Welcome to my staff homepage which provides a brief overview my clinical background, my current research projects and my academic role at University of South Australia.
I completed my Bachelor of Science (Nursing) at Curtin University of Technology, in 1998 and worked as a Registered Nurse in a small tertiary hospital (450 beds) in medical/ surgical wards, cardiothoracics and finally finding a 'home' in ICU. i completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Critical Care and was able to extend my nursing experience during a working holiday around Australia, with clinical positions in Cairns, QLD - ED & Adult/ Paediatric ICU; Palm Island, QLD - ED/Inpatients and then in the UK, with clinical positions in Guernsey - Adult ICU; London -... Read more
About me
Welcome to my staff homepage which provides a brief overview my clinical background, my current research projects and my academic role at University of South Australia.
I completed my Bachelor of Science (Nursing) at Curtin University of Technology, in 1998 and worked as a Registered Nurse in a small tertiary hospital (450 beds) in medical/ surgical wards, cardiothoracics and finally finding a 'home' in ICU. i completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Critical Care and was able to extend my nursing experience during a working holiday around Australia, with clinical positions in Cairns, QLD - ED & Adult/ Paediatric ICU; Palm Island, QLD - ED/Inpatients and then in the UK, with clinical positions in Guernsey - Adult ICU; London - Oncology ICU. Further postgraduate study (Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing - Renal) provided me with further opportunities to extend my nursing experience, working in Darwin, NT - Renal Nursing and Derby, WA - Haemodialyis.
I commenced my academic role at UniSA in 2012 and this role includes course coordination and teaching into the undergraduate nursing program (IBNU) and the postgraduate certificate of nurse education. In July 2020-2022, I acted as Program Coordinator (Theory) for the Bachelor of Nursing. In this role, I worked closely with the Program Directors and Course Coordinators to support the scholarship of teaching and learning within the Bachelor of Nursing.
As a PhD candidate at University of South Australia, my current research seeks to understand the experience of breathlessness (dyspnoea) for people living with kidney failure.
The research program is comprised of four studies:
(1) Systematic review of assessment of dyspnoea in people with ESRD. This study has identified a paucity of studies assessing dyspnoea in this population and, where dyspnoea is assessed, there is a reliance on unidimensional instruments (access published article via this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jorc.12321)
(2) Cross-sectional national survey of practices, attitudes and beliefs of clinicians regarding assessment and management of dyspnoea in people with kidney failure. The survey link is here and will take approx. only 10 minutes to complete.
(3) Descriptive observational cohort study to explore in real time how people living with kidney failure with replacement therapy (KFRT) experience breathlessness.
(4) Descriptive qualitative study to explore the understanding of breathlessness from the perspective of people living with KFRT, and their caregivers.
About me
Masters of Nursing Curtin University of Technology
Graduate Dipolma in Nursing Charles Darwin University
Graduate Certificate of Critical Care Nursing Curtin University
Bachelor of Science (Nursing) General Nursing Curtin University of Technology
Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Research Methodologies) University of South Australia
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
10/2012- Lecturer, School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of South Australia
2009-2011 Sessional Academic, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Curtin University of Technology
2007-2009 Lecturer, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Curtin University of Technology
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
2012 Registered Nurse Derby Dialysis Unit, Kimberley Aboriginal Health Medical Services, Western Australia
2009-2012 Registered Nurse, Renal/ Dialysis Unit, Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory
2006-2009 Registered Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, Fremantle Hospital & Health Service, Western Australia
2005 Staff Nurse E Grade, Critical Care Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital, London
2005 Staff Nurse E Grade, Intensive Care Unit, Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Guernsey
2004-2005 Registered Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, Fremantle Hospital & Health Service, Western Australia
2004 Registered Nurse, Outpatients/ Inpatients, Palm Island Hospital, Palm Island, Queensland
2003-2004 Registered Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, Cairns Base Hospital, Queensland
2001-2003 Registered Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, Fremantle Hospital & Health Service, Western Australia
2001 Registered Nurse, Cardiothoracic Ward, Fremantle Hospital & Health Service, Western Australia
2000-2001 Registered Nurse, Vascular & General Surgery, Fremantle Hospital & Health Service, Western Australia
1999-2000 Graduate Nurse, Graduate Nursing Program, Fremantle Hospital & Health Service, Western Australia
PhD candidate Proposed thesis title: The experience of dyspnoea (breathlessness) for people living with kidney failure.
The research program is comprised of four studies:
(1) Systematic review of assessment of dyspnoea in adults with kidney failure with replacement therapy (KFRT). This study has identified a paucity of studies assessing dyspnoea in this population and, where dyspnoea is assessed, there is a reliance on unidimensional instruments (access published article via this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jorc.12321)
(2) Cross-sectional national survey of practices, attitudes and beliefs of clinicians regarding assessment and management of dyspnoea in people with... Read more
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2020 |
Open access
2
2
1
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2020 |
Open access
2
2
1
|
Refereed journal articles
Chilvers M, Johnston, K, Ferrar, K & Williams MT, February 2020, ‘Dyspnoea assessment in adults with end-stage kidney disease: a systematic review’, Journal of Renal Care, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 1-14.
Refereed conference proceedings (poster presentations)
Chilvers M, Williams, MT, Johnston, K Ferrar & Williams, MT 2021 Pilot testing a survey to explore the practices, attitudes and beliefs of clinicians regarding assessment and management of dyspnoea in people with CKD. Renal Society of Australasia (RSA) Annual conference 17-19 June 2021, Virtual Conference, Australia (poster).
Chilvers M, Williams, MT, Johnston, K, Ferrar, K & Gibbs, C Assessment of breathlessness in adults with end-stage kidney disease receiving renal replacement therapy: a systematic review. Renal Society of Australasia (RSA) Annual conference 21-23 June 2018, Adelaide, Australia (poster).
Research
PhD candidate Proposed thesis title: The experience of dyspnoea (breathlessness) for people living with kidney failure.
The research program is comprised of four studies:
(1) Systematic review of assessment of dyspnoea in adults with kidney failure with replacement therapy (KFRT). This study has identified a paucity of studies assessing dyspnoea in this population and, where dyspnoea is assessed, there is a reliance on unidimensional instruments (access published article via this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jorc.12321)
(2) Cross-sectional national survey of practices, attitudes and beliefs of clinicians regarding assessment and management of dyspnoea in people with living with kidney failure.
(3) Descriptive observational cohort study, using mEMA, to explore in real time how people living with KFRT experience breathlessness.
(4) Descriptive qualitative study, using interviews, to explore the understanding of breathlessness from the perspective of people living with KFRT, and their caregivers.
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
Leadership
2020-2022 Program Coordinator (IBNU Theory), Clinincal Health Sciences (Nursing and Midwifery), UniSA
Awards
2018 University of South Australia, School of Nursing and Midwifery, ‘Dr Luisa Toffoli Course Coordinator Award’
2015 University of South Australia, Student Nominated Excellent Educator Award
2008 Curtin University Student Guild’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
2008 Nomination for Excellence in Education, Western Australian Nursing & Midwifery Excellence Awards program
Publications - Book Chapters
2017 Pearson Australia, revision of book chapter, December 2017 Revision of Chapter 36: Medications from Kozier and Erb’s Fundamentals of Nursing, 4th Australian edition.
2009 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Pty. Ltd, revision of book chapter, July 2009. Revision of Chapter 22: Management of patients with upper respiratory tract disorders from Farrell, Smeltzer & Bare Textbook of Medical Surgical Nursing, 1st Australian & New Zealand edition.
Teaching & student supervision
