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Nursing Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences
Areas of expertise: cardiovascular research; nursing; implementation science; digital health
Email: nicola.straiton@acu.edu.au
Location: ACU North Sydney Campus
ORCID ID: : 0000-0002-5013-0159
Nicola Straiton is a nurse and Senior Research Fellow at the Nursing Research Institute, with a particular interest in cardiovascular disease, implementation science and digital health.
As a Senior Research Fellow, her role is focused leading and conducting collaborative research to increase the translation of evidence into practice, and on building the research capacity and capabilities of clinician researchers. Nicola completed a Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing) at The University of Sydney in 2023 focused on the acceptability of heart valve replacement procedures, and patient-reported outcomes in adults with aortic stenosis.
Alongside clinical and academic careers, Nicola has gained a wide-ranging portfolio of clinical trial expertise (managed two research units), implementation of consumer engagement initiatives and involvement in evaluating and embedding digital health approaches. Nicola currently co-lead the Maridulu Budyari Gumal (Sydney Partnership in Health, Education, Research & EnterpriseSPHERE) nursing and midwifery implementation science academy early mid-career researcher group, with the overarching goal of increasing the number of funded collaborative research projects led by nurses and midwives.
Nicola Straiton, Philip Moons, Axel Verstrael, Mark Liu, Michiel M Winter, Beyond Validation: Getting Wearable Activity Trackers into Cardiovascular Care – A Discussion Paper, European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 2024;, zvae019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2023.101495
Roslyn Prichard, Della Maneze, Nicola Straiton, Sally C Inglis, Julee McDonagh, Strategies for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in cardiovascular research: a primer, European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 2024;, zvae002, https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-06-2023-0171
Sandra B Lauck, Markus Saarijärvi, Ismália De Sousa, Nicola Straiton, Britt Borregaard, Krystina B Lewis, Accelerating knowledge translation to improve cardiovascular outcomes and health services: opportunities for bridging science and clinical practice, European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, Volume 22, Issue 8, November 2023, Pages e125–e132,https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01178-z
Straiton N, Hollings M, Gullick J, Gallagher R. Wearable Activity Trackers Objectively Measure Incidental Physical Activity in Older Adults Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement. Sensors (Basel). (2023) Mar 22;23(6):3347. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-023-00256-1
Symons T, Bowden J, McKenzie A, Fallon-Ferguson JM, Weekes LY, Ansell J, Murphy R, Jesudason S, Saxena M, Nichol A, Straiton N. Development of the Consumer Involvement & Engagement Toolkit: a digital resource to build capacity for undertaking patient-centred clinical trials in Australia. Public Health Res Pract. (2023) Mar 15;33(1):32122209. doi: 10.17061/phrp32122209. PMID: 35661863.
Symons TJ, Straiton N, Gagnon R, Littleford R, Campbell AJ, Bowen AC, Stewart AG, Tong SYC, Davis JS. Consumer perspectives on simplified, layered consent for a low risk, but complex pragmatic trial. Trials. (2022) Dec 28;23(1):1055. doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-07023-z. PMID: 36578070; PMCID: PMC9795139.
McKenzie A, Bowden J, Zalcberg JR, Conroy K, Fallon-Ferguson J, Jesudason S, Ansell J, Anderst A, Straiton N. A snapshot of consumer engagement in clinical trials in Australia: results of a national survey of clinical trial networks and research organisations. Res Involv Engagem. (2022) Feb 5;8(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s40900-022-00338-w. PMID: 35123586; PMCID: PMC8817464.
Straiton, N. (2022). Transitions of Care and Long-Term Follow-Up after Heart Valve Procedures. In: Hawkey, M.C., Lauck, S.B. (eds) Valvular Heart Disease. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86233-6_12 Australian College of Nursing (2022) Clinical Research Nurse. Australian Standards for Practice. Canberra, ACN https://www.acn.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/clinical-research-nurse-standards.pdf https://www.acn.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/clinical-research-nurse-standards.pdf
Briffa T, Symons T, Zeps N, Straiton N, Tarnow-Mordi WO, Simes J, Harris IA, Cruz M, Webb SA, Litton E, Nichol A, Williams CM. Normalising comparative effectiveness trials as clinical practice. Trials. (2021) Sep 15;22(1):620. doi: 10.1186/s13063-021-05566-1. PMID: 34526083; PMCID: PMC8442385.
Brijnath B, Croy S, Sabates J, Thodis A, Ellis S, de Crespigny F, Moxey A, Day R, Dobson A, Elliott C, Etherington C, Geronimo MA, Hlis D, Lampit A, Low LF, Straiton N, Temple J. Including ethnic minorities in dementia research: Recommendations from a scoping review. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). (2022) Apr 29;8(1):e12222. doi: 10.1002/trc2.12222. PMID: 35505899; PMCID: PMC9053375.
Beer K, Gentgall M, Templeton N, Whitehouse C, Straiton N. Who's included? The role of the Clinical Research Nurse in enabling research participation for under-represented and under-served groups. J Res Nurs. (2022) Mar;27(1-2):143-154. doi: 10.1177/17449871221077076. Epub 2022 Apr 1. PMID: 35392191; PMCID: PMC8980581.
