Name:  Kristen McKee

Current role and workplace:  Clinical Nurse Consultant Hepatology, also undertaking my Masters in Nurse Practitioner

How long have you been a member of the AHA?  First became a member in 2017

Why did you nominate for the AHA Board?  

I am keen to collaborate and be actively involved with my senior peers working within Hepatology and believe being a board member will broaden my opportunities to do this. I believe I can bring my experience and knowledge to the board to help contribute toward improving our current nursing policies around best practice, developing education content for nurses, and mentoring, to ensure all hepatology nurses are on the path to being the best nurse they possibly can be and providing the best care for our patients. Being a board member and having the opportunity to be so closely involved in decision making toward change is something that excites me and that I feel is important for me professionally. 

As I am undertaking my Masters in Nurse Practitioner (NP), advanced nursing practice is extremely important to me and I am passionate about my goal to become a Hepatology NP.  My acknowledgment of the importance of the AHA for hepatology nurses has grown as I have been progressing my advanced practice, I feel the opportunity to be a board member would greatly contribute toward my professional growth as well as give me an opportunity to contribute toward the development of professional support for current hepatology NP’s, those on the path to NP and those considering NP.

What skills/experience will you bring to the AHA Board?

• 10 years’ experience working within blood borne virus nursing and Hepatology
• 4 years’ experience working at Kings College Hospital London’s Liver Institute, experience gained working alongside respected Hepatology and Gastroenterology clinicians and collaborating toward research projects covering hep B, hep C, co-infections and community nurse led models of care.
• Experience developing and implementing nurse led models of care within the WSLHD community.
• Actively contributing toward and also leading Nurse led research projects.
• Many years’ experience submitting abstracts, preparing and presenting conference posters and oral presentations.
• Actively engaged with ASHM to facilitate and also deliver educational content to GP’s and nurses.
• I have developed a drive and passion for hepatology nursing the development of advanced practice skills for myself and mentoring my junior colleagues.
• I have experience working within a broad scope of settings (inpatient, outpatient, outreach and community, justice health- prison setting) and feel this has enabled me to gain great knowledge around the challenges nurses face across these different settings and how this impacts on practice and professional development.
• Actively engaged in post graduate studies, therefore I have knowledge of contemporary learning and training methods, and an understanding of the demands placed on a post graduate student.
• Advanced Practice nursing skills
• Experience as a member of many governance committees and health promotion groups.
• Experience chairing committees and project groups.
• Passionate nurse with excellent communication skills, open minded, and enthusiastic about nursing progression and change.

What do you hope to achieve by being on the AHA Board? 

I hope to contribute actively toward the growth of AHA, and bring my experience (highlighted above) to the board in order to make meaningful changes to improve access to education and training for my colleagues. I hope to contribute toward the growth of AHA as an association that is recognised as contemporary and a significant part of Hepatology nursing.

I also hope to be able to contribute toward my own personal and professional growth and use the experience to improve my own practice as a training NP.

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Name:  Kristel Vergara

Current role and workplace:  Clinical Nurse at Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) Hepatology OPD

How long have you been a member of the AHA?  I have been a member of AHA for approximately 2 years

Why did you nominate for the AHA Board?  I nominated for the AHA Board because as a member I believe it is very important that all should take a part of the continuous improvement of the association. Also, it was, and it is through AHA that I am able to attend the events that support Hepatology nurses and increase their networking abilities.

What skills/experience will you bring to the AHA Board?

In the last 3 years that I have worked in Hepatology, I have grown to be very passionate in what the unit has to offer. I started working in Hepatology just after my graduate program not knowing what I wanted to achieve in my career. However, working in the unit has made me look at nursing from a different perspective. One model of care I am currently and very proud to be a part of is our new Cirrhosis and HCC Integrated Care Clinic which focuses on our Hepatology patients with advanced stage liver disease and/or HCC. This has made me look at our patients in a holistic manner, not looking deep into their diagnosis but rather focusing on the importance of their Quality of Life. Since starting this project, I have been able to shape myself as a nurse who looks beyond the individual and their disease.

Over the years, I have also been able to experience the following:

• I have been able to step into a higher role (CNC) and have been able to manage the biggest Hepatology unit in Queensland even just for a short period of time.
• I have been able to become a Planetree ambassador who focuses on a patient-centred care approach to healthcare. This means caring for our patients and their families as individuals and identifying their own choices and needs.
• Being a Planetree ambassador has also allowed me to explore to work on Quality Initiatives for the unit. For example, ‘improving waiting experience of our patients in the waiting area’. This has taught me to realise to work more within our circle of influence.
• I have been able to participate in the preparations for our last Magnet Recognition and have been able to showcase what our unit have achieved in the last 3 years.
• I have been able to mentor new staff members and allow them to adjust in such a busy environment. 
• I have been able to develop the unit’s Standard Operating Procedures
• I have been able to put together the Clinical Guidelines for our unit
• I have been able to develop patient information brochures for our patients on systemic therapies for HCC

What do you hope to achieve by being on the AHA Board? 

I nominated myself to be part of the AHA Board because I want to further develop my leadership skills. I will be stepping into a role of a CNC in the next year and I believe being a part of the AHA Board will allow me to increase not only my knowledge but also my understanding on how important it is to bring our Hepatology nurses together. I am hoping to come out of my comfort zone and be more involved in decision making and increasing my confidence not only as a leader but also as a nurse. I want to be actively involved in the events that the AHA organise, this will also help me increase my clinical skills and be able to bring this back to our team. Lastly, I want to continue to work in always improving the delivery of care for our patients not only in PAH specific but also help other nurses across Australia and New Zealand. 

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Name:  Margaret Wardrop

Current role and workplace: Hepatology Nurse Consultant, Outreach. Barwon Health.

How long have you been a member of the AHA?  Since 2013

Why did you nominate for the AHA Board?  I felt it was time that I participated more, having been a member for some years

What skills/experience will you bring to the AHA Board?  I would bring some life skills, hopefully some professional skills also.

As I am based at a large regional hospital but also work in country areas, I feel that my job is quite diverse and therefore I probably have a different perspective from city-based hepatology nurses.

What do you hope to achieve by being on the AHA Board?  

Obviously, I hope to learn and share skills with my contemporaries.

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Name:  Sinead Sheils

Current role and workplace:  Hepatology Nurse Practitioner, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

How long have you been a member of the AHA?  Since 2003/04.

Why did you nominate for the AHA Board?

I renominated for a second term as have found my first term (two years) on the AHA Board both personally and professionally fulfilling.  I had been quite an active AHA member prior, participating in working groups (WG) and other opportunities as they arose over many years and joining the Board was a natural progression.  

What skills/experience will you bring to the AHA Board?

I bring at least 10 years’ experience of participation in AHA WGs including the original website development, ALD course development, Clinical Practice Guidelines, Practice Standards and establishment of AHA on social media platforms. During first term, as Chair of the ALD WG, I have overseen the rewrite and re-endorsement by ACN and APNA of the ALD course, which I also present on behalf of the AHA. I represent the AHA on external committees, including conference organising committee (AVHEC 2019) and in development of an on line education ALD module (ASHM 2018). During monthly board meetings, I contribute significantly to Board discussion and activities, with serious consideration of my responsible representation of the AHA general members. Through recent establishment of a AHA NP Special Interest Group, I have provided the opportunity to strengthen networking, mentoring and professional development opportunities for members who are current and aspiring NPs.

What do you hope to achieve by being on the AHA Board? 

I’m very passionate about hepatology nurses, individually and collaboratively, being recognised for the incredible work that they do. Board membership provides opportunity, through Board activities, to raise the professional profile. It provides opportunity to raise and address the challenges that hepatology nurses experience locally and nationally. I hope to build on my experience in my first term, contributing effectively to setting and leading the professional, educational, quality and research agenda ahead with fellow Board members, on behalf of AHA members. I want to find more opportunities for AHA members to become active, through participation in AHA projects and activities and in doing so, enhancing their own professional, education, research and/or leadership portfolios.