Academic Level E
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Qualifications: RN., RM., ICUCert., DipAppliSci., BN., M.Ed., PhD., ACCCN (Life Member), FACN, FAHA, FCSANZ, FESC, FAAN
Matthew Flinders Emeritus Professor and Flinders University Distinguished Alumni.
Prof Robyn A Clark formerly held a joint appointment and clinical chair as Professor of Acute Care and Cardiovascular Research at the Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University & Clinical Chair & Director of Nursing and Midwifery Research at the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network. Prof Robyn Clark is a senior clinician and researcher. She holds qualifications as a Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Midwife (RM) and Critical Care Nurse (ICUCert), a Masters in Adult Education and a PhD in Health Sciences. Prof Clark has been a fully funded full-time researcher for the past 20 years. Prof Clark was the inaugural recipient of the NHMRC National Institute of Clinical Studies (NHMRC-NICS-NHF) PhD scholarship supported by the National Heart Foundation. She received the scholarship for her research on telemonitored heart failure management in rural and remote Australia. She completed an NHMRC Training Fellowship (CIA) 570141 at QUT in 2013. Prof Clark was a Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellow (2016-2020) and has been awarded a Life Member of the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses and the Australasian Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Fellowships with the American Academy of Science Nursing ( FAAN) Royal College of Nursing (FRCNA now FACN), Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA), Fellow of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (FCSANZ), Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC). Prof Clark holds adjunct appointments at the University of South Australia, Queensland University of Technology, University of Technology Sydney, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), University of Virginian and Edinburgh Napier University.
Prof Robyn Clark is internationally recognized for her research into the most effective management of patients with heart failure and cardiovascular disease.
Prof Clark’s research program can be summarized under the overall theme of increasing ACCESS to evidence-based care for underserviced and disadvantaged populations. Prof Clark’s program of research has three streams: stream one focuses upon improving access the heart failure and cardiovascular disease services for patients and communities especially in rural and remote Australia. This suite of research is recognized for its innovative methods, particularly its emphasis on geographical epidemiological analysis using GIS.
The second stream involves the use of information technology to bridge the gap between cardiac specialist centers and populations with limited access to cardiology services or to patients with low health literacy. This suite of research includes the evaluation of telehealth, apps and avatars as tools to deliver education and secondary interventions for heart failure and cardiac rehabilitation.
The third theme is centred on improving access for patients with cardiotoxicity after cancer treatment to appropriate cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention. Prof Clark has a strong background in epidemiology and linked data analysis and in the last 4 years has been working with cancer researchers in investigate the epidemiology and patient outcome of heart failure after cancer treatment.
All of these streams underpin a cohesive research strategy that aims to build capacity in cardiovascular care supported by technology outside of metropolitan hospitals.
Grants: Career funding is more than $5.5m. This includes three Category 1 funded projects: (NHMRC APP570141 Clark & APP1060254 Clark & APP1060254_ Yates (2013-2018)).
Publications: Prof Clark has demonstrated a commitment to establishing her research in the literature. She currently has a career total of 108 published peer reviewed papers (80 in the past 5 years) with many published in high-ranking journals such as Circulation, BMJ, MJA and European Journal of Heart Failure. Her work currently has a mean citation rate of 10.69. Her Telemonitoring in Heart Failure series of publications has had nearly 1000 citations. Not included in the citation metrics is the incredible 4,404 downloads the original Cardiac ARIA project has had since 2012.
COLLABORATIONS: Prof Clark haspublished with 96 other collaborators in 72 other institutions and universities including the Heart Foundation, University of California San Francisco, University of Sydney, University of Queensland, Central Queensland University, Adelaide University and The George Instituteas examples.
International standing
Prof Clark has presented 76 international and national papers (including invited and keynote speaker and plenary) at the world’s most important scientific congress in cardiovascular research, for example European Cardiac Society, Heart Failure Society of American and the American Heart Association. Received some of the highest research prizes in her field including; the AHA Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing Council, Clinical Research Paper of the Year 2013, The European Society of Cardiology: Nursing /Allied Health Professional Investigator Award 2011, The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Nursing Research Prize (2011) and Poster Prize (2008) and The ESC Heart Failure Judges Choice Award 2007. Her current professional commitments include being President of the STTI Psi ETA Honour representation CSANZ Nursing Council Member, Member of executive steering committee SA Dept Health Cardiac Clinical Network, Chair Education and Workforce, SA Dept of Health Cardiac Clinical Network, CSANZ Heart Failure Council-Secretary.
Peer review involvement NHMRC & other grant organisations
Prof Clark is aNHMRC Grant Review Panellist 2011-present;International Grant Reviewer NRC 2011; Project Grant Reviewer NHMRC 2009-2012; Reviewer - Grant applications National Heart Foundation 2006-2012; Reviewer - Grant applications National Heart Foundation New Zealand 2006-present; Funding selection panel member Women’s and Children’s Hospital Research Fund (2008-2010) and QUT IBHI Collaborative Grant Review Panellist (2010-2013).
Editorial Responsibilities: A peer reviewer for 12 medical and nursing journals including BMJ, MJA, European Journal of Heart Failure and Circulation.
Supervision and mentoring: Supervised to completion 4 PhD, 8 Masters and 4 Honours (total 16) and is currently supervising or co-supervising 5 PhDs and 1 Honours student.
Committees / Consultancies
Editorial contribution
Professional roles