Research making a difference

The School of Nursing is building a vibrant team of researchers with interests and expertise in a range of areas. With strong links to industry, our research focuses on generating and translating evidence for practice, working with communities to improve health outcomes, and building a skilled and resilient nursing workforce.

Areas of research strength include the care of older people and caregiver support, Aboriginal health, and innovation in nursing education. Our researchers hold adjunct research consultancies with the Centre for Nursing Research, Sir Charles Gardiner, Osborne Park Health Care Group and the Research Nursing Network, Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospital Group.  

Deadly Koolinga Chef Program

Kwob mereny, moorditj kaadadjan (good food, wonderful learning)

Led by Associate Professor Caroline Nilson, the Deadly Koolinga Chef Program is an Aboriginal community-based translational research project. The Program is providing cooking and nutrition instruction to children and adolescents aimed at improving health outcomes by developing knowledge and skills in good nutrition, healthy eating, and cooking. An evaluation of the Program using Community Based Participatory Action Research and Realist Evaluation is underway.

A central component of the project is the training of Aboriginal members at participating sites in research processes; and the upskilling of members of the Aboriginal workforce and Aboriginal community across WA, in areas of nutrition and dietetics. It is envisaged that the research findings will inform development of a WA specific Aboriginal nutrition promotion framework to facilitate translation of the Program to other sites.  

Indigenous children preparing food in kitchen

This three-year research project is a collaboration between School of Nursing and Ngangk Yira Institute for Change at Murdoch University; WA Health; and nine partner sites in the Perth and Peel regions. Funding is from the Australian Health Department, and Ian Potter Foundation.

For more information, visit deadlykoolingachefs.org