Mental Health
Dr Gihane Endrawes
Dr Gihane Endrawes 
Dr Gihane Endrawes is a Lecturer with more than 20 years of experience in mental health nursing practice and education. She worked as a Transcultural Mental Health Clinical Nurse Consultant, during which time she coordinated a number of projects addressing consumers’ care and satisfaction and was involved in reviewing and developing policies and practice guidelines. Due to her contribution to mental health nursing, she won 2 nurse achievement awards.
Her PhD was on the ‘lived experience of caring for a relative with mental illness’.
Gihane has extensive experience coordinating undergraduate and postgraduate subjects and is involved in developing and reviewing curricula. She is recognized as a leader in mental health and has been invited as a Keynote Speaker for reputable international conferences. She has also presented at various national and international conferences.
She has been a reviewer and on the editorial board of various national and international scientific committees and journals and chaired various conferences.
She is also a member of the Translational Health Research Institute (THRI) and has experience supervising higher-degree research students, leading research teams, and obtaining research grants.
Gihane is also the recipient of the School of Nursing and Midwifery 2023 Excellence in Engagement Award—Mental Health Research Theme.
Her research interests include mental health, transcultural nursing, evidence-based practice, carers and consumers' issues, quality of life, spirituality, simulation, and nursing education.
Gihanes's main research interests and expertise includes:
- Mental Health
- Culture
- Education
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Quality of lie
- Spirituality
- Carers issues
- Simulation
- qualitative Research
- Quantitative Research
- Mixed Methodolgoies
Gihane's main research interests and expertise includes:
- Qualitative research
- Interpretative Phenomenological Methodology
How many students are you currently supervising (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)?
- 1 PhD
Students to completion (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 1 PhD
- 2 BHons
Contact details
Phone: +61 2 9685 9116
Dr Diana Jefferies
Dr Diana Jefferies
Dr Diana Jefferies is a lecturer in the school of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University. She has twenty-five years' experience in acute clinical nursing specialising in mental health and HIV Nursing. She has academic qualifications in Arts Based research methods such as historical analysis and literary criticism. Her current research program integrates her nursing and arts-based background to examine descriptions of mental health issues in historical and literary contexts.
Diana's main research interests and expertise includes:
- The Lived Experience of Illness
- Mental Health
- Patient Centred Care
- Medical and Health Humanities
- Womens Health
Diana's main methodological expertise includes:
- Qualitative Research - Narrative Arts based research methods especially historical and literary analysis
Currently supervising (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 1 BN (Hons)
- 1 MRes
Students to completion (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 1 PhD
- 1 BNHons
Contact details
Phone: +61 2 9685 930
Mobile: +61 409 125 256
Email: d.jefferies@westernsydney.edu.au
Twitter: @DianaJefferies7
Dr Gillian Murphy
Dr Gillian Murphy
Gill is Lecturer at Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery. Gill is actively involved in both under-graduate and post-graduate teaching and is a supervisor for higher degree research students. She is a mental health nurse with experiences in forensic, in-patient, community and emergency mental health services. She has worked in both UK and Australian clinical mental health services. Gill is actively engaged with mental health research. Her PhD study generated parenting narratives of adults who had experienced childhood parental mental illness. Her past research studies include an international study which considered health outcomes for people diagnosed with schizophrenia; supporting people with personality disorder using a clinical network and familial experiences of death as a result of suicide. Gill’s current research programme focuses on mental illness; loss and recovery. She is the founder of the Childhood Parental Death Ambassador programme. Gill has published in the area of mental illness in international journals and is a peer reviewer for mental health and nursing related publications.
