Associate Professor Mary Oliver

Associate Professor Mary Oliver is Associate Dean Teaching & Learning at the University of South Australia, Centre for Regional Engagement. Previously Mary held the position of Associate Dean Research and Teaching and Learning for three years prior to her current position. Mary was the inaugural Head of Nursing & Rural Health established at the Whyalla Campus during 2001. As the Associate Dean, Mary is responsible for the Teaching and Learning portfolio at the Centre for Regional Engagement and provides leadership in the scholarship of teaching. The annual teaching and learning symposium was introduced by Mary during her term of office to showcase teaching activities of staff engaged in four programs (Nursing, Social Work, Business and Engineering) across two sites at the Whyalla Campus and Mt. Gambier Learning Centre. Mary mentors academic staff in applying for the university’s annual teaching awards and administers the CRE teaching grants. Mary’s successful negotiation led to the offering of the First Generation program at the Whyalla Campus for year 10 secondary students during 2009. These students are the first generation in their family to undertake or consider further study by participating in a program run by the University of South Australia to raise aspirations about university study and post-school pathways. The joint State-Government and University partnership program involves Year 10 students from schools who are the first to begin the new South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) in 2009. The program will continue to be offered at the Whyalla Campus. Mary has extensive experience in the Disciplines of nursing and education. Using Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) architecture Mary designed an on-line Master of Rural Health Program at UniSA and more recently, funded by the federal government produced on DVD a learning environment for health professionals on reflective practice in palliative care using CBR.

Mary has earned over AUD 1 million in external research funding and is widely published in peer reviewed conference proceedings and research articles. Mary has research interests in health care, palliative care, early childhood/positive parenting and decision-making. Mary leads a palliative care research group at UniSA and has produced resources for health professionals on pastoral care, counselling and support. Mary supervises several postgraduate students at PhD and Masters Level researching a variety of health related topics. In addition to palliative care Mary’s research includes participatory action research in early intervention, positive parenting involving rural/regional communities which is funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

UniSA Palliative Care Research Group

• Curriculum design & development
• On-line Problem Based Learning (PBL) in nurse education
• Critical Incident technique in problem solving
• Case-Based Reasoning approach in problem solving
• Multimedia in education

Member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing USA

Member of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE)

Member of the Australian Society for Educational Technology (ASET)

BEd. & Nursing (University of New England)

M.Ed (University of New England)

PhD (The University of Queensland Graduate School of Education)

• Decision-making of novice, competent and expert practitioners
• Palliative care service delivery, issues relating to palliative care client and their family and caregiver
• Developing multimedia resources in pastoral care for health professionals in palliative care
• Rural and remote early intervention program for families with 0-12 year old children
• Culturally appropriate ways of managing type 2 diabetes in Aboriginal people
• Education research
• Job stress and job performance in nursing

Oliver, M. Penman, J. (2009). Reflective Practice in Palliative Care: A Case Based Reasoning Environment for health Professionals, DVD 1 & 2. ISBN 978-0-9802841-3-3 University of South Australia.

Penman. J. Oliver, M. & Harrington, A. (2009. Spirituality and spiritual engagement as perceived by palliative care clients and caregivers, Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing Volume 26 Number 4, PP.29-34.

Oliver, M. (2008) The Cultural-Ecological Orientation of Graduate Nurses (Novice) in Medical-Surgical Nursing. International Journal of Nursing Practice, Vol 14, Issue 5, pp.342-346.

Oliver, M. (2008) Participatory Action research: Improving the capacity of parents to respond to children’s needs. The Family Relationship Services Inaugural National Conference, Shangri-La Hotel, Cairns Tuesday 4-7 November 2008.

Oliver, M., Ofner, C., Penman, J., & Ellis, B. (2007). Pastoral care, counselling and support for palliative care clients and their families: a resource manual for health professionals. Whyalla SA: University of South Australia Centre for Regional Engagement.ISBN 978-0-9802841-2-6

Oliver, M. Penman, J. (July 2007). The phenomenon of spirituality: the experience of palliative care clients and caregivers in engaging with spiritual issues, 18th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice 11-14 July, Vienna AUSTRIA.

