Rona Pillay

Position

Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery

Biography

Rona Pillay is a lecturer and Academic Course Advisor BN Undergraduate within the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University. Rona is a registered nurse, having commenced her training in South Africa. She brings with her over 35 years of experience in health, education, course curriculum development and research, nationally and internationally across disciplines.  Her teaching and research interests are in evidence based nursing, Human Factors - health communication, teams and teamwork, decision making and patient safety practices in Operating Theatre.

Rona is currently finalising her PhD at the Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University. Her research focuses on Health team communication and interaction in the perioperative environment and patient safety- an international study. Her research interests spans across to Non -technical skills and Human Factors.

Research service delivery involves using qualitative methodology, with Ethnomethodology, Conversation Analysis and Video-ethnography as the primary approaches in qualitative studies.

Rona is currently a member of the Faculty of Safer Surgical Team- Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Together with the team, videos are being produced in a simulated environment to address Human Factors and Non-technical Skills as education and training workshops for operating theatre staff. Rona’s leadership is evidenced through the various positions she has held on committees and leading research teams addressing training and education in Human factors- specifically communication and teamwork, decision making and situational awareness.

Her teaching role spans across first, second and third years units focusing on the research unit, leadership and nursing communication.

Research Interests

• Health Team Communication and Patient Safety
• Qualitative and quantitative research
• Video data recording and analysis
• Decision making processes in treatment choices
• Diagnosis delivery and treatment uptake
• Organisational Studies
• Patient safety
• Teams and Teamwork

Memberships

• Member Sigma Theta Tau International (2017 - 2021)
• Panel Member  Articulation Pathway Assessment (WSU) (2019)
• Fellow Australian College of Nursing (2005)
• Faculty Member Royal Australian College of Surgeons (2014)
• Member Australian College Operating Room Nurses (2010)

Qualifications and Recognition

• MEd Macquarie University
• Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship 2008-12-31
• BA University of South Africa

Research & Publications

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Contact Details