Associate Professor Nina Sivertsen
Associate Professor
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Nina Sivertsen, PhD (Nurs/Midwif), is an Arctic Indigenous Sea-Sámi woman living and working on Kaurna Lands in Australia, while holding a position as Associate Professor with the Arctic University of Norway. Her work centres on the impacts of colonisation and assimilation on healthcare, with a particular focus on integrating culture into mainstream health care provision. Her academic contributions encompass First Nations curriculum design and implementation, with cultural responsiveness in the centre. Nina’s research primarily addresses women’s and family health, health systems and services research, and contributes to shaping restorative policies and practices in mainstream health that benefit Sámi, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.
She works in inter-Indigenous settings together with First Nations health professionals from around the world to improve healthcare and health outcomes for all First Nations people. Nina’s work in the nexus of Indigenous women’s identities, culture, health, and education has led to international recognition as evidenced by her partnerships in Norway, Canada and Australia. She is the recipient of numerous awards; amongst them the 2024 ACN Health Minister's Nursing Trailblazer Award (finalist), 2024 Flinders Reconciliation Award (Team), 2022 Flinders Reconciliation Award (Individual), 2021 Women in Innovation Award South Australia, the 2020 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Innovation in Teaching, as well as being a finalist of the 2021 AFR National Teaching Excellence Awards.
Associate Professor Sivertsen is an active member of many community organisations and academic committees providing space for Indigenous voices within strategic planning, governance, and curriculum. She works with research higher degree students to create new knowledge and build capacity enabling students to fulfil their potential as independent academics and researchers of the future.
RN, BNg (Hons First Class), Grad Cert Ed (Higher Ed), PhD (Ng/Midwif), MACN
Awards
2024 ACN Health Minister's Nursing Trailblazer Award (finalist)
2024 Flinders Reconciliation Award (Team)
2022 Flinders University Reconciliation Award (individual)
2021 Women in Innovation South Australia Award
2021 National Finalist AFR Teaching Excellence Award
2021 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Innovation in Teaching
2020 CNHS Excellence in Teaching Award
2019 International Women's Day Irene Bell Award
2018 Roger Wurm Award
2016 Turnitin Global Innovations Award - Finalist
2015 Asia-Pacific Outstanding Service Award
2015 Ruth Gibson Memorial Award
2009 Asia-Pacific Achievement in Health Sciences Award
2007 Flinders University Medal
2005 Chancellor's Letter of Commendation, Flinders University
Research Grants
2023 SALHN Collaborative Clinician Grant: Birthing Experiences
2023 OEY Child Health Development Checks Stage 2
2022 Flinders Foundation: The needs of Early Menarche in South Australian Primary Schools
2022 OEY Child Health Development Checks Stage 1
2022 Flinders Foundation Grant Exploring interprofessional education for child protection
2022 Hospital Research Foundation: Health access for women and children leaving DV
2021 Arts in Health: Innovative ways to teach nursing students about First Nations health
2021 Nexus Arts Cultivator Residency
2021 Channel 7 Research Foundation Grant
2020 CFI COViD-19 Collaboration Grant
2020 Community Partnership Grant
2020 CFI Enhancing wellbeing for disadvantaged children
2019 MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation for Health Impact Grant
2018 Canadian Institute of Health Research CIHR. Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR)
2018 Rosemary Bryant Foundation Seeding Grant
2017 NSW Women's Health Needs Analysis Grant
2017 CIHR Ombaashi - International Indigenous Mentorship Network Program Grant
2016 School of Nursing and Midwifery Start-Up Grant
2016 Department of Social Services DSS Strengthening Communities Grant
2015 Flinders Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Seeding Grant
2015 Flinders Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Establishment Grant
2015 Flinders School of Nursing and Midwifery Start-Up Grant
Flinders University Academic Senate
Topic Coordinator across both undergraduate and postgraduate topics.
Curriculum Development
2021 New BN Curriculum development
2020 Developer of the Flinders Nursing Cultural Co-Teaching Model (FLiNCC) - the Malpa/cultural navigator model
2019 Curriculum development and design of NURS3005: Indigenous health specialty stream - Rheumatic Heart Disease (Rhd) And Acute Rheumatic Fever (Arf) For Health Professionals
2016-18 Team Leader Curriculum development and design of NURS1008 Indigenous Health BN undergraduate 1st year topic
2014-15 NURS3001 Team Leader Curriculum development and design of new
BN undergraduate 3rd year topic
2014 Curriculum development and design of NURS3004 (Transition to Professional Practice)
2013 Curriculum development and design of NURS2004 (Dynamics of Practice)
Student Mobility (Canada) theme specific liaison: Indigenous Health.
