Top of page

Student/Staff Portal
Global Site Navigation

Scholarships

Local Section Navigation
You are here: Main Content

Related Contents

VC Fellowship HDR Scholarship

The project will be situated within a program of research on the prevention of hospital acquired complications and will align with the Australian National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards and Western Australian Sustainable Health Review that aim to protect the public from harm and improve the quality of acute health service provision.

Important dates

Opens: 17-03-2022 Closes: 17-04-2022

Applies to

Domestic International Postgraduate Research

Project Scope

The project will be situated within a program of research on the prevention of hospital acquired complications and will align with the Australian National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards and Western Australian Sustainable Health Review that aim to protect the public from harm and improve the quality of acute health service provision.

Patients who are admitted to hospitals are extremely sick, have high acuity levels, are frail, often older, with multiple comorbidities and are extremely vulnerable to acquiring a hospital acquired complication. Recent Australian data shows that one if every nine patients will develop a hospital acquired complication costing the Australia’s health system at least $5 billion per year (Grattan Institute, 2018). This vulnerable group of patients will be exposed to highly invasive procedures and despite the frequency of these procedures there is a paucity of research guiding the best evidence-based research practice.

Depending on the student’s background and preference, the HDR project will be in one of the following areas:

  1. Vascular access
    • Peripheral vascular access
    • Haemodialysis vascular access
  2. Indwelling urinary catheter management
  3. Prevention of pressure injury

Other topics related to improving patient outcomes in an acute care setting may be considered.

At a glance

This scholarship aims to improve care and patient outcomes in an acute care setting. It sits within the ECU Centre for Research in Aged Care and aligns with Australian Commission on Safety and Quality Health Service (ACSQHC) Preventing and Controlling Healthcare-Associated Infection and the Comprehensive Care Standard. The areas of focus are vascular access, pressure injury and indwelling urinary catheters. Other topics involving improving patient outcomes in an acute care setting will be considered. The student will also have opportunity to contribute to other projects within the broader context of this program of research.

Desirable skills: Experience with statistical analysis and related software (e.g., Stata, SAS, R, SPSS).

Eligibility guidelines

Completion of a Bachelor of Science, Master by Research or a Master by Coursework plus research publications

Selection criteria

Experience with statistical analysis and related software (e.g., Stata, SAS, R, SPSS).

Terms and conditions

On campus is the preferred option, however, for international students given COVID-19 travel restrictions and border closures, study will be undertaken remotely until restrictions ease and applicant can undertake study in Perth, Western Australia.

Please refer to the HDR Scholarship Conditions

How to apply

Please send the documents below to l.coventry@ecu.edu.au

  • Qualifications and academic transcripts
  • Research proposal/thesis topic
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Any publications
  • If you are an international student send IELT score

For more information

Questions about this scholarship can be directed to Dr Linda Coventry, l.coventry@ecu.edu.au

Skip to top of page