Professor Rhonda Wilson

Professor Rhonda Wilson RN CMHN PhD is Professor of Nursing (Mental Health and Digital Health) at the University of Newcastle.

What are your UNE qualifications?

Master Nursing (Hons) and a PhD.

My tertiary nursing study journey commenced in Armidale when I completed first year of Advanced Diploma of Nursing at Armidale College of Advanced Education in 1988, but moved to Townsville when my husband Dr Glenn Wilson (also UNE alumni and former staff) was offered a scholarship for his PhD at James Cook University. I finished my Bachelor of Nursing at James Cook University. After gaining plenty of rural and regional clinical experience as a registered nurse throughout rural and regional eastern Australia, we returned to Armidale and UNE.

Online or on-campus study?

I studied on campus for my undergrad… but my research post graduate studies were part-time and as an external student officially, off campus… During my Master of Nursing (Hons) candidature I was lucky to have a scholarship while working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at NSW Health (Rural and Regional Research Capacity Building Scholarship – HETI (formerly CETI)). This enabled me to spend my funded study days on UNE campus, and I was lucky enough to be offered a hot desk in the Nursing Department. I really enjoyed the collegiality of coming across from NSW Health and being able to embed in the nursing school with academic supervisors and colleagues in this way. It fostered my curiosity as an emerging researcher.

How did you find UNE lecturers?

I enjoyed the academic setting so much – I became a mental health nursing lecturer at UNE myself! It was gradual – firstly I started with some causal teaching roles, then longer contracts, and eventually I was successful with a permanent lecturing position is the School of Health. My study journey continued and I went on to pursue a PhD – again part-time, and while working at UNE. Many people work full time and study part-time, and it is certainly a challenging time of life. The flexibility of a research degree was especially important to me – enabling me to work at a pace that helped me balance out work, study and family life as best I could. And, of course, the Research Training Scheme eligibility helped a great deal too with the fees met by that scheme. Essentially cost free to me – but of course the investment of self and family support into these endeavours is never just an economic cost!

What was your reason for studying at UNE?

The reason for me was convenience! UNE was located in my home town… and why would I consider going anywhere else? A ten minute drive to campus, a friendly community, librarians who are extraordinary, and all on the cutting edge of worldwide significance in research and distance/ online education…  To me, locally situated and yet nationally and internationally relevant and connected was important… As a person who has always lived in rural and regional communities, and someone who grew up in the farming communities surrounding Armidale (a graduate of Wongwibinda Public School!)… UNE was a logical choice for me… and I appreciated its focus on championing the educational and research needs of rural and regional communities.

How has your UNE qualification aided you in your career?

A PhD in Nursing has been pivotal… it wasn’t easy to achieve. Nurses tend to come to academic careers as a second career surge, having developed clinical expertise in the health sector first. Often we come to a PhD during this second career surge… and it can be a very difficult life phase to achieve a PhD at a later life and career point. Suddenly you are a research novice, and a beginner again… and many nursing academics find it difficult to achieve the balance of working and gaining a PhD at this life stage… but, increasingly it is essential that more nurses do undertake this level of study.  Increasingly, nursing leadership requires a workforce that is skilled in critical thinking, innovation, entrepreneurism, and solving complex public health problems… nursing needs to have a stronger transformative voice,  a wider skill set and expertise to contribute to the improved health and well-being, recovery and robustness of  people and communities – and none more timely and relevant than now. We are experts in public health, hygiene, infection control… and every time we treat a patient in any setting - these concepts are front and centre of our minds and practice… a critical expertise in the public health domain during the context of the current COVID19 pandemic… Never has the world needed us nurses more! And bringing our very best minds to the complex global health crisis is critical – and a PhD in Nursing is a very useful preparation in contributing to solutions just like at this present time.  For me, a PhD in Nursing has accelerated my career. It has led to possibilities to take a range of interesting leadership roles, and research collaborations including moving to Denmark to lead a research facility developing and testing e mental health intervention solutions. Project partnership throughout the world, and especially Europe – incredible travel opportunities, new friendships globally, and wonderful cultural exchanges. The development of nursing scholarship and the ability to influence and impact the transformation of nursing on a global scale, in some small way… the capability to advocate for people with the lived experience of mental health conditions, and vulnerable people and communities, and to advocate for First Nations peoples widely… exciting collaborations with outcomes that have real life relevance to people’s lives… Of course I can’t solve all the world’s problems! – I can’t do it alone… but a PhD gives me the opportunity to contribute is meaningful ways and to play a part in improving the health and well-being of others. I absolutely love being a nurse and doing the work I do! Back home in Australia… and as a Nursing Professor myself now, teaching and supervising  a new wave of nursing PhD candidates, and over the years contributing to the education of thousands more ambitious nursing undergraduate students as they make their way towards entering the profession I love.

My Wongwibinda schoolgirl self would never have dared to dream or imagine the career I am in the midst of back in the 1970’s! (although, on reflection,  I was pretty good with applying Band-Aids and nursing back to health a poddy lamb (or dozen) back then!)

In this time of Covid-19, how has the virus impacted your work?

Hugely… it has impacted us all… but, my familiarity with digital learning environments first encountered at UNE… has set me up well – as all universities in Australia and beyond adapt to online teaching and learning overnight…. For me – that bit has been very comfortable indeed. My research field in digital health has many opportunities with the expansion of telehealth overnight as well… and in terms of the public health message – it is not that different to what I have been ‘practicing and preaching’ throughout my entire career… wash your hands, use good hygiene etiquette, don’t go spreading your virus by going to work/ school when you are sick… stay home instead. For me, I see transformative opportunities ahead and I prefer to focus on the glass half full! I am looking forward to the next year’s cohort of first year students at university… because I think that the skills they will have acquired during lockdown this year at high school will result in them being great at adapting to change, organising their time and workloads, networking in groups, and collaborative learning…  and super at self-directed learning and self-discipline… and their online learning skills will be second to none… they will transform the way we embrace the future before us… Yes we all wish COVID19 had never come… and it has wreaked havoc the world over in so many ways… but it is  here – and adapting to change is necessary so let’s get on with getting through this and learning what we can from the adversity to take forward to a healthier future. We are fortunate overall – Australia has done a great job so far… let’s keep it up!

Anything else you would like to share?

I am now based on the Central Coast of NSW, and working as Professor of Nursing and Deputy Head of School – Central Coast at University of Newcastle, and I continue to support UNE nursing however I can as a UNE adjunct.