Biography
Tracey Bucknall, PhD, RN, FAAN, is an Alfred Deakin Professor, at Deakin University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, and the Foundational Chair of Clinical Nursing and Director of Nursing Research, Alfred Health, Australia. She is a pioneering decision scientist focused on improving clinical decision-making to enhance patient outcomes. As one of the first to study naturalistic decision-making, her understanding of the influences on clinical decisions has allowed her to innovatively develop and implement evidence-based interventions. By focusing on improving clinical decision-making and the uptake of research evidence in practice, her research aims to improve patient safety, alleviate symptoms and enhance patient and family experiences. As a decision scientist she has a sustained record of competitive research funding, presented her research nationally and internationally, published extensively in decision-making and implementation science. She has held five adjunct academic appointments, two of which are international and membership of numerous national policy committees, and international research and grant review panels.
Read more on Tracey's profileResearch interests
Her primary research interest is in improving clinical decision making. With over 250 publications in the field she has concentrated on understanding how individuals make decisions routinely and in uncertainty, understanding the environmental and social influences in health care. Based in a hospital, Alfred Deakin Professor Bucknall has three programs of research. One program focuses on issues concerning patient safety, particularly identifying and managing deteriorating patients, improving inter-professional communication and preventing medical errors and harm to patients in hospital such as medication errors, pressure injuries and falls. The second program focuses on symptom management across clinical settings, predominantly in pain management. The third program concentrates on the implementation of research evidence into practice or the science of knowledge translation, studying different approaches to increase the uptake of research by clinicians to improve patient outcomes.
Teaching interests
Alfred Deakin Professor Bucknall teaches clinical decision making in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing programs. She supervises Honours, Masters and PhD students with a focus on patient safety, clinical decision making and knowledge translation.
Knowledge areas
Clinical decision-making
Knowledge translation
Implementation Science
Critical Care
Nursing
Patient Safety
Clinical Deterioration
Health Services Research
Awards
Inductee, Sigma International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame (2019)
Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2018)
Alfred Deakin Professor Award for outstanding contribution to research and nursing globally, the highest academic award granted to Deakin University Professors (2017).
Publications
No publications found
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Translation of evidence into pain management practices in acute care environments.
Prof Mari Botti, Prof Bridie Kent, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Megan-Jane Johnstone, Prof Maxine Duke, Prof Julie Considine, Ms Rosemary Watts, A/Prof Bernice Redley, Mr Richard de Steiger
ARC Linkage - Projects Rnd 1
- 2011: $103,683
- 2010: $40,830
Listen to me, I really am sick! Understanding patient and family perspectives in triggering responses to medical emergencies.
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Alison Hutchinson
ARC Linkage - Projects Rnd 1, Linkage PhD student
- 2014: $38,932
- 2013: $33,583
- 2012: $32,038
Using an audit with feedback knowledge translation intervention to promote safety and quality in health care
Prof Alison Hutchinson, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Anne Sales
ARC Linkage - Projects Rnd 2, Linkage PhD student
- 2015: $9,231
- 2014: $24,548
- 2013: $33,378
- 2012: $16,072
Managing patient deterioration: Enhancing student nurses' competence through web-based simulation and feedback techniques
A/Prof Simon Cooper, Prof Tracey Bucknall, A/Prof Lisa McKenna, Prof Ruth Endacott, Prof Nikki Phillips, A/Prof Helen Forbes
OLT Commissioned Projects - Office for learning and Teaching
- 2013: $10,188
- 2012: $9,797
Patients' preference for participation in patient safety activities
Prof Wendy Chaboyer, Dr Jennifer Whitty, Prof Tracey Bucknall
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2015: $25,792
- 2014: $2,500
- 2013: $32,953
The INTACT trial - INTroducing A Care bundle To prevent pressure injury
Prof Wendy Chaboyer, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Dr Marianne Wallis, Dr Jennifer Whitty
NHMRC Project Grant
- 2014: $248,628
Prioritising Responses of Nurses To deteriorating patient Observations (PRONTO)
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Alison Hutchinson, Prof Gillian Harvey, Prof Julie Considine, Prof Imogen Mitchell, Prof Jo Rycroft-Malone, Prof Ian Graham, Dr Mohammadreza Mohebbi, Prof Jennifer Watts
NHMRC - Partnership Project
- 2018: $81,475
- 2017: $241,576
- 2016: $148,287
Communicating with older people across transition points of care
Prof Elizabeth Manias, Prof Tracey Bucknall, A/Prof Robyn Woodward-Kron, Prof Carmel Hughes, A/Prof Christine Jorm
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2019: $114,771
- 2018: $95,868
- 2017: $103,225
Communicating to promote engagement in using electronic medical records
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Elizabeth Manias, A/Prof Kathleen Gray, Prof Nilmini Wickramasinghe, A/Prof Reema Harrison
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2024: $6,054
- 2023: $113,682
- 2022: $84,032
Implementing innovative technology promoting self-awareness of brain health and self-determination in obtaining a timely dementia diagnosis
Prof Alison Hutchinson, Dr Helen Macpherson, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Rajesh Vasa, A/Prof Bernice Redley, Dr Jessica Rivera Villicana, Prof Liliana Orellana, Prof Kon Mouzakis
MRFF (NHMRC) - Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Grant Opportunity
- 2022: $1,044,161
Other Public Sector Funding
Inter-professional communication and team climate in complex clinical handover situations: issues for patient safety in the private sector.
Prof Mari Botti, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Megan-Jane Johnstone, Prof Peter Cameron, A/Prof Bernice Redley, Dr Sue Evans, Dr Shelley Jeffcott
DHA Tender - Department of Health and Ageing
- 2010: $5,975
- 2009: $45,335
- 2008: $181,336
Responding to Medical Emergencies: System Characteristics Under Examination (RESCUE)
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Dr Daryl Jones, Dr Jonathan Barrett, Prof Rinaldo Bellomo, Dr Rasa Ruseckaite
DHA Grant - Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care - Department of Health and Ageing
- 2010: $10,000
- 2009: $40,000
The Alfred / Deakin Joint Nursing Appointment
Prof Tracey Bucknall
The Alfred Hospital
- 2024: $208,917
- 2022: $207,112
- 2021: $198,520
- 2020: $216,473
- 2019: $188,379
- 2018: $213,412
- 2017: $162,753
- 2016: $157,179
- 2015: $171,272
- 2014: $155,004
- 2013: $74,875
- 2012: $2,794
- 2010: $39,371
- 2009: $55,436
- 2008: $49,433
Listen to me, I really am sick! Understanding patient and family perspectives in triggering responses to medical emergencies.
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Alison Hutchinson
ACSQHC Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- 2016: $900
- 2012: $24,000
Improving clinical outcomes in maternity care: recognition and response to clinical deterioriation in the maternity patient
A/Prof Catherine Nagle, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Bridie Kent
Nurses Board of VIC Grant - Ella Lowe Research Grants
- 2013: $22,000
- 2012: $22,000
Teaching and Research Aged Care Services (TRACS) Application - Stage One
Prof Alison Hutchinson, Prof Beverly O'Connell, Prof Tracey Bucknall
DHA Tender - Department of Health and Ageing
- 2015: $2,400
- 2014: $320,000
- 2013: $90,000
- 2012: $270,000
Review of engaging patients in communication at transistions of care
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Mari Botti, Prof Alison Hutchinson, Prof Lauren McTier, Dr Helen Rawson
ACSQHC Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- 2015: $8,757
- 2014: $112,298
Prioritising Responses of Nurses To deteriorating patient Observations (PRONTO)
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Alison Hutchinson, Prof Gillian Harvey, Prof Julie Considine, Prof Imogen Mitchell, Prof Jo Rycroft-Malone, Prof Ian Graham, Dr Mohammadreza Mohebbi, Prof Jennifer Watts
ACSQHC Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Monash Health, Eastern Health, Alfred Health
- 2017: $45,000
- 2016: $68,400
Reducing harm, in the acute hospital setting, to people displaying symptoms associated with a neurocognitive disorder
Prof Alison Hutchinson, A/Prof Bernice Redley, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Dr Helen Rawson, Dr Ben Richardson, Adj/Prof Cheyne Chalmers, Prof Donald Campbell, Dr Emily Tomlinson, Prof Beverly O'Connell
Dementia Collaborative Research Centre Grant
- 2017: $20,025
- 2016: $177,000
Rapid review of the literature and draft revision of the National consensus statement: Essential elements for recognising and responding to clinical deterioration
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Dr Mariann Fossum, Dr Nicole Austin, Dr Sharon McKinley
ACSQHC Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- 2016: $32,478
Industry and Other Funding
Cabrini Hospital Professorial Chair in Acute Care Nursing
Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Alison Hutchinson
Cabrini Clinical Education and Research Institute Nursing - Joint Appointment
- 2013: $42,816
- 2012: $212,962
- 2011: $187,821
- 2010: $185,214
- 2009: $161,977
- 2008: $91,704
- 2007: $100,538
- 2006: $244,387
Video analysis of interprofessional communication and decision making therapy in intensive care
Prof Judy Currey, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Elizabeth Manias, Dr David Pilcher, Dr Rasa Ruseckaite
Aust College of Critical Care Nurses Grant - Hospira Australia
- 2009: $10,000
Translation of evidence into pain management practices in acute care environments.
Prof Mari Botti, Prof Bridie Kent, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Megan-Jane Johnstone, Prof Maxine Duke, Prof Julie Considine, Ms Rosemary Watts, A/Prof Bernice Redley, Mr Richard de Steiger
Epworth Healthcare
- 2011: $15,000
- 2010: $35,000
Using an audit with feedback knowledge translation intervention to promote safety and quality in health care
Prof Alison Hutchinson, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Anne Sales
Cabrini Hospital
- 2015: $3,573
- 2014: $11,066
- 2013: $4,392
Partnering with patients in medication administration
Prof Alison Hutchinson, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Elizabeth Manias, Prof Mari Botti, Dr Helen Rawson
Nurses Board of VIC Grant - Major
- 2016: $60,000
Rapid research review: 'Improving documentation at transitions of care for complex patients'
Prof Elizabeth Manias, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Alison Hutchinson, Prof Mari Botti, Dr Jacqui Allen
The Sax Institute
- 2016: $31,000
Establishing the prevalence of healthcare associated infections in Australian hospitals
Dr Philip Russo, Prof Brett Mitchell, Allen Cheng, Dr Andrew Stewardson, Prof Tracey Bucknall
The Rosemary Norman Foundation
- 2020: $30,000
- 2019: $60,000
- 2018: $60,000
- 2017: $30,000
De-implementation in health and care services: what works, for whom, why, and in which contexts? A Realist Synthesis
Prof Christopher Burton, Prof Justin Waring, Prof John Parkinson, Dr Beth Hall, Mrs Denise Fisher, Prof Tracey Bucknall, Prof Mathew Makin, Mrs Gill Harris, Miss Rachel Meacock, Dr Anne McBride
NIH Grant - Research - National Institutes of Health
- 2019: $27,101
Organisational Perspectives of Support For Nurses Who Identify As Second Victim: A Feasibility Study
Dr Monica Peddle, Prof Tracey Bucknall
Sigma/Doris Bloch Research Award
- 2024: $5,926
Supervisions
Jessica Lillian Guinane
Thesis entitled: Patient and Family Narratives About Triggering Responses to Clinical Deterioration
Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing), School of Nursing & Midwifery
Shu Wen Chen
Thesis entitled: Decision-Making on Birth Choices Following a Caesarean Delivery in Taiwan
Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing), School of Nursing & Midwifery
Nicola Anne Hewitt
Thesis entitled: Lateral positioning for critically ill adult patients: a systematic review
Master of Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery
Kate Gledhill
Thesis entitled: Patients' Discharge from Subacute Care: Determining Discharge Readiness
Doctor of Philosophy (Health & Social Development), School of Health and Social Development
Guncag Ozavci
Thesis entitled: Communicating about managing medications by older patients across transitions of care
Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing), School of Nursing & Midwifery