Gill's main research interests and expertise includes:
- Mental Health
- Familial mental illness
- Suicide bereavement
- Childhood parental death
- Loss and recovery
Gill's main methodological expertise includes:
- Qualitative
- Narrative Inquiry
Currently supervising (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 1 BN (Hons)
- 2 MRes
- 5 PhD
Students to completion (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 1 MRES
- Experiences of burnout: Nurses working in accident and emergency departments
Contact details
Phone: +61 2 4570 1280
Dr Sheeja Perumbil Pathrose
Dr Sheeja Perumbil Pathrose
Dr Sheeja Perumbil Pathrose is the Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, and Director of NSW Centre for Evidence Based Health Care - JBI Affiliated Group Australia. She has many years of experience in both Undergraduate and Postgraduate Nursing programs. Sheeja is a quantitative and mixed-method researcher and her research has largely concentrated on studies that investigates practical aspects affecting vulnerable and sick infants and children.
Sheeja's main research interests and expertise includes:
- Mindfulness
- Adolescent Wellbeing
- Cancer
- Neonatal Nursing
- Young people
- Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) population
Sheeja's main methodological expertise includes:
- Systematic review
- Mixed method research
- Quantitive research
Currently supervising (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 2 PhD
- 1 BNHons
Students to completion (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 1 BNHons
- 2023 - Mosunmola Shuaibu (BNHons 1st Class): ‘Women’s experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Impact on Health and Wellbeing: A Qualitative Systematic Review’
Contact details
Phone: +61 2 9165 8659
Mobile: +61 424 998 479
Email: S.Pathrose@westernsydney.edu.au
Twitter: @PathroseSheeja
Professor Kath Peters
Professor Kath Peters
Professor Kath Peters RN BN (Hons) PhD is an academic in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University. Kath has extensive clinical nursing and research experience with a strong background in health research and qualitative methodologies. Kath is actively engaged in research and regularly disseminates research outcomes in peer reviewed journals and at national and international conferences.
Kath's main research interests and expertise includes:
- Nursing Workforce
- Women's and Family Health
- Vulnerable Populations
Kath's main methodological expertise includes:
- Qualitative Research
- Feminist Research
Students to completion (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 8 PhD
- 8 BN (Hons)
Contact details
Phone: +61 2 4620 3567
Professor Lucie Ramjan
Professor Lucie Ramjan
Lucie Ramjan is an Professor and Director of Academic Workforce (Parramatta) in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University. She is also a core member of the Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), Young & Resilient Research Centre and an affiliate member of the Centre for Oral Health Outcomes & Research Translation (COHORT) and the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research.
Lucie graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing (Honours – 1st Class) in 2003 and was awarded a PhD in 2007. Lucie is a qualitative and mixed methods researcher who is committed to education and workforce research, research with adolescents and young people and mental health research, particularly in the area of eating disorders. Her research scholarship is characterised by interdisciplinary and international collaborations culminating in research outputs and funding success. Most notably Lucie is proud to have secured research funding as first CI on a competitive grant from The Ian Potter Foundation Ltd to develop and pilot test a mentorship program for people with anorexia nervosa. This followed further Research Development Strategic Initiative Funding through Western Sydney University to extend and pilot to people with any type of eating disorder.
Lucie was also invited to contribute to a White Paper on eating disorders and obesity which also secured funding. Lucie is currently supervising 8 research higher degree students and has supervised 12 students to completion [5 PhD; 1 MN(Hons); 1 MPhil; 5 BN(Hons)]. Lucie’s teaching excellence is evidenced by the receipt of two prestigious teaching awards. In 2011, Lucie received the College of Health & Science Learning and Teaching Award and in 2012 Lucie received an Office for Learning & Teaching (OLT) National Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. Lucie continues to teach in both the undergraduate and postgraduate programs within the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University.
Other professional activities: Lucie is the Vice-President (WSU) of the Xi Omicron at-Large Chapter of Sigma and the Chair of the Adolescent & Young People Faculty of the Australian College of Nursing. She was previously the Associate Editor for Contemporary Nurse and is now a current Associate Editor for Nursing Open.
