About the event
This session will provide an overview of what you can expect as a student, including course structure, study requirements, and the support services available to you throughout your learning journey. It is also a great opportunity to gain practical tips for managing your studies and to ask any questions you may have before getting started. Whether you are still considering your options or preparing to begin your course, we encourage you to attend and make the most of this opportunity to feel confident and prepared.
About the speakers
Ashley Page. RN, MACN, MHLM, DipProfPract, CertIVTAE
Ashley is the Director of Academic Studies at ACN. Since becoming a Nurse Educator in 2012, Ashley has been passionate about supporting nurses at every stage of their careers. She prioritises delivering high-quality education and focuses on helping students translate theory into practical, clinically relevant knowledge and skills.
Dr Patricia Lowe. RN, RM, FACN, BNurs, GradDipMid, MMid, GC NIC, GC C&FHN, PhD
Trish is a registered nurse, midwife, and child and family health nurse. Her clinical specialty is neonatal intensive care. Trish’s doctoral research explored the stressors and satisfiers impacting neonatal nurses’ professional quality of life. Trish will continue disseminating these results and applying her knowledge, skills, and experience to nursing and midwifery workforce development.
Christine Collins. RN, MACN, BNurs, GradCertEmergNurs, MNurs(Clinical Education)
Christine considers herself a lifelong learner and is passionate about advancing nursing education through mentorship, professional development, and the creation of practical, equitable, and evidence-informed learning resources. Holding a Master’s degree in Nursing (Education), she has developed a strong academic and professional focus on adult learning principles and their application within nursing education. Her practice is centred on leading, mentoring, and supporting current and future educators within the nursing profession, with a particular emphasis on translating contemporary evidence and theoretical knowledge into meaningful clinical practice.
Meena Sapkota.
Meena is a dedicated clinical nurse educator and mentor with a strong passion for adult learning, professional development and mentorship. Drawing on her extensive clinical experience and a Master of Clinical Teaching, she is committed to bridging the gap between theory and clinical practice. She is passionate about creating safe, supportive and encouraging learning environments where nurses feel empowered to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence. Through evidence-based adult learning methodologies, Meena encourages critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and reflective practice. Her goal is to support nurses in achieving the highest standards of clinical practice and contribute to the delivery of safe, effective and person-centred patient care.
Sharron Smyth-Demmon.N, MCN, B.Ed (Prof. Hons), DPSN, Cert IV TAE, MACN, MACORN, MNSWOTA
Sharron coordinates our Graduate Certificate in Perioperative Nursing. She began her nursing career in the United Kingdom where she worked in primarily in the field of women’s health, both in an acute gynaecological setting and in primary health as a qualified family planning nurse. Sharron has several years of experience within the perioperative setting, mainly in anaesthetics and recovery. She also has extensive experience in the day surgery environment. Sharron has over 30 years of nursing experience and sees nursing as not only a science but also an art, with compassion, humanity and empathy at its core.
Vanessa Wall. RN, MACN, MEd (ICT), MRes, CertIV TAE
Vanessa coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care and the Graduate Certificate in Digital Health. Vanessa’s expertise in palliative care nursing is the result of over 20 years’ experience in the field in both hospice and community care settings.Alongside her clinical experience, Vanessa has also worked in both Vocational and Higher Education settings for the past 20 years, specialising in the application of digital technologies in education and health and creation of academic pathways for nurses seeking to advance their nursing career.
Vanessa is passionate about supporting future nursing professionals through all stages of their career, and has research interests in the transition, retention and academic performance of nurses pursuing further education.