & Betihavas, V. (2021). Beyond the Biomedical Paradigm! The Biomedical, Socioeconomic and Demographic Predictors of Heart Failure Readmissions. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 30, S97.
    • Wiseman, T., & Betihavas, V. (2019). The association between unexplained falls and cardiac arrhythmias: A scoping literature review. Australian critical care, 32(5), 434-441.
    • Say, R., Visentin, D., Betihavas, V., & Minutillo, S. (2019). A cognitive load theory simulation design to assess and manage deteriorating patients. International journal of nursing education scholarship, 16(1), 20190009.
    • Mills, Z., Betihavas, V., & West, S. (2018, October). Feminist theory and nursing enquiry: An infrequent collaboration. In INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING (Vol. 27, pp. 32-32).
    • Rice, H., Say, R., & Betihavas, V. (2018). The effect of nurse-led education on hospitalisation, readmission, quality of life and cost in adults with heart failure. A systematic review. Patient Education and Counseling, 101(3), 363-374.
    • Tan, X. D., Rolls, K. D., Wiseman, T., & Betihavas, V. (2018). Risk factors for healthcare associated infections (HAI) or sepsis in trauma patients: an integrative literature review. In 16th International Conference for Emergency Nursing (ICEN18): Showcasing the Best of Emergency Care, 10-12 October, 2018, Pullman Albert Park, Melbourne.
    • Kornhaber, R., Mclean, L., Betihavas, V., & Cleary, M. (2018). Resilience and the rehabilitation of adult spinal cord injury survivors: a qualitative systematic review. Journal of advanced nursing, 74(1), 23-33.
    • Randall, S., Crawford, T., Currie, J., River, J., & Betihavas, V. (2017). Impact of community based nurse-led clinics on patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, patient access and cost effectiveness: A systematic review. International journal of nursing studies, 73, 24-33.
    • Kornhaber, R., Cross, M., Betihavas, V., & Bridgman, H. (2016). The benefits and challenges of academic writing retreats: An integrative review. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(6), 1210-1227.
    • River, J., Currie, J., Crawford, T., Betihavas, V., & Randall, S. (2016). A systematic review examining the effectiveness of blending technology with team-based learning. Nurse Education Today, 45, 185-192.
    • Betihavas, V., Bridgman, H., Kornhaber, R., & Cross, M. (2016). The evidence for ‘flipping out’: A systematic review of the flipped classroom in nursing education. Nurse education today, 38, 15-21.
    • Betihavas, V., Frost, S.A., Newton, P.J., Macdonald, P., Stewart, S., Carrington, M.J., Chan, Y.K. and Davidson, P.M., 2015. An absolute risk prediction model to determine unplanned cardiovascular readmissions for adults with chronic heart failure. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 24(11), pp.1068-1073.
    • Kornhaber, R., Betihavas, V., & Baber, R. J. (2015). Ethical implications of digital images for teaching and learning purposes: an integrative review. Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare, 299-305.
    • Betihavas, V., Duff, J., Chan, A., Say, R., Ferry, C., & Walker, K. N. (2015). Identifying health literacy levels and modifiable risk factors in adults with cardiovascular disease. figshare.utas.edu.au
    • Betihavas, V., & Frost, S. A. (2015). Predicting Absolute Risk for Unplanned Cardiovascular Readmissions in Adults With Chronic Heart Failure. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 8(21), S130.
    • Betihavas, V., Newton, P. J., Frost, S. A., Alexandrou, E., Macdonald, P. S., & Davidson, P. M. (2013). Importance of predictors of rehospitalisation in heart failure: a survey of heart failure experts. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 22(3), 179-183.
    • Betihavas, V., Newton, P., Frost, S., Macdonald, P., & Davidson, P. (2013). Patient, provider and system factors influencing rehospitalisation in adults with heart failure. Contemporary nurse, 43(2), 244-256.
    • Betihavas, V. (2013). Predicting risk: developing and testing of a nomogram to predict hospitalisation in chronic heart failure (CHF-Risk Study) (Doctoral dissertation, Curtin University).
    • Alexandrou, E., Ramjan, L., Murphy, J., Hunt, L., Betihavas, V., & Frost, S. A. (2012). Training of undergraduate clinicians in vascular access: an integrative review. Journal of the Association for Vascular Access, 17(3), 146-158.
    • Betihavas, V., Newton, P., Frost, S., Macdonald, P., & Davidson, P. (2013). Patient, provider and system factors influencing rehospitalisation in adults with heart failure. Contemporary nurse, 43(2), 244-256.
    • Betihavas, V., Newton, P. J., & Davidson, P. M. (2012). An overview of risk prediction models and the implications for nursing practice. British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, 7(6), 259-265.
    • Betihavas, V., Davidson, P. M., Newton, P. J., Frost, S. A., Macdonald, P. S., & Stewart, S. (2012). What are the factors in risk prediction models for rehospitalisation for adults with chronic heart failure?. Australian Critical Care, 25(1), 31-40.
    • Betihavas, V., Newton, P. J., Du, H. Y., Macdonald, P. S., Frost, S. A., Stewart, S., & Davidson, P. M. (2011). Australia's health care reform agenda: Implications for the nurses’ role in chronic heart failure management. Australian Critical Care, 24(3), 189-197.
    • Chang, S., Gholizadeh, L., Salamonson, Y., DiGiacomo, M., Betihavas, V., & Davidson, P. M. (2011). Health span or life span: the role of patient-reported outcomes in informing health policy. Health policy, 100(1), 96-104.
    • Davidson, P. M., Cockburn, J., Newton, P. J., Webster, J. K., Betihavas, V., Howes, L., & Owensbye, D. O. (2010). Can a heart failure-specific cardiac rehabilitation program decrease hospitalizations and improve outcomes in high-risk patients?. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 17(4), 393-402.
    • Betihavas, V., Stewart, S., Newton, P., Frost, S., Macdonald, P., & Davidson, P. (2010). Elements of risk prediction models to predict readmission to hospital in older patients with chronic heart failure. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 19, S69.
    • Newton, P. J., Betihavas, V., & Macdonald, P. (2009). The role of b-type natriuretic peptide in heart failure management. Australian Critical Care, 22(3), 117-123.

  • In the media

    • ABC "What it is like to be a nurse in Australia" https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/nursing-in-australia/8994748
    • NSWNMA - The Shift with Shaye "How to be a nursing triple threat" https://soundcloud.com/nsw-nurses-and-midwives/the-shift-with-shaye_vasiliki-betihavas-v1
    • NMC - https://www.nursingandmidwiferycouncil.nsw.gov.au/meet-council%E2%80%99s-new-members-ms-lyn-francis-ms-vasiliki-betihavas-ms-jayne-meyer-tucker
    • The Lamp - https://issuu.com/thelampnswnma/docs/hc_thelamp_aprilmay21_final
    • Pulse - Notre Dame newsletter https://www.notredame.edu.au/pubs/nursing/pulse/16/14/

  • Professional affiliations

    • European Heart Failure Association (ESC)
    • Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions
    • Australian College of Nursing
    • Mixed-Methods International Research Association
    • Xi Omicron Chapter at-Large - (Sigma Theta Tau)

  • Community engagement

    • Ministry of NSW - Immediate Action (150) panel

  • Other

    • NSW Government Ministerial nomination and appointed by Governor of NSW to Nursing & Midwifery Council of NSW July 2020- June 2023