Region: Oceania

Alison Hutchinson, PhD, RN, BAppSci (Adv Nsg), MBioeth, Cert of Midwifery, focuses her research career on the translation of evidence into practice, which stems from her practice experience and drive for quality improvement and evidence-based practice. 

Much of her research has centered on the care of the older person, including the implementation of the Tri-focal Model of Care, an education program based on three principles—partnership-centered care, evidence-based practice, and a positive environment. This free, online open access program is comprised of a series of evidence-based modules concerning the care of the older person as it pertains to health professionals and other care workers. Alison continues to lead research in this field as she implements this model of care into practice.

“I am working with Canadian colleagues on a multi-year project to examine the influence of context on knowledge translation,” Alison said. “This work has resulted in a comprehensive definition of context for knowledge translation and a framework describing the domains, attributes, and features of context.”

Though Alison always knew she wanted to be a nurse and follow in her mother’s footsteps, she went through a lot to get to where she is today.

In 1984, she completed hospital-based nurse training before she went on to obtain a Bachelor of Applied Science in Nursing. While pursuing her degree, Alison worked in a renal transplant unit. She was often required to take care of pregnant women in this unit and was concerned about her lack of education on the physiology of pregnancy. So that she could better care for these women, Alison decided to additionally undertake a hospital-based training in midwifery. 

Finally, her education was complete. Her service to nursing research, however, was just getting started. She and her family returned to Australia where she accepted a position as an associate professor at Deakin University in an academic-health service partnership. Three years later, she accepted her current role at the university, a chair in the school of nursing in partnership with Monash Health. She is also now the director of the Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Deakin University. 

“One of the things I love about my work is that every day is different,” Alison said. “As a researcher, I have the opportunity to exercise my curiosity, to investigate clinically relevant and contemporary issues, to work with nurses in the practice setting as they seek to optimize care, and to influence practice to improve patient outcomes.”

Her professional life revolves around research. Her days consist of meeting with research students, helping colleagues  design and translate research, writing her own research reports and presentations, and giving these presentations to showcase her findings. She’s committed and passionate about the research that she does, but it’s her students who inspire her the most. 

“I am so very grateful for the opportunities I have had throughout my career…,” Alison said. “I would say the most rewarding aspect of my role is working with research students, seeing them grow, achieving success, and advancing in their own careers.”

Her career began over 30 years ago as a hospital educated nurse. While she has now moved into academic positions, first as an associate lecturer and now as a professor and Head of School at Griffin University, Ann continues to maintain her connection with kidney services. She developed the Renal Nursing Professorial Unit, now the Kidney Nursing Collaborative Research Group, focused on developing the capacity of nephrology nurses to undertake research and to implement evidence into practice while collaborating with other researchers. 

Her research covers the prevention, early diagnosis, and intervention to slow chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression through to kidney replacement therapy and end of life care. This research has been implemented in a state-wide kidney healthcare plan, Advancing Kidney Care 2026, by the Queensland Health Department. It has also influenced other service redesign and has been adapted for use for patients with chronic liver disease. Despite the evidence of the importance of her research, Ann still faces one major challenge in implementing changes: funding. 

Her efforts aren’t just focused on Australian care, either. She works with many international PhD students to give them the tools they need to develop nurses who can provide care to people with CKD in countries like Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, and Saudi Arabia. 

Ann Bonner has been a member of Sigma since 1995 when she joined Australia’s first chapter, Xi Omicron. She has been published more than 150 times and delivered over 200 peer reviewed conference presentations and invite papers. Her research has received several national and international awards, including the Research Excellence Award (Health Services and Implementation, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane), Australian Council on Healthcare Standards for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Award, and Best Research Paper (Renal Society of Australasia). In addition to Sigma, she is a member of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Chronic Kidney Disease Expert Advisory Group, the External Advisory Board for the Australian Kidney Trials Network (AKTN), and the Renal Society of Australia. Ann is a recent inductee into Sigma’s International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.