Biography
Dr Melissa Bloomer has more than 20 year experience as a registered nurse in intensive care (ICU), general acute and sub-acute care settings. With a passion for research, Melissa joined Deakin University in early 2016.
Melissa's primary research interests relate to end of life care in acute and critical care environments, including management, communication between clinicians and with family, decision making and the preparedness of nurses to deal with dying and death. Melissa's work focuses on the oldest old, adults, paediatric and neonatal populations in acute care, sub-acute care and rehabilitation. Melissa's work has resulted in 53 peer-reviewed research publications.
In 2019, Melissa was the recipient of an Endeavour Executive Leadership Award. This highly prestigious award enabled Melissa to spend six weeks at the International Observatory on End of Life Care at Lancaster Univeristy, UK, undertaking research related to volunteers in end of life care.
From 2017 to 2019, Melissa was the recipient of an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to explore 'Best Practice in End-of-Life Care in Acute Hosptials in Private and Public Settings'.
Melissa also holds several external leadership roles including:
- Deputy Chair, End of Life Policy Chapter, Australian College of Nursing (ACN)
- Chair, Research Advisory Panel, Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN)
- Editor for Collegian: The Australian Journal of Nursing Practice, Scholarship and Research (IF1.500)
- Editorial Advisor for Intensive and Critical Care Nursing (IF1.652);
- Review Panel member for Nursing in Critical Care (IF1.639)
Research interests
End-of-Life Care
Palliative Care
Care of the older person
Cultural issues in health care
Intensive Care
Communication and Decision-making
Patient and Family-centred care
Dementia
Affiliations
Deputy Chair, End of Life Care Policy Chapter, Australian College of Nursing
Fellow, Australian College of Nursing
Life Member, Nurses Memorial Centre
Member, Australian College of Critical Care Nurses
Member, Palliative Care Nurses Australia
Units taught
2016-2019 - Minor Thesis units (as part of the Master of Nursing Practice)
2019 - HNN732 Clinical Research Methods
2018-2019 - Return to Practice/International Registration of Overseas Nurses
2017 - HNN216 International Study Tour (Undergraduate)
2016 - HNN319 Chronic Illness and Supportive Care
- HNN320 Leadership and Clinical Governance
- HNN732 Clinical Research Methods
- HNN210 Perspectives on Research Leadership
- HNN108 Understanding Research
Knowledge areas
Qualitative Research Methods
Mixed Methods
End-of-Life Care
Palliative Care
Intensive Care
Professional activities
Deputy Chair, end of Life Policy Chapter, Australian College of Nursing
Chair, Research Advisory Panel, Australian College of Critical Care Nurses
Editor, Collegian: The Australian Journal of Nursing Practice, Scholarship and Research (IF1.500)
Editoral Advisor, Intensive and Critical Care Nursing (IF 1.325)
Review Panel Member, Nursing in Critical Care (IF1.652)
Awards
2019 Endeavour Executive Leadership Award
2017-2019 Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
2010-2013 Australian Postgraduate Award
2013 Australian Legion Scholarship
2012 Australian Legion Scholarship
2011 Australian Legion Scholarship
Projects
2019 Chief Investigator - Family needs, involvement and presence at the end of life in inpatient settings: A descriptive retrospective study
2019 Palliative Care Volunteers in Inpatient Hospital Settings
2017-2018 Chief Investigator - Best practice in end-of-life care in acute hospitals: Mapping and evaluation in public and private settings
2016-2017 Chief Investigator - Understanding End-of-Life Care in the Sub-acute Setting. Funded by the Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, Deakin University
2014-2016 Chief Investigator - Australian College of Critical Care Nurses (ACCCN) Experienced Researcher Grant
2013- Current Research Fellow - INACTIC Project, funded by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine
Publications
M Bloomer, C Walshe
(2020), Vol. 34, pp. 589-604, Palliative medicine, London, Eng., C1
End-of-life care for older people in subacute care: a retrospective clinical audit
M Bloomer, M Botti, F Runacres, P Poon, J Barnfield, A Hutchinson
(2019), Vol. 26, pp. 22-27, Collegian, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Cultural considerations at the end of life in a geriatric inpatient rehabilitation setting
M Bloomer, Mari Botti, Fiona Runacres, Peter Poon, Jakqui Barnfield, Alison Hutchinson
(2019), Vol. 26, pp. 165-170, Collegian, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Laura Brooks, Melissa Bloomer, Elizabeth Manias
(2019), Vol. 32, pp. 516-523, Australian critical care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Culturally sensitive communication in healthcare: a concept analysis
L Brooks, E Manias, M Bloomer
(2019), Vol. 26, pp. 383-391, Collegian, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
End-of-life care in hospital: an audit of care against Australian national guidelines
M Bloomer, alison Hutchinson, Mari Botti
(2019), pp. A-G, Australian health review, Clayton, Vic., C1
Supporting Muslim families before and after a death in neonatal and paediatric intensice care units
Abbas Al Mutair, Maram Al Ammary, Laura Brooks, Melissa Bloomer
(2019), Vol. 24, pp. 192-200, Nursing in critical care, Chichester, Eng., C1
Melissa Bloomer, Paul Fulbrook, Sandra Goldsworthy, Sarah Livesay, Marion Mitchell, Ged Williams, Adriano Friganovic
(2019), Vol. 13, pp. 3-7, Connect: the world of critical care nursing, [Cham, Switzerland], C1
J Watson, H Voss, M Bloomer
(2019), Vol. 44, pp. 267-279, Research and practice for persons with severe disabilities, London, Eng., C1
Achieving quality palliative care for all: the essential role of nurses-a White Paper by ACN 2019
Patsy Yates, Melissa Bloomer, Janice Bartley, Lexie Brans, Susan Emerson, Musette Healey, Sara Karacsony, Jason Mills, Margaret O'Connor, Mark Staaf, Carolyn Stapleton, Faye Tomlin, Claudia Virdun
(2019), Canberra, A.C.T., A6
Position statement: Provision of a critical care nursing workforce
Melissa Bloomer, Leanne Aitken, Eva Barkestad, Nicola Credland, Adriano Friganovic, Paul Fulbrook, Sandra Goldsworthy, Rossana Gonzales, Sarah Livesay, Marion Mitchell, Ged Williams, Pauline Wong, Susan Yeager
(2019), Dayboro, Qld., A6
Nurses' prioritization of enteral nutrition in intensive care units: a national survey
M Bloomer, A Clarke, J Morphet
(2018), Vol. 23, pp. 152-158, Nursing in critical care, Chichester, Eng., C1
How nurses cope with patient death: a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis
R Zheng, S Lee, M Bloomer
(2018), Vol. 27, pp. e39-e49, Journal of clinical nursing, Chichester, Eng., C1
Dying persons' perspectives on, or experiences of, participating in research: an integrative review
M Bloomer, A hutchinson, L Brooks, M botti
(2018), Vol. 32, pp. 851-860, Palliative medicine, London, Eng., C1
Melissa Bloomer, Mari Botti, Fiona Runacres, Peter Poon, Jakqui Barnfield, Alison Hutchinson
(2018), Vol. 32, pp. 1615-1623, Palliative medicine, London, Eng., C1
Understanding the bereavement care roles of nurses within acute care: a systematic review
A Raymond, S Lee, M Bloomer
(2017), Vol. 26, pp. 1787-1800, Journal of clinical nursing, Chichester, Eng., C1
M Coombs, R Parker, K Ranse, R Endacott, M Bloomer
(2017), Vol. 73, pp. 39-55, Journal of advanced nursing, Chichester, Eng., C1
