Nursing4614826

Dr Maria Mares

RN, BN (Hons), PhD

Dr Maria Mares is a registered nurse and Lecturer in Nursing with extensive experience in nursing education across undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Australia and internationally. Her teaching focuses on developing clinical reasoning, professional judgement, and culturally responsive practice through evidence-based learning.

Dr Mares' doctoral research explored health literacy and self-management among people living with coronary heart disease from CALD backgrounds, contributing evidence to support national health literacy and cardiovascular disease priorities. She involved in research exploring nursing students’ perceptions of artificial intelligence in learning and assessment. Through her community engagement work, Dr Mares has led digital health literacy initiatives and was awarded a Dementia Australia Community Engagement Grant to co-design a dementia knowledge project with Filipino Australians affected by young onset dementia.

Dr Mares is currently the Subject Convenor for NUR202 Professional Experience Placement 2.

Dr Maria Mares has taught across undergraduate and postgraduate nursing programs in Australia and internationally. Her teaching areas include anatomy and physiology, fundamentals of nursing, health assessment, pathophysiology, chronic disease management, pharmacology and therapeutics, research for nursing and midwifery, and culturally responsive healthcare. She has also taught registered nurses undertaking a nursing bridging program in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where she delivered subjects in pharmacology, research, and cultural competence within the healthcare context of the UAE and Gulf region. Her teaching integrates evidence-based practice, critical thinking, and culturally safe, person-centred care to prepare students for contemporary nursing practice in diverse healthcare settings.

Dr Mares’ research interests include health literacy, chronic disease self-management, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, nursing education, dementia care, digital health literacy, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in healthcare education. Her current research focuses on exploring the perspectives and experiences of nursing students and registered nurses to inform future approaches to dementia education and practice.

Beyond academia, Dr Mares contributes to health equity initiatives through digital health literacy programs, community engagement activities, and her involvement in the NSW Anti-Racism Collaborative, working alongside nursing and healthcare organisations to address racism and promote culturally safe health and aged care workplaces. She is the Convenor of the annual International Filipino Nursing Symposium, facilitating international collaboration, research dissemination, and professional networking among Filipino nurses and healthcare professionals. Her community engagement includes digital health literacy initiatives supporting culturally diverse communities through My Health Record and 1800 Medicare App information sessions. She also leads the Dementia Australia-funded co-design project developing culturally relevant dementia resources and support pathways with Filipino Australians affected by young onset dementia and their carers.