BN, Grad. Cert. Critical Care, MPET, PhD Pauletta has over 25 years experience working clinically as a Registered Nurse and brings these experiences to inform her academic and research activities. Her nursing expertise is broad and encompasses aged care, paediatrics, critical care, medical and surgical areas. She has nursed in a variety of environments ranging from large tertiary metropolitan hospitals to rural and remote multipurpose health centres. Pauletta is a leader in pedagogy and has received a number of recent awards confirming her expertise and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. She has extensive experience in teaching within traditional classrooms, clinical, simulation, and blended environments and has taught in international, undergraduate, and post graduate levels of higher education. Pauletta has strong theoretical and experiential knowledge in various simulation platforms developed from her years of employment in the tertiary sector. She has led several innovative research projects where virtual simulation has been piloted to teach nursing students skills such as holistic assessments, post graduate mental health students home environment assessments, and an international study examining a shared learning space creating a global classroom. Leadership on these projects has led to sustained partnerships with tertiary (national and international) and healthcare sectors. As a current executive committee member of the Australian Society for Simulation in Healthcare (Secretary, education and research portfolios), Pauletta is promoting simulation to build workforce capacity and knowledge. This work strengthens and informs health pedagogy and brings a national and international perspective. Pauletta is works closely with her HDR students and has received funding to increase the research capacity of Clinical Nurse and Clinical Midwife Consultants across three Local Health Districts. A proponent of transformative education, Pauletta encourages deep learning that comes from teaching that is constructive and inspires critical thinking, lifelong learning and purposeful reflection. Acknowledging that we are global citizens, Pauletta encourages her students to develop learning networks at university, health, community, national and international levels. Pauletta believes that at the core of teaching and learning is connectedness. Students should feel connected to what they are learning and who they are learning with. At a time where technology is ubiquitous, Pauletta harnesses its capacity to deliver innovative and engaging opportunities for learning. She has demonstrated expertise in digital literacy and proficiency, and innovative application of educational technology for teaching and learning. Pauletta is sharing her knowledge of research and education and is an HDR supervisor with domestic and international students. In previous roles with the University of Newcastle and Southern Cross University, Pauletta has contributed to leading and developing clinical and theoretical curriculum that has led to successful accreditation of programs. Highlights of Pauletta’s teaching career is receiving a nomination for an Educator-Innovation Impact award (2021) and receiving the University of Newcastle (UoN) School of Nursing and Midwifery and Faculty of Health and Medicine ‘Excellence in Teaching’ awards and a Vice Chancellor citation for “Outstanding and innovative initiatives in advancing the School’s simulation learning” . These awards are in recognition of Pauletta’s whole of curriculum approach to high quality, innovative teaching of undergraduate Nursing students. Pauletta has generated $678,647 in education and research funding income. As a co-investigator on two active and recent national grants demonstrates Pauletta’s ability to successfully collaborate with industry partners and health academics. Pauletta currently co-supervises five Higher Degree by Research students (domestic and international). All of the students are meeting the requirements of the studies.
Nursing
Associate Professor Pauletta Irwin
Acting Associate Head (Learning and Teaching) / Simulation Lead / Campus Engagement Academic / Associate Professor of Nursing
Port Macquarie
Building 1410
Current funded research includes: