Personal
- Name
- Associate Professor Alexandra McCarthy
- Position(s)
- Associate Professor
Faculty of Health,
School - Nursing - IHBI Member
Institute of Health Biomedical Innovation (IHBI),
IHBI Health Projects,
IHBI Nursing - HHWB - Discipline *
- Nursing
- Phone
- +61 7 3138 3850
- Fax
- +61 7 3138 3814
- al.mccarthy@qut.edu.au
- Location
- View location details (QUT staff and student access only)
- Qualifications
-
PhD (Queensland University of Technology), Master of Nursing (Flinders University of SA), Bachelor of Nursing (University of Southern Qld)
- Professional memberships
and associations - Associate Professor, Cancer Services Southern Clinical Network (joint appointment with QUT School of Nursing and Midwifery)
- Member, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation
- Member of the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA)
- Immediate past Chair of the CNSA Education Committee, and current member.
- National Executive Committee, CNSA, Queensland Representative
- Long-standing member of the CNSA’s Grants and Awards Committee
- Member, Cancer Services Southern Clinical Network
- Member, Princess Alexandra Cancer Collaborative Group
- Keywords
-
Cancer, Chemotherapy, Chemotherapy Toxicities, Geriatric Oncology, Peritoneal Dialysis
Biography
Alexandra (who prefers to be called Sandie) has practised extensively in acute and palliative cancer care, including chemotherapy administration, in rural and metropolitan settings.
Her PhD investigated sociocultural issues related to breast cancer using discourse analysis and she has a passion for the sociological as well as clinical aspects of cancer care and survivorship.
Sandie’s current funded research has two streams. The first stream focuses upon issues related to the long term outcomes of cancer survivorship, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The second stream concentrates on nursing interventions to manage the toxicities of acute cancer treatments; and the nurse’s role in assessing the fitness of older cancer patients for chemotherapy.
Project highlights
- (2011) Scoping the cardiotoxities of cancer therapies, IHBI MCR Grant
- (2011) Patient needs analysis - cardiotoxicities of cancer treatment, IHBI Collaborative Grant
- (2011) Longitudinal assessment of cognition and affect in HSCT-A patients, OCNO Experienced Researcher Grant
- (2010) Evaluation of a standardized two-step process of pre-screening and comprehensive assessment of the older cancer patient with solid malignancy, Metro South Division of Cancer Services
- (2009 – 2010) Development of cancer survivorship self-management plans, Department of Health and Ageing
- (2009) Cryotherapy for docetaxel-induced nail toxicities: Case control study, PAH Foundation Private Practice Grants
- (2009) Mapping National Cancer Nursing Education Framework, EdCaN
- (2009) Health promotion and risk-reduction behaviours of younger female survivors of breast and haematological cancers, Queensland Nursing Council
- (2009) Prevalence of malnutrition and nutrition impact symptoms in chemotherapy patients, Queensland Health – Health Practitioner Research Scheme
- (2009) Nursing guidelines for the prevention, assessment, management and evaluation of citrate toxicity in patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplant, PAH Nursing Practice Development Unit
- (2009) Enhancing nurses’ compliance with infection control guidelines for the management of central venous access devices in oncology and haematology patients, PAH Nursing Practice Development Unit
- (2007-2009) Fatuga’O mania: Developing community capacity to prevent ‘sick kidneys’ in the Samoan community of Logan, Myer Foundation
- (2007-2008) The effects of exercise as a nursing intervention to improve general physical health status in haemodialysis patients: A pilot study, Queensland Health Nursing Grants.
Teaching
Sandie is the Postgraduate Course Co-ordinator in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Subject Area Co-ordinator for the postgraduate cancer nursing curriculum. She teaches the coursework component of the postgraduate cancer curriculum and supervises Masters and doctoral students in this field.
Experience
Sandie has practised clinically in oncology nursing since 1995, specialising principally in chemotherapy, in both metropolitan and regional settings.
In her current joint apointment with the Cancer Services Southern Clinical Network, Sandie is responsible for enhancing the clinical research capacity and knowledge translation of nurses in the service. Current large projects focus on the health promotion and risk reduction during cancer survivorship; the nursing management of the acute and long-term toxicities of chemotherapy such as altered cognition, peripheral neuropathy and left ventricular failure; and the nurse’s role in assessing the fitness of older cancer patients for chemotherapy.
Sandie represents Queensland cancer nurses on the National Executive Committee of the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA); and is a long-standing member of the CNSA’s Education, Research, and Grants and Awards Committees. She reviews for several international cancer nursing journals and research grant bodies.
Publications
For more publications by this staff member, visit QUT ePrints, the University's research repository.
Awards
Awards and recognition
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2010
- Details
- Queensland representative on National Executive Committee
- Type
- Reviewer for an Academic Journal
- Reference year
- 2009
- Details
- ERA A* journal.
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2009
- Details
- Travel grant to present at the 16th Annual Conference of the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Type
- Advisor/Consultant for Industry
- Reference year
- 2009
- Details
- Independent reviewer of curriculum materials
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2009
- Details
- For assessment of higher education institutions and their courses.
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2008
- Details
- Chosen (and fully sponsored) by the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia to represent the Southern Clinical Cancer Network at this prestigious international workshop.
- Type
- Advisor/Consultant for Industry
- Reference year
- 2008
- Details
- Member of the management committee
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2008
- Details
- Member of the National Research Advisory Committee
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2008
- Details
- Statutory multidisciplinary body set up by Commonwealth government to guide multidisciplinary cancer education in Australia. I represent nursing on this committee.
- Type
- Appointment to State/National/International Reference Group or Government Committees
- Reference year
- 2008
- Details
- Inaugural Chair of Education Committee (since 2008); inaugural member of Grants and Awards Committee (since 2003); Queensland representative National Executive Committee (since 2010)