Teaching Indigenous health for nurses and midwives. This teaching is designed to enhance nursing students' understanding and awareness of health of Indigenous Australian Peoples in Australia from historical and contemporary perspectives within a framework of cultural safety. It is important to examine the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health is currently addressed within the Australian health system and critically examine the impacts of racism and discrimination on health and illness.
Teaching Psychology and Sociology for health professionals. Teachings focus on psychological influences on maintenance of health and responses to illness. It also applies a sociological perspective to the construction of health and illness and health care policy and practice.
Teaching global perspectives on policy and political contexts of health care and here students are introduced to international policies and their political contexts and how this influences health care practice and population health at a global, national and local level.
Reviewer:
MRFF National Grant Scheme Reviewer 2021
AlterNative - International Journal of Indigenous Peoples
Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, Editorial Board and Consultant
Flinders Start-Up Grant, Reviewer
Scientific Committee Member:
Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER) 2016-
Women's Leadership and Empowerment Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, 2015, 2018
International Alliance of First Nations Nurses & Midwives Committee Member 2016-
LINMEN Leaders in Indigenous Nursing and Midwifery Education Network Member 2017-
The Lowitja Institute 2021-
Australian College of Nursing (ACN) 2020-
Searvi sámi girjeÄ�állide/Foreninga Samiske Forfattere/Sámi Author Association 2019-
National Council of Women SA, State Coordinator and State Advisor Rural and Urban Women, 2015-
Board Director Victim Support Services SA 2018
Board Director Health Consumer Alliance SA 2018
SA Health Clinical Training Council Workgroup: Embedding Simulation (Simulated Learning Environment) 2015
SA Child Health Clinical Network, 2014–2015
Health Consumer Advocate, HCASA, 2013-2018
Flinders Faculty Committee of Teaching and Learning 2016-2017
Flinders Faculty Courses and Curricula Committee 2016-2017
Board of Studies SoNM 2016-2017
Honours Subcommittee 2017
Faculty Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 2015-2017
Undergraduate Nursing Course Advisory Committee, SoNM 2014-2015
Equal Opportunity & Diversity Committee 2013-2015
ALLY Network representative 2012-
Postgraduate Subcommittee 2014-2015
Undergraduate Nursing Subcommittee 2012-
International Programs Advisory Committee 2006-2011
Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives 2014-
Australian National Committee for UN Women 2014-2016
SNF-Sámi NissonForum / Sámi Women’s Forum, Kárášjohka, Norwegian Sámiland 2016-
Sámi Electoral Register, Norway 2006-
STTI - Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society 2016-
Sturt Honor Society 2013-2016
Golden Key International Honour Society 2005-
Mentor Connect@Flinders, 2013-2014
Inspire Peer Mentoring Program 2009-2011
- Nursing
- First Nations health system services
2025 Radio Islam interview: Malnutrition of Gaza's children
2023 ABC Radio interview culture-centred care
2023 ABC Radio interview First Nations cultural load
2023 Sydney Morning Herald interview about cultural load
2022 Yahoo News Scandinavian Children
2021 ABC Indigenous News Baby sleeping pods
2021 ABC Radio Safely sleeping babies
2019 In Practice Magazine. From the Arctic Circle to Outback Australia - An Indigenous Research Journey
2018 Radio interview Coast FM 88.7 about research with the Rosemary Bryant Research Centre.
2018 RBF Video interview
2018 Radio interview ABC 891 about work with National Council of Women SA
2018 Accredited Youth Mental Health First Aider
2017 San'yas - Indigenous Cultural Safety & Mental Health Training Program, Canada
2016 3M Thesis Judge SoNM, Flinders
2016 JBI Joanna Briggs Institute Comprehensive Systematic Review (CSR) Training Program
2015 SA Health Clinical Training Council Workgroup: Invited member of Embedding Simulation (Simulated Learning Environment)
2015 Invited speaker Centre for University Teaching (CUT), Flinders, seminar series about ‘Research into Teaching’ centred on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
2015 Organizer and invited speaker National Council of Women SA seminar: 'Unfinished Business...' - Aboriginal Recognition in the Australian Constitution, 23 May, Adelaide
2015 Student Mobility (Canada) theme specific liaison: Indigenous Health
2015 Premier's Women's Directory
2015 NHET Simulation Courses
2015 Invited guest speaker to Health Science HLTH2101, 'Cultural Safety'
2014 Invited guest speaker to Poche Centre of Indigenous Health and Well-being, 'Models of cross-cultural work'
2013 Invited guest speaker to Flinders University, 'Cultural Safety'
2012 Invited guest speaker to Australian College of Midwives SA
2012 Invited guest speaker Flinders University, 'Indigenous Health - Models of Health'
2010 Invited guest speaker UniSA Community Research and Work
2007 Radio Interview Radio Adelaide 101.5 FM, International Links: Circumpolar Nursing: Exploring Sámi nurses' experience of culture in their practice
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
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