Dr Carol Piercey

Senior Lecturer

RN (UK), RM (UK), BchAppSc (Nursing), GradDip Hlth Sc Ed (Curtin), MSc (Curtin), PhD (Curtin)

Email: carol.piercey1@nd.edu.au
Phone: 9433 0277

  • Biography

    I trained as a Registered Nurse, State Certified Midwife and gained a Diploma in Operating Room nursing in the UK, prior to emigrating to Australia. On arrival, I worked at the Royal North Shore Hospital in the operating theatres, for 18 mths, prior to being employed in the Emergency Nursing Service in WA. The Department of Health (previously the Medical Department) provided a nursing service to all public hospitals in country areas of the State. Nurses were expected to stay a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of eight weeks in any of the hospitals. I worked a 12mth contract covering Carnarvon, Derby, Dumbleyung, Kalgoorlie, Wyndham, Beverley, Quairading and Harvey hospitals. I met my husband and continued to work for 9 years as the charge nurse in Wyndham Distract Hospital. At the time it was the base hospital for the East Kimberly. Nurses were responsible for managing the nursing operations for the RFDS, as well as the busy 50 bed hospital. I have always had a passion for learning and teaching, so undertook the Bch App Sci, majoring in nursing education prior taking up the position of Nse Ed with St John Ambulance for 4 years. I then was empoyed as a Staff Development Educator at Fremantle hospital. Whilst working in these positions I continued with my studies firstly achieving a Post Grad Dip in Hlth Sci Ed, a MSci and finally a PhD. I took the position of lecturer at Curtin University, where I taught a variety of subjects. During my 21 years of service I held many positions including Coordinator of the Nurse Practitioner course and held an adjunct appointment with the Quadriplegic Centre for 14 years where I conducted in-service education and short courses. This appointment also provided the opportunity to keep up-to-date with my clinical skills. I was commissioned to write the history of the Notre Dame School of Nursing for its 10th anniversary and subsequently joined the staff at the School in 2011, teaching Ethics and research methodology. I was seconded to the Broome Campus to teach and tutor students across the curriculum in 2012, and continued to conduct tutorials from Fremantle campus to Broome students via Collaborate until 2015. I am currently employed for 2 days a week and supervise 6 higher degree students.

  • Teaching areas

    Research methodology
    Ethics in nursing practice

  • Research expertise and supervision

    Summary of Activities

    • Conducted a feasibility study for a kindergarten in Forrestfield (suburb of Perth).
    • Developed a needs assessment for continuing education of registered nurses in WA and conducted a survey of those needs.
    • Evaluated the science units in the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) using questionnaires and focus groups
    • Researched the competencies expected of a registered nurse in the STD clinic
    • Researched the competencies expected of a registered nurse in rehabilitation and developed a Graduate Certificate of Adult Rehabilitation
    • Data collection (Interviews) National project on Nurse Practitioners
    • The 10 year history of the school of nursing Notre Dame University. ‘Leaving footprints’
    • In progress: The history of the WA Government School of NursingTHESIS EXAMINATION (MASTERS)

    Topics included:

    • How aboriginal and Torres Strait islander men care for their health: An ethnographic study
    • Developing culturally appropriate programs and services in new Aboriginal Health Organisation
    • The role and practice of aboriginal health workers in the Great Southern and South West regions of Western Australia
    • Perceptions of antenatal care amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Kalgoolie/Boulder

    Supervision of Students (Masters)
    Topics included:

    • Audit of transfer techniques in operating room
    • Knowledge and perceptions of the Nurse Practitioner role prior to implementation: A qualitative perspective
    • A rural communities’ knowledge and perceptions of the role of the nurse practitioner: A quantitative study
    • Consumer’s knowledge and perceptions of the role of rural nurse practitioners; A qualitative study
    • Development of a clinical guideline for the management of a urinary tract infection in an elderly aged care facility
    • Implementation of the nurse practitioner role in paediatric ambulatory care (outreach)
    • The clinical protocol development process for a renal nurse practitioner in management of renal anaemia in stage 4/5 chronic kidney disease
    • Review of the guidelines for management of prisoners with alcohol problems
    • Development of a collaborative postgraduate certificate in perioperative nursing
    • The role of nurse practitioner in the Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Service and the development of a patient education booklet on ventricular assist devices
    • The development of a bowel assessment tool for spinal cord injured people in the community
    • Development of a Comprehensive Functional Health Assessment Tool for Nurse Practitioner Use in Aged Care
    • A review of a neonatal intensive care nursing course and recommendations for revision
    • Clinical nurse consultant role in managing patients with motor neurone disease
    • The culture and practice of female genital mutilation: A health promotion perspective
    • Development of a clinical protocol for a nurse practitioner working in a remote Aboriginal community in Western Australia
    • Development and implementation of the role of the nurse practitioner in the Liver Service at RPH.
    • A critical review of anaesthesia nursing and the Graduate Certificate Course
    • The burden of headache: An emergency nurse perspective.
    • A review of the management of latex allergy practices in the perioperative environment
    • Home Medicines Review: A Collaborative Role for the Rural WA Nurse Practitioner
    • The process of developing and implementing the nurse practitioner role in haematology
    • Clinical protocols for the State Forensic Mental Health Service Western Australia
    • Implementing the military nurse practitioner: A qualitative study on the knowledge and perceptions of health care workers at Area Health Care services on HAMS Stirling Western Australia
    • Development of a clinical guideline for the management of a urinary tract infection in an elderly aged care facility
    • Development of a clinical protocol for a nurse practitioner working in a remote Aboriginal community in Western Australia
    • Consumer’s knowledge and perceptions of the role of rural nurse practitioners; A qualitative study
    • Knowledge and perceptions of the emergency nurse practitioner’s role prior to its implementation: A qualitative perspective
    • A rural communities’ knowledge and perceptions of the role of the nurse practitioner: A quantitative study
    • Development of a Comprehensive Functional Health Assessment Tool for Nurse Practitioner Use in Aged Care
    • Development of a collaborative postgraduate certificate in perioperative nursing
    • Review of the guidelines for management of prisoners with alcohol problems
    • A qualitative study into the education and support needs of graduate nurses in the perioperative environment.

    Supervision of Students PhD
    2011 Graduation 
    Topic: Factors Influencing the Quality of Nursing Care in an Intensive Care Unit in Saudi Arabia 
    2016 Topic: A case study of factors influencing remote university nursing graduates and their decision to work in a remote hospital
    2012 PhD proposals endorsed by UNDA ethics committee and the School of Nursing and Midwifery research committee
    Topics include:

    • The identification of the role and competencies of the graduate nurse in recognising and responding to the deteriorating patient in an acute ward environment: A mixed methods study
    • The enhancement of emotional intelligence in student nurses: An mixed method exploratory study
    • Perioperative nurses perceptions of the surgical count: Implications for clinical practice
    • Impeding factors in the progression of the nurse practitioner role in the Australian Defence force: A case study
    • Mobile technology use by final year registered nursing students in Western Australia: A mixed method study.
    • Aboriginal women yarning about their experiences as undergraduate nursing students, in Western Australian universities: A narrative study.
    • Participation of Tanzanian nurses and midwives in the implementation of the millennium development goals 4 & 5: the reduction of child mortality and improvement of maternal health: A case study

  • Books

    Books

    • Sisters @ School: The history of nurse education in Western Australia from 1962-1975.
    • Biography of Helen Bailey Nurse Educator 1910-2001
    • The 10 year history of the school of nursing Notre Dame University. ‘Leaving footprints’

    Book Reviews

    • 2007 There’s a bird in my hand and a bear by the bed-I must be in ICU. Nursing Inquiry 12(4)326-327
    • 2009 Containing trauma: First World War nurses personal writing
    • 2009 The history of birthing in the US

  • Interviews

    • Interviewed by ABC on radio regarding teaching health assessment skills to registered nurses in Northam
    • Interviewed by ABC on radio regarding Nursing Shortage and the Apprenticeship system
    • Interviewed on camera regarding nursing career (Murdoch University media studies student project).

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    Refereed Journals

    • 1987 Diabetes: an Update Part I. Ambulance Officer's Institute Newsletter
    • 1987. Diabetes: an Update Part II Ambulance Officer's Institute Newsletter
    • 1987 Education vs Training Ambulance Officer's Institute Newsletter.
    • 1994 Contract learning: A strategy for teaching. Teaching and Learning Group Perth: Curtin University of Technology. Book of Mini-fellowships
    • 1994 Piercey, C., Liston., L. Martins, & A. Philpott, Competency-standards in higher education. Teaching and Learning Group Perth: Curtin University. Book of Mini-fellowships
    • 1998 Spinal cord rehabilitation at the Quadriplegic Centre Editorial Campus Review June, p.3
    • 2000 Rehabilitation of the spinal cord injured person with cognitively impairment. ARNA Journal, 4(2)13-17
    • 2001 Tribute to a visionary educator. Editorial Campus Review July, p.4
    • 2003 Orientation of Nursing students. Learning Matters Curtin University of Technology February. p.5
    • 2003 Logbooks: A strategy for reflective practice in nursing. 12th Annual Teaching and Learning Forum February (CD Rom)
    • 2003 Medicine's influence on nurse education in WA from1900-1975 8th Biennial Conference: Australian Society of the History of Medicine (CD Rom)
    • 2007 History of nursing in Historical Encyclopaedia of Western Australia
    • 2008 Innovative practice in the management of chronic Hepatitis C: Introducing the nurse practitioner. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 25 (4) 107-113
    • 2012 E-Learning provides nursing education in remote areas. Australian Nurses Journal, 20(4), 49.
    • 2014 Collaboration between the community and tertiary nurse education in bridging the gap between theory and practice. Teaching and Learning Forum 2014: Transformative, Innovative and Engaging 30-31 January, 2014
    • 2015 Embedding health informatics skills onto an undergraduate curriculum. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, 23(2)41

