School of Nursing and Midwifery

Professor Desley Hegney is Director of the Research and Practice Development Centre – a joint centre of the School of Nursing & Midwifery at the University of Queensland and Blue Care – a not-for-profit provider of community, respite and residential care.

Her major research interest to date has been in the area of primary health care nursing – particularly the nursing workforce issues in rural and remote areas. She was the inaugural president of the Association for Australian Rural Nurses and Midwives and currently is a member of the Executive Committee of this association. She was the inaugural Editor of the Australian Journal of Rural Health (1992-2002).

The focus of Desley’s research continues to be around nursing workforce issues, however, she is now developing a new career in the care of older people and palliation. She is committed to translation of evidence into practice and has recently been appointed the Director of the newly formed Australian Centre for Evidence Based Community Care (ACEBCC) – a collaborating centre of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The aim of this centre is to ensure that the care provided by Blue Care staff is based upon the best available evidence thus ensuring quality outcomes for their clients and residents.