Oliver, M,. Penman, J. & Ofner, C. (2006). Partnering with rural communities to improve access and education in palliative care. Centre for Regional Engagement, University of South Australia,(September ISBN 0-9802841-1-2).

Oliver, M. & Ofner, C. (2006). Lower North Health Palliative Care Service Review Report December 2005. Centre for Regional Engagement, University of South Australia (March 2006 ISBN 0-9802841-0-4).

Oliver, M. Penman, J. & Ofner, C. (2005). The impact of partnership on capacity building in palliative care among rural communities: A South Australian experience. Central to Health: Sustaining well-being in remote and rural Australia, 8th National Rural Health Conference, Conference proceedings, Refereed Papers CD 1. National Rural Health Alliance, (NRHA) AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. Butler, J. (2004). Contextualising the trajectory of experience in medical and surgical clinical practice: How expert, competent and novice nurses make decisions and solve problems. Collegian,Vol. 11, No.1, pp. 21-27.

Penman, J. & Oliver, M. (2004) Meeting the challenges of assessing clinical placement venues in a Bachelor of Nursing program, Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 1(2): 59-73. http://jutlp.uow.edu.au

Oliver, M. Munn, P. & Pedder, W. (December 2003). Using a Case-Based Reasoning approach in on-line learning: In learning about rural practice. Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, 20th Annual Conference – Interact Integrate Impact, December 7-10 Adelaide, AUSTRALIA

Penman, J, Oliver, M & Petkov, J (September 2003). Where are our graduates: A retrospective study of employment location of Whyalla nursing graduates. International Rural Education Conference, Society for the provision of Education in Rural Australia, 19th Conference, Canberra, AUSTRALIA

Oliver, M. Munn, P. & Pedder, W. (December 2003). Using a Case-Based Reasoning approach in on-line learning: In learning about rural practice. Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, 20th Annual Conference – Interact Integrate Impact, December 7-10 Adelaide, AUSTRALIA.

Munn, P. Oliver, M. (November, 2003). Utilising the UniSA teaching & learning framework and expert cases as an approach to online delivery. Online Learning & Teaching Conference-OLT 2003 "Excellence: Making the Connections", November 5, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA.

Penman, J. Oliver, M. & Buzzacott, C. (October, 2003). A cross cultural partnership in health between the Oodnadatta Health Service, Oodnadatta Community, Dunjiba Council and the School of Nursing and Rural Health. Primary Health Care Research Evaluation and Development, SA Conference, October 16 -17 2003 Adelaide, AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. Gorman, D. & Best, O. (July 2002). Towards better practice: A collaborative approach to managing type 2 Diabetes in Australian Indigenous People, 13th International Nursing Research Congress, "The Adventure of Nursing Practice through Research: How Far Have We Come-Where to from Here? 24-26 July Brisbane, Queensland, AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. (November 2001). Contesting the traditional classroom conversation in nursing education: Embracing the new paradigm in information technology and communications in an undergraduate pre-registration program, 4th Biennial International Nursing and Midwifery Conference "Contesting Conversations" in Practice, Education, Research and Policy 4-7 November, Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide South AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. Gorman, D. & Best, O. (2001). Towards Better Practice: Development of a Collaborative Model to address Non-Insulin Dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in Indigenous Communities. Report submitted to The Queensland State-wide and Non-Government Health Services., The National Library ACT, State Library Queensland.

Oliver, M. (November 2001). Contesting the in vacuo ethos of clinical reasoning and decision making of med/surg nurses: How and when do nurses influence medical decision-making? 4th Biennial International Nursing and Midwifery Conference "Contesting Conversations" in Practice, Education, Research and Policy 4-7 November, Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide South AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. (October 2000). Electronic Collaborative Learning Architecture: Coaching Under Graduate Students using PBL in Transcultural Nursing using WWW Conferencing System, Proceedings of International Transcultural Nursing: Leading into the New Millennium, The legends Hotel, Surfers Paradise, AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. Koronios, A. Naidu, S. & Strickland, K. (July 2000). Evaluation of a Multimedia Learning Environment Designed to Enable Graduate Nurses to Think Critically on Clinical Decision-Making: A Case Based Reasoning Architecture, The Tenth Annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics, The University of Maryland, School of Nursing, Maryland, Baltimore, USA.

