Ms Sally-Anne Bessell

• Biography/ Background

  Sally completed her Bachelor of Nursing Degree at the University of South Australia, in 1996. She has since worked in many nursing positions, specialising in Critical Care Nursing. Having completed a certificate in Acute Care Nursing, Sally went on to complete a Graduate Diploma in Intensive Care Nursing in 2001 and Masters of Critical Care Nursing in 2017.

  Sally has enjoyed a critical care nursing career across both the private and public healthcare sectors. She has worked in ICU at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Anaesthetics and Recovery, Angiography and the Critical Care Unit at St Andrew’s Hospital. For the past 11 years Sally has enjoyed a casual clinical position in the Emergency Department at Calvary Adelaide Hospital (previously Calvary Wakefield Hospital).

  To broaden her nursing experience, Sally branched out into Community Health and University teaching in 2007. Here she fulfilled roles as a liaison officer/discharge planner for a private community nursing company, whilst working for the University of South Australia as an undergraduate nursing tutorial tutor. Having enjoyed the introduction to curriculum based, undergraduate teaching and academia, by 2015 Sally’s interest in nursing education had developed.

  February 2015 Sally commenced her career with The University of Adelaide, Adelaide Nursing School. Initially a Clinical Facilitator she enjoyed student mentorship, industry liaison and networking, skills lab teaching and student assessment. Having a strong interest in teaching, assessment design and research, whilst championing the nursing profession, Sally went on to become a Course Co-ordinator of both undergraduate and post graduate course work. Sally developed an orientation program for direct entry Enrolled Nurse's into the Bachelor of Nursing Program at the BN2, 2nd year undergraduate level, which she continues to coordinate. 2024, Sally became Year Lead of the Bachelor of Nursing 2nd Year cohort, having been a clinical course coordinator for this BN 2 cohort for some years. Sally chairs and coordinators the Year lead meetings between Pre-Registration coordinators, all Year leads and the Clinical Lecturer team leader. This team ensures the maintenance of consistent management, communication, assessment and content delivery of curriculum and undergraduate student activities, including study tours and clinical placement. Student management and support, curriculum development, assessment development including OSCE design and management have become core roles Sally fulfills.

  2023, Sally embarked on her Master of Clinical Science, which continues successfully. Her Higher Degree in Research topic is "The adaptive coping strategies used by newcomer Emergency Department nurses following exposure to critical incidents". Sally has presented her progress on this research over the past 2 years, at the Adelaide Nursing School Research Seminar Ngadluku taikuringka ngutu. This research project supports the development of her research interests in innovations in student learning, promotion of newcomer nurse retention in critical care specialties and successful transition of the student nurse to clinician.

  Additional research interests for Sally include research completed in "the role of Virtual Reality in clinical simulation and education", this research project completed in 2023. Currently Sally is working on a joint research project between Adelaide Nursing School and the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network, "Assessment and review of nurse led clinics in Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network". Sally has also participated in Clinical Nursing textbook revisions and some other Adelaide Nursing School Research projects.

  Sally is also a founding member of the Adelaide Nursing School Alumni Network, in a continuing role as committee treasurer. Here she contributes to the creation of regular Alumni webinars, grant writing to fund and support ANSAN activities such as the Annual Alumni end of year networking event. 

   

Entry last updated: Thursday, 6 Feb 2025

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