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Associate Professor Loretta Garvey

Associate Head of Nursing (Curriculum and Accreditation), and Associate Professor, Nursing

Contact

Campus

Berwick Campus

Biography

Associate Professor Loretta Garvey is the Associate Head of Nursing, Curriculum and Accreditation at Federation University. She is a nurse academic and researcher with expertise in nursing education, assessment and curriculum innovation, simulation-based learning, and active learning strategies in health professions education.

Her expertise in assessment and educational innovation has been informed through studies at the Harvard Macy Institute, Harvard University, Boston, USA. Loretta has held academic and leadership roles across Federation University, Swinburne University, and Monash University in both nursing and medical education.

Her research interests include assessment and simulation in nursing education, mental health nursing, workforce capability, and student learning experiences. Loretta has supervised HDR students and published extensively in these areas and has received multiple awards for teaching and educational leadership, including an AAUT Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. 

Fields of research

  • Medicine, nursing and health curriculum and pedagogy

Available for

HDR Supervision

Professional Comment

HDR Examiner

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More about Loretta

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University  
  • Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education, Monash University  
  • Honours Degree of Bachelor of Nursing, Monash University  

Areas of interest

  • Scholarship of teaching and learning 
  • Active learning  
  • Authentic assessment 
  • Mental health 
  • Health innovation  

Grants

  • Dabkowski, E., Webb, C., Garvey, L., Van Dreven, A. William. S. (2025). Enhancing nursing students’ capacity in preventing and responding to falls, pressure injuries and medication errors: A mixed-methods evaluation of a co-designed workshop series. CERC Seed Grant ($5,000)
  • Olasoji, M.,  Joseph, B., Garvey, L., Willetts, W, Beck, B., Watts, M, Porter, J., Lowe, G. & Jacob, S. Empowering the Next Generation of Mental Health Nurses: A Workforce Development Approach. Mental Health Program National Mental Health Pathways to Practice Program Pilot. Department of Health and Aged Care ($1,236,284)
  • Maquire, T., Daffern, M, Garvey, L, McKenna, B. (2023). Evaluating Entrustable Professional Activities to enhance performance of graduate nurses using an Aggression Prevention Protocol. School of Health Sciences, Research Grant, Swinburne University ($6,830)

Awards

  • 2025: Learning and Teaching Award, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia
  • 2025: Dean’s Appreciation Award, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia
  • 2021: Citation for outstanding contributions to student learning, Australian Award for University (AAUT)
  • 2020: Vice Chancellor Teaching Excellence Award (Higher Education), Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2020: Faculty of Health Arts and Design, Teaching Excellence Award, Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2016: Office of Learning and Teaching Impact and Innovation Award, Monash University
  • 2008: Vice Chancellor’s Equity and Diversity Award, Monash University

Current

  • PhD student, 'Improving the physical health of young people with early psychosis: A feasibility study in Australia', co-supervisor.
  • PhD student, 'An exploration of competence-based training and assessment, for registered nurses in Australia, primary supervisor.
  • PhD student, 'Investigating the efficacy of replacing undergraduate nursing clinical placement hours in Australia with simulation hours and the impact of different simulation models, evaluation tools and technology enablers to deliver the simulation experience and how this effects the student’s preparedness for clinical experiences', co-supervisor.
  • PhD student, 'Performance of patient physical assessments by newly registered graduate nurses and the relationship to patient deterioration', primary supervisor.

Past

  • PhD student, Federation University, 'Pain management in sedated and ventilated patients', supervisor.
  • PhD student, Swinburne University, 'Incidence and impact of medication errors among older people living in residential aged care facilities', supervisor.
  • Masters student, Swinburne University, 'Examination of asthma inhaler adherence in young adults', supervisor.
  • Masters student, Monash University, 'Exploring the long-term influences of critical events on nurses' professional practice', supervisor.
  • Masters student, Monash University, 'An investigation of a mindfulness intervention in graduate nurses', supervisors.

Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC)

Loretta is part of the Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC), which provides training, workshops and mentoring to build capacity and enable organisations to conduct meaningful evaluations.
  • Publications

Exploring the Experience of Student Nurses Working as Registered Undergraduate Students of Nursing at a Specialist Cancer Centre

Optimising pain management in intensive care setting: Insights from a realist evaluation