  • Conference papers

    Refereed Conference Proceedings

    • 1993 History of continuing education of registered nurses in Perth, Western Australia from 1900's to
    • 1992. Nottingham University. England.
    • 1994 Assessing clinical competencies. The Teaching and Learning Forum. Edith Cowan University, Perth,
    • WA.
    • 1994 Competency-based package in sexual health: The frontier of clinical practice. The Royal College of Nursing, Australia, Third National Nursing Forum Darwin.
    • 1994 The use of adult learning principles and functional health patterns, in teaching nursing diagnosis. The Second National Nursing Diagnosis Conference, Perth.
    • 1995 Connecting and Confronting nursing through oral history. 1st pan Pacific Qualitative Research Conference. Curtin University of Technology. Perth WA.
    • 1997 Rehabilitation of the spinal cord injured person: A multidisciplinary approach. Australian Faculty of Rehabilitaion Medicine. 17 Annual Scientific Meeting. Perth, WA.
    • 1998 Continuing education have the goal posts changes Royal College of Nursing Australia, National Convention, Brisbane
    • 2002 Is nursing a vocation or career? Caring, Careers & Constraints: Providing quality care for all in today’s environment. University Notre Dame Fremantle
    • 2002 The history of nurse education in Western Australia Mark Liveris Seminar, Division of health Sciences Curtin University of Technology
    • 2003 Log-Books: A strategy for reflective practice in nursing Teaching and Learning Forum (Edith Cowan University)
    • 2003 Medicine’s influence on nurse education in WA from1900-1975 8th Biennial Conference: Australian Society of the History of Medicine
    • 2007 Nurse practitioners practice in WA Annual Nurse Practitioner Conference: Sheraton. Perth
    • 2007 Knowledge and perceptions of the Nurse Practitioner role prior to implementation: A qualitative perspective. WA Annual Nurse Practitioner conference: Sheraton. Perth
    • 2008 Nurse practitioners, extending the scope of nursing practice as a solution to today’s primary health care requirements Annual child and community health conference: the Vines WA
    • 2009 Key note speaker: Are you going to the Sani? The history of the Western Australian government trainees at Wooroloo Sanatorium 1915-1947. The Australian and New Zealand Society of the History of medicine. 11th Biennial conference University of Western Australia.
    • 2012 Proximity: A determinant of quality care in the ICU (Poster presentation). 14th National Nurse Education Conference. Pan Pacific. Perth
    • 2013 Learning leadership skills in the real world: A student project on quality improvement Department Health WA Nursing and Midwifery Leadership Conference 2013 Great Care is our Business
    • 2014 Creating opportunities for undergraduate nursing education in remote Western Australia: Pathways and technology National Nurse Education Conference Adelaide

  • Original creative works

    • Developed in collaboration with two other academics to develop a workbook on competency-based curriculum.
    • Researched and developed a competency package for registered nurses in the STD clinic
    • Developed a workbook for academics on contract learning

  • Professional affiliations

    • Education Coordinator RCNA WA Chapter (1988-1992)
    • Past Executive Committee member The Florence Nightingale Committee.
    • Past active member of Australian Nurses Federation Professional Development Committee.
    • Past active member of the Nursing Diagnosis Group.
    • Founding member of the Nurses Education Development Association.
    • Past active member of the Australian Service Nurses national memorial state task force.
    • Past Western Australian chairperson for the Historical Society, Royal College of Nursing Australia.
    • Past member Curtin University of Technology Alumni Association
    • Past member of Australian Rehabilitation Nurses Association
    • Member of the Australian Teachers Association

  • Community Engagement

    Community (lectures and short courses)
    • Caring for the disabled. Nulsen Haven.
    • Communication skills at Muresk Institute of Agriculture
    • Developed and implemented a short course for carers (Certificate III) TAFE) Caring for people with spinal cord injuries.
    • First Aid and Resuscitation. Women's Refuge Group.
    • Education vs Training an Issue for Nurses. Country Women's Association, Wongan Hills.
    • The Changing Role of the Nurse Practitioner. Country Women's Association, Goomalling.
    • Assessing Fluid Balance a Functional Approach. Silver Chain Nursing Association, Bush Nursing Workshop. Perth.
    • Writing Professional papers. The continence promotion course. Mt Henry hospital Perth WA.
    • Historical Methodology. Centre of Aboriginal Studies.
    • History Nursing in Western Australia. Oxford Brookes University, UK
    • Model of care for spinal cord injured. Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland
    • The value of nurses' performing a physical assessment. University of Greenwich. UK
    • Care and management of residents with stroke and with heart conditions. Brightwater Health Care group
    • Invited to conduct short course on Qualitative Methods in Health Research in Singapore General Hospital
    • Reading Journal articles: What's the value Joondalup Staff Development
    • The state of the art in nursing education. Governor of Stirling Senior High School.
    • I.V. Fluid Therapy and Patient Care. Staff Development Community Health, Perth WA.
    • Management and Care of a Head Injured Patient. Silver Chain, WA.
    • The Process of Caring. St. John of God Hospital, Bunbury.
    • Ethical and Professional Issues in Modern Nursing. Royal College of Nursing, Manjimup WA.
    • Invited to teach in a variety of country hospitals: Broome, Derby, Wyndham, Kununurra, Busselton, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Bruce Rock, Wagin, Albany, Geraldton, Carnarvon, Moora and York.
    • Invited to conduct seminars in the following metropolitan teaching hospitals: Royal Perth; King Edward Memorial, Hollywood and Fremantle Hospitals, Private hospitals South Perth Community Glengary, Kalamunda, Mount Henry Hospital and Swan Districts.
    • Professional Issues in Nursing. Silver Chain Association, WA.
    • Writing a Curriculum Vitae. Mental Health Nurses Special Interest Group, Perth
    • Interpersonal Communication. Sterilizing Research and Advisory Council of Australia WA.
    • Developed and coordinated a 13 week program for the Kimberley learning centres using video conference at TAFE centre.
    • The Changing Role of the Registered Nurse: A Historical Perspective. Bribie Island, Rotary, Queensland.
    • Quality Assurance in Nursing. The Royal College of Nursing Australia, WA. Chapter, Broome, WA.
    • Nursing Process and Quality Assurance. The Royal College of Nursing Australia, WA. Chapter, Karratha, WA.
    • The Effects of the Career Structure on Staff Development. The Nurses Education and Development Association, Perth, WA.
    • Parent Education: an Overview. College of Midwives, Denmark, WA.
    • Invited to conduct physical assessment workshops for the Silver Chain Nursing Association
    • 2012 Invited to assist in changing the personal profile documentation at Germanus Kent hostel (Broome)
    • Underpinning of reflective practice: Seeing beyond self. St John of God Murdoch hospital
    Consulting Activities
    • Advised and facilitated the documentation of nursing process at Craigcare and Kalamunda Hospitals.
    • The Parkinson Disease Association in WA. to develop a course in Train the Trainer for volunteers
    • Assisted with the development of self-directed learning package for Diabetic Educators.
    • Assisted with developing a module on health assessment for the remote area nursing course.
    • Consultation sought by Armadale Health Service in developing a performance appraisal tool
    • Consultation sought by St John of God Hospital regarding an assessment tool.
    • Invited to participate in the curriculum committee for the Associate Degree in Aboriginal Health.
    • Invited to collaborate with other academics at the University of WA in developing an elective unit in medical history
    • Initiated preliminary negotiations on developing a Wellness Clinic at Nyandi (Women's prison in Bentley)
    • Data collection (Interviews) national project on Nurse Practitioners (coordinated by Sydney University)
    • Development of the Masters curriculum for University Notre Dame
    • The History of Notre Dame University School of Nursing
    • Evaluating a curriculum for people undertaking pastoral care at Royal Perth hospital
    • Discussion with Germanus Kent Nursing house in Broome concerning the development of care plans for residents with Kossokoffs syndrome
    • Conducted a workshop in Broome for senior nurses in the Kimberley on "Building research capacity using action research"

  • Awards

    • Book prize for best practical nurses 1968 (Training Hospital)
    • $2000 Curtin University Alumni to assist in research for the PhD
    • $3000 Royal College of Nursing Australia to assist in expenses as a visiting academic at the University of London in the History and Philosophy Department
    • $500 Nurses Board of WA to assist with expenses in presenting a paper at the International Council of Nurses
    • Book award for presenting at the Mark Liveris seminar 2002