Prior to employment at Western Sydney University, Lucie was a clinician working with adolescents at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children) in roles as a Registered Nurse and Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Lucie's main research interests and expertise includes:
- Adolescent and Young People's Health
- Eating Disorders
- Education and Workforce
Lucie's main methodological expertise includes:
- Qualitative Research Methods
Currently supervising (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 8 PhD
- 1 MPhil
Students to completion (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 5 PhD
- 1 MPhil
- 1 MHons
- 5 BNHons
- 2014 - Chandra Poudel (Master of Nursing (Honours) (Co-supervisor) - Career Intention of Nursing Students in Nepal: The CARINA Study
- 2016 - Rasmieh Al-Amer (PhD) (Co-supervisor) - Depression and Self-care In Jordanian Adults with Diabetes: The POISE study
- 2016 - Christine Walker (BN (Hons) 1st Class) (Co-supervisor) - Unleashing the iPad’s potential: The lived experience of undergraduate nursing students when using the iPad for tertiary education
- 2016 - Graham Sean Gough (BN (Hons) 1st Class) (Primary Supervisor) - Men in Nursing: Predictors and antecedents of retention in the first year undergraduate nursing program: The RETAIN Study
- 2016 - Ghada El-Ayoubi (BN (Hons) 2nd Class, Div. 1) (Co-supervisor) - Beyond Hand Hygiene: Investigating Multi-resistant Organism Colonisation in the Intensive Care Unit: The BIOTIC Study
- 2016 - Liz Flannery (BN (Hons) 1st Class) (Primary Supervisor) - End-of-Life Decisions in the Intensive Care Unit – Exploring the experiences of doctors and nurses
- 2019 - Ibrahim Alananzeh (PhD) (Co-supervisor) - The unmet supportive care needs of Arab people affected by cancer (The SNAP study)
- 2019 - Scott Brunero (PhD) (Co-supervisor) - A constructivist grounded theory of generalist health professionals and their mental health work
- 2020 - Jacqueline Rojo (BN (Hons) 1st Class) (Co-supervisor) - CONerns During Clinical PlacemenT: The CONDUCT Project
- 2021 - Gursharan Singh (PhD) (Co-supervisor) - Access and referral to palliative care for individuals with chronic heart failure
- 2022 - Maricris Algoso (PhD) (Co-supervisor) - The value of undergraduate Assistant in Nursing (AIN) employment in the aged care setting: Developing transferable skills and increasing workforce readiness
- 2022 - Rebekah Carter (MPhil) (Co-supervisor) - Feed-forward: Using annotated exemplars to promote student engagement and satisfaction
Contact details
Phone: +61 2 9685 9032
Email: l.ramjan@westernsyney.edu.au
Twitter: @LucieRamjan
Dr Kazem Razaghi
Dr Kazem Razaghi
Dr. Kazem Razaghi is a Registered Nurse and Lecturer, with an extensive academic and research background. In 2010, he successfully completed his PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences in Health at The University of Sydney. Additionally, he possesses a master's degree in Health Promotion. Dr. Razaghi's research is focused on exploring the mental health, well-being, and overall quality of life among young individuals including those placed in out-of-home care, as well as their families. He also holds postgraduate certification in Drug and Alcohol studies, reflecting his keen interest in research within this field. He has actively contributed to various research grants, encompassing a wide range of topics, including Substance Abuse. Kazem's research endeavors are characterized by their multidisciplinary and collaborative nature. One of his most recent projects involved collaboration with an international university and resulted in a publication in the year 2022. He has presented his research findings at conferences and seminars and has successfully published his work in peer-reviewed journals. He has been supervising Higher Degree Research students.
