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    • Professor Deborah Kirk
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    • Professor Deborah Kirk

      Professor Deborah Kirk

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Professor Deborah Kirk

Adjunct Professor

Staff Member Details
Email: d.kirk@ecu.edu.au
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2992-3389

Professor Deborah Kirk is a Professor of Nursing, Head of Discipline at Federation University Australia, and an endorsed nurse practitioner, with extensive experience across clinical practice, nursing education, leadership, and health research. Deborah’s work is grounded in a strong commitment to improving health outcomes, advancing evidence‑based nursing practice, and supporting wellbeing across diverse populations

Background

  • Edith Cowan University Adjunct Professor January 2024 - present
  • Federation University Australia  - November 2025 -present
  • La Trobe University – January 2024 – October 2025
  • Edith Cowan University October 2017-December 2023

Professional Associations

  • American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
  • Australian College of Nursing
  • International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care
  • Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Oncology
  • Oncology Nursing Society

Awards and Recognition

National and International Awards

  • 2017 Fulbright Specialist Program Grantee, US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affair, Namibia, Africa
  • 2017 Fellow American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2016 American Cancer Society, Lane Adams Quality of Life Award
  • 2014 Fulbright Specialist Program Grantee, Council for International Exchange of Scholars, Fulbright Specialist Program, Malawi, Africa
  • 2014 Oncology Nurse Excellence Award Finalist (1 of 4), Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators, Orlando, FL
  • 2014 Excellence in Nursing 2014 - BMetro, The B Metro Excellence in Nursing Program, Birmingham, AL.

University and National Teaching Awards

  • 2015-2016 AACN's Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Naples, FL.

Research Areas and Interests

  • Cancer and cancer survivorship
  • Chronic illness
  • Translation of research into clinical and educational practice
  • Regional Health
  • Nurse Practitioner

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Nursing Practice, United States of America, 2007.
  • Master of Science in Nursing, United States of America, 1999.
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing, United States of America, 1995.

Research Outputs

2025

Journal Articles

  • George, G., Kirk, D., Porock, D. (2025). The Nurse's Role in Curative-to-Palliative Transitions in Advanced Cancer: A Theory Synthesis Using Turner's Method. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2025(Article in press), TBD. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.17088.
  • Whitehead, L., Kirk, D., Chejor, P., Liu, W., Nguyen, M., Balczer, C., Lan, C., Evans, M. (2025). Interventions, programmes and resources that address culturally and linguistically diverse consumer and carers’ cancer information needs: a mixed methods systematic review. BMC Cancer, 25(1), article number 599. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-025-13931-5.
  • Kemp, EB., Ugalde, A., Marshall, S., Grech, LB., Ramsey, IJ., Kirk, D., Halkett, GK., Semple, CJ., Bergerot, CD., Ke, Y., Jongebloed, H., Hart, NH., Haywood, D., Olver, IN., Taylor, CD., Woodall, S., Bhoo-Pathy, N., Nekhlyudov, L., Banerjee, S., Lam, WW., Cho, J., Koczwara, BM. (2025). Factors associated with employment outcomes in cancer survivors: a systematic scoping review spanning a decade of international research. Supportive Care in Cancer, 33(11), article number 994. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-025-10011-z.
  • Kennedy, SK., Sadeghi, S., Dehkordi, SR., Lee, SF., Kirk, D., Cheung, YT., Haywood, D., Grech, L., Ramsey, I., Guedes, H., Zhou, J., Fazelzad, R., Narusawa, E., Tane, K., Hart, N., Peera, M., Patel, A., Fuller-Shavel, N., Sheng, Y., Ashbury, FD., Wong, HC., Kwan, JY., Chow, E., Jefford, M., Chan, RJ., Kikawa, Y., Al-Khaifi, M. (2025). Efficacy of Multimodal Psychological Interventions on Pain After Surgery in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review. JCO Oncology Practice, 2025(Article in press), TBD. https://doi.org/10.1200/OP-25-00081.

2024

Journal Articles

  • Szmaglinska, M., Andrew, L., Massey, D., Kirk, D. (2024). Exploring the Underutilized Potential of Clinical Hypnosis: A Scoping Review of Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 72(2), 109-138. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2023.2276451.
  • Vakili, ST., Haywood, D., Kirk, D., Abdou, AM., Gopalakrishnan, R., Sadeghi, S., Guedes, H., Tan, CJ., Thamm, C., Bernard, R., Wong, HC., Kuhn, EP., Kwan, JY., Lee, SF., Hart, N., Paterson, C., Chopra, DA., Drury, A., Zhang, E., Dehkordi, SR., Ashbury, FD., Kotronoulas, G., Chow, E., Jefford, M., Chan, RJ., Fazelzad, R., Raman, S., Alkhaifi, M. (2024). Application of Artificial Intelligence in Symptom Monitoring in Adult Cancer Survivorship: A Systematic Review. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, 8(2024), article number e2400119. https://doi.org/10.1200/CCI.24.00119.
  • Szmaglinska, M., Kirk, D., Andrew, L. (2024). Reporting and Mapping Research Evidence on Perceptions of Clinical Hypnosis Among the General Population and Patients Receiving Health Care Including Cancer Care: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 72(1), 29-50. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2023.2276457.
  • Eng, L., Chan, RJ., Chan, A., Charalambous, A., Darling, H., Grech, L., Van Den Hurk, CJ., Kirk, D., Mitchell, SA., Poprawski, D., Rammant, E., Ramsey, I., Fitch, MI., Cheung, YT. (2024). Perceived Barriers Toward Patient-Reported Outcome Implementation in Cancer Care: An International Scoping Survey. JCO Oncology Practice, 20(6), 816-826. https://doi.org/10.1200/OP.23.00715.
  • McCullough, K., Gibson, N., Graf, A., Beament, T., Adama, E., Ferguson, N., Kirk, D., Muge-Sugutt, J. (2024). "It was difficult to understand the system”: developing a coordinator role to support international nursing students- A qualitative study. Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education, 16(3), 250-261. https://doi.org/10.32674/jcihe.v16i3.4945.
  • Szmaglinska, M., Andrew, L., Massey, D., Kirk, D. (2024). Beyond standard treatment: A qualitative descriptive study of cancer patients' perceptions of hypnotherapy in cancer care. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 56(2024), article number 101861. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2024.101861.

2023

Journal Articles

  • Bradford, N., Moore , E., Taylor, K., Cook , O., Gent, L., Beane, T., Williams, N., Alexander, K., Pitt, E., Still , J., Wellard, C., McErlean, G., Kirk, D., Monterosso, L., McCarthy, A., Lokmic-Tomkins, Z., Balson, J., Gates, P. (2023). The cancer nursing workforce in Australia: a national survey exploring determinants of job satisfaction. BMC Nursing, 22(1), Article number 461. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01629-7.

2022

Journal Articles

  • Wang, C., Han, EY., Jenkins, M., Hong, X., Pang, S., Whitehead, L., Kirk, D., Williams, A. (2022). The safety and efficacy of using moxibustion and or acupuncture for cancer-related insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Palliative Care and Social Practice, 16(2022), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524211070569.
  • Kirk, D., Kabdebo, I., Whitehead, L. (2022). Prevalence of distress and its associated factors among caregivers of people diagnosed with cancer: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 31(23-24), 3402-3413. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16167.
  • Cheung, Y., Chan, A., Charalambous, A., Darling, HS., Eng, L., Grech, L., Van den hurk, C., Kirk, D., Mitchell, S., Poprawski, D., Rammant, E., Ramsey, I., Fitch, M., Chan, R. (2022). The use of patient-reported outcomes in routine cancer care: preliminary insights from a multinational scoping survey of oncology practitioners. Supportive Care in Cancer, 30(2), 1427-1439. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-021-06545-7.
  • Ramsey, I., Chan, A., Charalambous, A., Cheung, Y., Darling, H., Eng, L., Grech, L., Hart, N., Kirk, D., Mitchell, S., Poprawski, D., Rammant, E., Fitch, M., Chan, R. (2022). Exercise counselling and referral in cancer care: an international scoping survey of health care practitioners’ knowledge, practices, barriers, and facilitators. Supportive Care in Cancer, 30(11), 9379-9391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-07342-6.

2021

Journal Articles

  • Kirk, D., Kabdebo, I., Whitehead, L. (2021). Prevalence of distress, its associated factors and referral to support services in people with cancer. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(19-20), 2873-2885. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15794.

2020

Journal Articles

  • Whitehead, L., Emery, L., Kirk, D., Twigg, D., Brown, D., Dewar, J. (2020). Evaluation of a remote symptom assessment and management (SAM) system for people receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast or colorectal cancer: Mixed methods study. JMIR Cancer, 6(2), Article number e22825. https://doi.org/10.2196/22825.

2019

Journal Articles

  • Whitehead, L., Ghosh, M., Kirk, D., Bloxsome, D., Vafeas, C., Wilkinson, A. (2019). The relationship between specialty nurse certification and patient, nurse and organizational outcomes: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 93(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.02.001.
  • Whitehead, L., Kirk, D. (2019). Home-based multidimensional survivorship programmes for breast cancer survivors. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 25(6), Article number e12756. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12756.

2018

Journal Articles

2017

Journal Articles

  • Sipples, R., Taylor, R., Kirk, D., Bagcivan, G., Dionne-Odom, JN., Bakitas, M. (2017). Perioperative Palliative Care Considerations for Surgical Oncology Nurses. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 33(1), 9-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2016.11.002.
  • Kirk, D., Edwards, R., Bagcivan, G., Bakitas, M. (2017). Cancer and Palliative Care in the United States, Turkey, and Malawi: Developing Global Collaborations. Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing, 4(3), 209-219. https://doi.org/10.4103/apjon.apjon_31_17.

2015

Journal Articles

  • Kirk, D., Hardeman, A., Owen, L., Sandson Frank, J. (2015). Information at the Point of Care: An Informational Application for Cancer Resources. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 33(9), 390-395. https://doi.org/10.1097/CIN.0000000000000171.
  • Kirk, D., Barton-Burke, M., Garzo Saria, M., Gosselin, T., Ireland, A., Norton, V., Newton, S. (2015). Everyday Advocates: Nursing Advocacy Is a Full-Time Job. American Journal of Nursing, 115(8), 66-70. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000470409.04919.0f.

2013

Journal Articles

  • Jukkala, A., Kirk, D., Krontiras, H., Azuero, A., Meseses, K. (2013). Readiness to engage in treatment decision-making during initial surgical oncology consultation forearly stage breast cancer. Clinical Nursing Studies, 1(2), 69-79. https://doi.org/10.5430/cns.v1n2p69.

2012

Journal Articles

Research Projects

  • Role of the Nurse in the Transition from Curative to Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer. A theory Synthesis, its validation and empirical, WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network, Clinical Implementation Unit - Carol Cameron Memorial Scholarship, 2023 ‑ 2026, $15,000.
  • Assessing the suitability of oncology patients to be managed by a rapid access clinic - sub project of G1001207, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Grant, 2013 ‑ 2026, $9,704.
  • CaLD consumers and carers cancer information needs: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review, Department of Health WA, Tender, 2023, $23,529.
  • Exploring cancer survivorship in a community setting, WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network, Grant, 2019 ‑ 2021, $18,105.

Research Student Supervision

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