D Velasquez Reyes, M Bloomer, J Morphet
(2017), Vol. 43, pp. 12-22, Intensive and critical care nursing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Using non-participant observation in the clinical setting
M Bloomer, W Cross, M O'Connor, R Endacott
(2017), London, Eng., A6
R Zheng, S Lee, M Bloomer
(2016), Vol. 53, pp. 320-330, International journal of nursing studies, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
M Bloomer, R Endacott, B Copnell, M O'Connor
(2016), Vol. 33, pp. 5-11, Intensive and critical care nursing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
The experience of family carers of people with dementia who are hospitalised
M Bloomer, R Digby, H Tan, K Crawford, A Williams
(2016), Vol. 15, pp. 1234-1245, Dementia, London, Eng., C1-1
M Bloomer, S Lee, D Lewis, M Biro, C Moss
(2016), Vol. 25, pp. 2200-2210, Journal of clinical nursing, Chichester, Eng., C1
Intensive care nurses' knowledge of enteral nutrition: a descriptive questionnaire
J Morphet, A Clarke, M Bloomer
(2016), Vol. 37, pp. 68-74, Intensive and critical care nursing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
K Ranse, M Bloomer, M Coombs, R Endacott
(2016), Vol. 29, pp. 210-216, Australian critical care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
M Bloomer, R Endacott, K Ranse, M Coombs
(2016), Vol. 26, pp. 690-697, Journal of clinical nursing, London, Eng., C1
K Crawford, R Digby, M Bloomer, H Tan, A Williams
(2015), Vol. 19, pp. 739-746, Aging & mental health, London, Eng., C1-1
M Bloomer, M O'Connor, B Copnell, R Endacott
(2015), Vol. 28, pp. 87-92, Australian critical care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
End-of-life care in an Australian rehabilitation facility for older people: staff focus groups
H Tan, M Bloomer, R Digby, M O'Connor
(2014), Vol. 38, pp. 186-193, Death studies, London, Eng., C1-1
Vulnerability at the end of life: Australian veterans requiring home-based palliative care
M O'Connor, B Brennan, M Bloomer, K Shimoinaba
(2014), Vol. 26, pp. 134-140, Home health care management & practice, London, Eng., C1-1
K-M Cho, S Lee, M Bloomer
(2014), Vol. 12, pp. 79-79, JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, Adelaide, S. Aust., C1-1
People with dementia and the hospital environment: the view of patients and family carers
R Digby, M Bloomer
(2014), Vol. 9, pp. 34-43, International journal of older people nursing, London, Eng., C1-1
Families and caregivers of older people: expectations, communication and care decisions
R Digby,, M Bloomer
(2014), Vol. 21, pp. 345-351, Collegian, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
A Naik, A O'Brien, C Gaskin, I Munro, M Bloomer
(2013), Vol. 49, pp. 368-372, Community mental health journal, Berlin, Germany, C1-1
End-of-life care in a rehabilitation centre for older people in Australia
H Tan, R Digby, M Bloomer, Y Wang, M O'Connor
(2013), Vol. 32, pp. 184-187, Australasian journal on ageing, London, Eng., C1-1
M Bloomer, A O'Brien
(2013), Vol. 21, pp. 27-31, Progress in palliative care: science and the art of caring, London, Eng., C1-1
Nursing care of the family before and after a death in the ICU - an exploratory pilot study
M Bloomer, J Morphet, M O'Connor, S Lee, D Griffiths
(2013), Vol. 26, pp. 23-28, Australian critical care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
M Bloomer, R Endacott, M O'Connor, W Cross
(2013), Vol. 27, pp. 757-764, Palliative medicine, London, Eng., C1-1
M Bloomer, M Doman, R Endacott
(2013), Vol. 15, pp. 410-414, Nursing & health sciences, London, Eng., C1-1
Ensuring cultural sensitivity for Muslim patients in the Australian ICU: considerations for care
M Bloomer, A Al-Mutair
(2013), Vol. 26, pp. 193-196, Australian critical care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
Considering Aboriginal palliative care models: the challenges for mainstream services
A O'Brien, M Bloomer, P McGrath, K Clark, T Martin, M Lock, T Pidcock, P van der Riet, M O'Connor
(2013), Vol. 13, pp. 2339-2349, Rural Remote Health, Deakin West, A.C.T., C1-1
The environment of inpatient healthcare delivery and its influence on the outcome of care
M O'Connor, A O'Brien, M Bloomer, J Morphett, L Peters, H Hall, A Parry, K Recoche, S Lee, I Munro
(2012), Vol. 6, pp. 104-116, HERD: health environments research & design journal, London, Eng., C1-1
R Digby, C Moss, M Bloomer
(2012), Vol. 7, pp. 57-64, International journal of older people nursing, London, Eng., C1-1
Caring for patients dying with dementia: challenges in subacute care in Australia
M Bloomer, R Digby
(2012), Vol. 28, pp. 164-168, Journal of palliative care, Toronto, Ont., C1-1
Qualitative observation in a clinical setting: challenges at end of life
M Bloomer, W Cross, R Endacott, M O'Connor, C Moss
(2012), Vol. 14, pp. 25-31, Nursing and health sciences, London, Eng., C1-1
Low frequency ultrasound debridement (Sonoca-185) in acute wound management: a case study
M Bloomer, M Shannon, A Williams
(2012), Vol. 20, pp. 200-205, Wound practice and research, Osborne Park, W.A., C1-1
Providing end-of-life care in the intensive care unit : issues that impact on nurse professionalism
M Bloomer, M O'Connor
(2012), Vol. 39, pp. 25-30, Singapore nursing journal, Singapore, C1-1
Improving call bell response times
R Digby, M Bloomer, T Howard
(2011), Vol. 23, pp. 22-27, Nursing older people, Harrow, Eng., C1-1
End-of-life care in acute hospitals: an integrative literature review
M Bloomer, C Moss, W Cross
(2011), Vol. 3, pp. 165-173, Journal of nursing and healthcare of chronic illness, Hoboken, N.J., C1-1
M Bloomer, W Cross
(2011), Vol. 18, pp. 61-69, Collegian, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
Understanding consumer participation in mental health: issues of power and change
W Bennetts, W Cross, M Bloomer
(2011), Vol. 20, pp. 155-164, International journal of mental health nursing, London, Eng., C1-1
M Bloomer, S Lee, M O?Connor
(2011), Vol. 28, pp. 17-23, Australian journal of advanced nursing, Melbourne, Vic., C1-1
Factors affecting peritoneal dialysis selection in Taiwanese patients with chronic kidney disease
C Liang, C Yang, K Lu, P Chu, C Chen, Y Chang, A O'Brien, M Bloomer, K Chou
(2011), Vol. 58, pp. 463-469, International nursing review, London, Eng., C1-1
Problems associated with end of life care in acute hospitals
M Bloomer, C Moss, Wendy Cross
(2011), Vol. 1, pp. 1-7, End of life journal, London, Eng., C1-1
Loss and grief in the workplace. What can we learn from the literature?
M O'Connor, J Watts, M Bloomer, K Larkins
(2010), Vol. 3, pp. 131-142, International journal of workplace health management, Bingley, England, C1-1
Australians living with and managing hepatitis C
A O'Brien, W Cross, P Higgs, I Munro, M Bloomer, K Chou
(2010), Vol. 31, pp. 520-524, Issues in mental health nursing, London, Eng., C1-1
W Cross, M Bloomer
(2010), Vol. 19, pp. 268-277, International journal of mental health nursing, London, Eng., C1-1
M Bloomer, R Tiruvoipati, M Tsiripillis, J Botha
(2010), Vol. 23, pp. 13-19, Australian critical care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
End of life care: the importance of advance care planning
M Bloomer, H Tan, S Lee
(2010), Vol. 39, pp. 734-737, Australian family physician, Sydney, N.S.W., C1-1
M Bloomer, S Lee, M O`Connor
(2010), Vol. 28, pp. 17-23, Australian journal of advanced nursing, Melbourne, Vic., C1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
No Funded Projects at Deakin found
Supervisions
No completed student supervisions to report