Sleep is one of the three pillars of health along with diet and exercise, says Flinders PhD researcher Nicole Grivell, who has dedicated her research degree to changing the way sleep health is managed in our communities.
Working alongside the National Centre for Sleep Health Services Research, Nicole is exploring the role that primary care nurses can play within sleep health care and understanding the barriers and facilitators that exist for nurses providing care.
“I have been a primary care nurse for many years and have been involved in the development and provision of models of care that were not sustainable for a number of reasons,” she says.
“Cessation of these programs can have a devastating effect on patients. I now want to contribute to knowledge that can improve the success of nurse-delivered models of sleep health care.
“This will hopefully enhance continuity of care for patients and promote retention and upskilling of nurses.”
Her PhD aims to make a broad difference in sleep health.
“I’ve had the freedom to pursue something I think I can make a difference in, in a way that suits me. I’m hoping that by combining my clinical knowledge with research I can have an impact on a wider scale,” Nicole says.
An advocate for the role of primary care nurses within the health care system, Nicole has worked for many years as a primary care nurse as part of a successful clinical career.
With a young family, she wanted a career with more flexibility and took a position as a research assistant at Flinders University in a different field to primary care.
With plans to eventually teach nursing students, she completed an Honours degree while working part-time and raising two young children. She later progressed to a PhD, taking on a full-time load while both her children were at school.