Kazem's main research interests and expertise includes:
- Substance Abuse
- Young people's health and well-being, including those in out-of-home care
- Mental health and well-being
- Behavioural change
- Social determinants of health
- Clinical Leadership
- Clinical supervision
- Men's Health
- Education and workforce
- Curriculum design for undergraduate and postgraduate programs
- Experiences of students in nursing program
Kazem's main methodological expertise includes:
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Quantitative Research Methods
- Mixed Methods Designs
- Co-design Methodologies
- Translational Research
Currently supervising (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 3 BNHons
- 1 PhD
Students to completion (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 1 BNHons (Medical Sciences)
- 2013 Victoria Buckley, (BN Honours 1st Class) (The University of Sydney) - secondary supervisor
Contact details
Phone: +61 2 9685 9447
Mobile: +61 404 912 115
Professor Virginia Schmied
(Midwifery Supervisor)
Professor Virginia Schmied 
Professor Virginia Schmied is Professor of Midwifery in the Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University and is the Health and Well-being Theme Champion at the university. Virginia holds a Visiting Professorship at University of Central Lancashire (UK). In her role she collaborates with other senior academics at WSU to build capacity in maternal and child health research.
Professor Schmied has a strong national and international reputation in the discipline of midwifery, and in the field of maternal and child health. She researches and supervises higher degree students in topics addressing the social and emotional health and well-being of women and men in the transition to parenthood, breastfeeding and young child feeding; perinatal mental health, particularly in vulnerable communities and researching improvements in service delivery and professional practice. She is particularly interested in how relationship-based care leads to improved health outcomes for women, children and families.
Professor Schmied has held national competitive grants from ARC and NHMRC and she has conducted consultancy work including leading the development of the national framework for universal health and development services to children and families the Australian Government. She has published over 200 refereed journal articles, book chapters and published reports and regularly presents (including as a key note speaker) at national and international conferences. Her research has been translated to policy and practice, for example through the development of health policy, models of care, teaching resources for consumers and health professionals.
In 2016 she was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s award for Excellence in High Degree Research Supervision and Training and in 2018 she led a team that was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s excellence in Learning and Teaching award for innovations in perinatal multidisciplinary learning and teaching.
Virginia's main research interests and expertise includes:
- Midwifery
- Maternal and child health; transition to parenthood
- Breastfeeding and young child feeding
- Perinatal mental health
- Vulnerable communities improvements in service delivery and professional practice
Virginia's main methodological expertise includes:
- Qualitative research ethnography
- Action research
- Participatory research
- Discourse analysis
- Mixed methods
Currently supervising (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 1 BNHons
- 1 MHons
- 7 PhD
Students to completion (PhD), (MHons), (BNHons)
- 5 BN(Hons)
- 8 M(Hons)
- 48 PhD
- 2021 - Jen Hocking (PhD) - How Do Lactation Consultants Support Women To Breastfeed?
- 2021 - Hazel Keedle (PhD) - What Are The Experiences Of Women Planning A VBAC From 36 Weeks Gestation To Birth In Two Australian Hospitals With Different VBAC Rates.
- Madeleine Simpson (PhD) - Understanding The Development Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Following Childbirth And It's Impact On Women Who Access Residential And Day Parenting Services In NSW.
- Suha Hussein (PhD) - Jordanian Women's Perceptions Of Episiotomy And Other Birth Interventions: An Intergenerational Qualitative Study.
- Philippa Mann (Conroy) - (PhD) - Co-Bedding Of Twins In The Neonatal Period? A Mixed Methods Study Exploring Variations In Practice And Perceptions In The Hospital And Home Setting.
- Bridgit Philip (PhD) - Understanding Perinatal Mental Health In Indian-Born Immigrant Women And Men: A Mixed Methods Study.
- Louise Everitt - (PhD) - Perinatal Interprofessional Psychosocial Education for Maternity Clinicians.
- Hannah Skelton - (PhD) - Positioning of extremely premature infants.
Contact details
Phone: +61 2 9685 9505
Mobile: +61 430 242 140
Email: v.schmied@westernsydney.edu.au
Twitter: @vschmie1
Mobile options:
