Hannah Beks

Hannah Beks is a registered nurse and research fellow with Deakin Rural Health (Warrnambool), a University department of rural health funded by the Australian Government’s Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program. Hannah’s research interests span the nursing workforce and rural health.

Why did you decide to do a PhD?

As a rural generalist registered nurse, I developed an interest in rural health research when I encountered first-hand inequities experienced by populations in rural and remote communities. After graduating with a Master of Public Health, I began my journey as an Associate Research Fellow with Deakin Rural Health in Warrnambool, which led to the opportunity to undertake a PhD. I decided to undertake a PhD to further my research and leadership skills so I could be better positioned to lead health research within my rural community.

Why is health and medical research important?

Health and medical research are important in addressing inequities experienced by populations in rural and remote communities of Australia. This includes developing evidence-based strategies to address the maldistribution of the health workforce and improve access to healthcare services. The importance of health and medical research undertaken in rural and remote communities is supported by the Australian Government’s Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program which funds my research position with Deakin Rural Health.

What support did Deakin and your supervisor provide during your PhD?

Deakin University is highly supportive of PhD students, including employees who are undertaking a PhD on a part time basis. As a Deakin employee and student, I appreciated the additional learning opportunities I was able to access as part of the PhD pathway, which included two coursework units to build my research skills, funding support for open access publications, and flexible working and study arrangements, including a period of parental leave. Additional support was also provided during COVID, including advice on how to adapt data collection methods in the context of lockdowns.

My team of primary and associate supervisors have been exceptional. They have been steadfast in their encouragement and guidance throughout my PhD journey, particularly as I was required to adapt my research plan in the context of COVID and parental leave. Support from my supervisors has taken many forms, including informal emails and phone calls, formal meetings to review candidature progress, and coffee catch ups (when allowed!).

How is your research linked to industry?

My PhD thesis research was undertaken in response to the priorities voiced by leaders from two rural Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHO) in western Victoria. Research included two scoping reviews, and evaluations of two models of service delivery implemented for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members – a community-developed and governed primary health care mobile clinic, and telehealth services. To evaluate these models of service delivery, I worked alongside ACCHO employees. Evaluation findings were released promptly to the ACCHO to inform ongoing service delivery and were also used to advocate for policy changes at a national level.

What impact will your research work have on the world?

I like to think my research is having an impact on a few levels – be it at a community level through listening to the stories of community members and acting on local priorities; at an ACCHO level by undertaking research and evaluation of relevance to local decision-making and funding needs; and at a policy level by rapidly sharing research and evaluation findings to advocate for community needs. At the heart of my research is working in partnership and undertaking work that is of value at a community level. This also resonates with my background as a registered nurse in being an advocate for community needs.

What’s next? Where do you hope your PhD will take you?

Now that I have submitted my PhD thesis, I am eagerly awaiting the outcome of the examination. In the interim, I am thankful to continue my role as a research fellow with Deakin Rural Health. I am also in the process of developing a post-doctoral program of research with a focus on building the capacity and capabilities of the rural nursing workforce in research, evaluation, quality improvement, and care delivery – a critical area of work to improve health outcomes for rural and remote populations.