Mukkur, T. Oliver, M. Best, O. Wright, M.A. (November 2000) Traditional Australian Medicines and Biotechnological Innovation, Proceedings of Biennial World Federation of Traditional Medicine, And XIV Congreso International De Medicina Tradicional Alternativas Terapeuticas, Mexico City, Mexico.

Oliver, M. Koronios, A.Naidu, S. & Strickland, K. (July 2000). Enabling graduate nurses to think critically on clinical decision-making: User perceptions of a multimedia simulation The Australian Society for Educational Technology/Higher Education Research & Development Society of Australasia (ASET/HERDSA), The University of Southern Queensland, AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. Naidu, S. Koronios, A. (December 2000) Utilizing Case Based Reasoning and multimedia to enhance clinical decision making of novice practitioners: Product Implementation and evaluation, Proceedings of Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE), Southern Cross University Coffs Harbour NSW, AUSTRALIA.

Naidu, S. Oliver, M. Koronios, A. (1999). Approaching Clinical Decision Making in Nursing Practice with Interactive Multimedia and Case-Based Reasoning. Interactive Multimedia Electronic Journal of Computer-Enhanced Learning, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.

Naidu, S. & Oliver, M. (1999). Critical incident-based computer supported collaborative learning. Instructional Science: An International Journal of Learning and Cognition. 27(5), 329-354, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 3300 AZ Dordrecht, The Netherlands

Oliver, M. Naidu, S. Koronios, A. McIntyre, Y & Stalley, A. (1999). A Multimedia-Based Clinical Decision Support System for Graduate Nurses Entering the Workforce, Conference Proceedings, Health Informatics 1999, Hobart, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA.

Naidu, S. Oliver, M. Koronios, A. (1999). Clinical Decision Making in Nursing Practice with Case Based Reasoning, Conference Proceedings, ED-MEDIA 99 World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Seattle, USA.

Naidu, S. Oliver, M. Koronios, A. (1999). Clinical Decision Making in Nursing Practice with Case Based Reasoning, Conference Proceedings, ED-MEDIA 99 World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Seattle, USA.

Koronios, A. Oliver, M. Naidu, S. (1998). Multimedia-Based Decision Making in Nursing Clinical Practice: A Case Based Reasoning Architecture, Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE), University of Wollongong, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. Phillips, M. Naidu, S. (1998). Australia and North America: Collaboration in Internet Education of Student Nurses, Sixteenth Annual International Nursing Computer and Technology Conference, Rutgers State University, New Jersey, USA.

Naidu, S. Oliver, M. (1998). Facilitating graduate nurses' transition into the workforce with interactive multimedia in a computer supported collaborative learning environment, ED-MEDIA/ED-TELECOM 98 World Conferences on Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia and on Educational Telecommunications, Freiburg, Germany.

Oliver, M. Naidu, S., Sanderson, U, Phillips, M. (1998). Nursing in Perspective: Building a learning engine for registered nurses studying through distance education mode at the University of Southern Queensland, 3rd International Congress for Nursing Academics, Collaboration In Nursing: Making A Difference to Health Outcomes, Canberra, AUSTRALIA.

Oliver, M. Naidu, S. (1997). Computer Supported Collaborative Reflection In and On Action in Nursing Education http://ultibase.rmit.edu.au/develop/Articles/oliver1.html

Oliver, M. Naidu, S. (1997). Computer Supported Collaborative Problem Based Learning: Towards a learner centred design in undergraduate nurse education, Integrity, Innovation, Integration, Problem Based Learning, Conference Proceedings, 3rd Bi-annual International Conference of the Australian Problem Based Learning Network, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA.

I am able to provide media comment in the following areas of expertise:

Discipline: Nursing

• Health
• Nursing
• Education
• Palliative Care
• Early Intervention Positive Parenting