Straiton N, Hollings M, Gullick J, Gallagher R. Wearable Activity Trackers Objectively Measure Incidental Physical Activity in Older Adults Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement. Sensors (Basel). (2023) Mar 22;23(6):3347. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-023-00256-1
Straiton N, McKenzie A, Bowden J, Nichol A, Murphy R, Snelling T, Zalcberg J, Clements J, Stubbs J, Economides A, Kent D, Ansell J, Symons T. Facing the Ethical Challenges: Consumer Involvement in COVID-19 Pandemic Research. J Bioeth Inq. (2020) Dec;17(4):743-748. doi: 10.1007/s11673-020-10060-5. Epub 2020 Nov 9. PMID: 33169265; PMCID: PMC7651817.
Alharbi M, Straiton, N, Smith S, Neubeck L, Gallagher R. Data management and wearables in older adults: A systematic review. Maturitas. (2019) Volume 124, 100 – 110.
Straiton N, Alharbi M, Bauman A, Neubeck L, Gullick J, Bhindi R, Gallagher R. The validity and reliability of consumer-grade activity trackers in older, community-dwelling adults: A systematic review. Maturitas. (2018) Jun;112:85–93. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.03.016.
Straiton, N, Jin, K, Bhindi, R, Gallagher R. (2018) Functional Capacity and Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes Post Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Age Ageing. (2018) May 1;47(3):478-482. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afx203.
Al-Harbi M, Straiton N, Gallagher R Harnessing the Potential of Wearable Activity Trackers for Heart Failure Self-Care. Curr Heart Fail Rep. (2017). 14 (1), 23-29. 2.
2023 Straiton N, Goldsmith H, Brogan E, Ferguson C, Middleton S. Charting the Future of Healthcare: Making Research Core Business of Early to Mid-Career Nursing and Midwifery Researchers ($46,000).
2023 Straiton N, MacDonald P, Muller D, Frost S, McInnes E, Inglis S, Lauck S, Roy D, Mills N, Arriagada A, Herrero M, Thornton A, Dolja-Gore X, McCreanor V, Harrison S, Middleton S. Frailty response in aortic stenosis patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a pilot, cluster randomised trial (FRAIL-AS Response Trial). Cardiovascular Research Capacity Program, Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant 2023 ($449,826).
2023 Jun M, Gallagher M, Simmons D, Straiton N, Usherwood T, Rajaratnam R, Campain A, Si L, Tai E, Kotwal S, Katz I, Higgins K, Wallace H. Reducing cardiovascular and kidney risk in people with diabetes (the REVERSE study). Cardiovascular Research Capacity Program, Senior Career Researcher Grant 2023 ($444,229).
2023 Prior J, Egglestone P, Goodwin N, Lovell N, Oates Smith C, Jahantigh BJ, Dadich A, Debono D, Straiton N, McIntyre E, Liu E. Understanding Reception of Care Technology for Healthy Ageing at Home. SPHERE Big Ideas 2023 Grant Scheme ($167,934).
2023 Fontaine G, Vachon B, Gagnon MP, Presseau J, Rouleau G, Patey A, McCleary N, Porat-Dahlerbruch J, Cassidy C, Semenic S, Middleton S, Straiton N, Chicoine G, Vinette B, Castiglione SA, Bitzas VB, Hupé C, Martel B, Folch N, Smith M. From Theory to Practice: Unveiling the theoretical basis and components of effective implementation strategies for improving nursing practice and patient outcomes. Quebec Network on Nursing Intervention Research 2023 ($57,381).
2022 W Tarnow-Mordi, M Cruz, N Straiton et al. A global register of parent-professional partners in large, simple perinatal trials ($100,000).
2023: Best Early-Mid Career Researcher Oral Presentation Award. St Vincent’s Sydney Health Innovation Precinct (SVSHIP) 2023 Research Week. Patient Acceptability of Nurse-Led Physical Assessments and Bedside Handovers (ACCELERATE Plus: Acceptability Study)
2022: Franklin Women Mentorship Program graduate, a gender equity initiative to increase the representation of women in leadership roles in the health and medical research sector, Sydney, Australia
2020: 2020 Winner. Digital Influencer Prize. eHealth Sydney 2020
2019: Awarded, Postgraduate Research Support Scheme Funding, Sydney Nursing School
2019: Awarded, Scholarship to International College of Nursing Summer School, Vilnius, Lithuania
Senior Research Fellow, Nursing Research Institute, Australian Catholic University and St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney
2023-ongoing: Member, Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE), Nursing and Midwifery Implementation Science Academy
2023-ongoing: Co-lead, Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE), Nursing and Midwifery Implementation Science Academy: Early Career Research Group
2023-ongoing: Member, Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE) Implementation Science Collaborative
2022-ongoing: Executive Committee Member, Digital Health for Heart Health, Priority Setting Partnership
2020-ongoing: Scientific Advisory Committee and the Steering Committee, Australian and New Zealand Alliance for Cardiovascular Trials network (ANZACT)
2018-ongoing: Consumer Engagement, Equity, and Diversity Working Group, Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA)
2019-2020: Organising Committee, Digital Health Conference – Digital Health Week, University of Sydney
Editor of the Knowledge Translation Corner of the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
Executive team member of the UK Digital Health for Heart Health research priority setting partnership project.
Digital Health for Heart Health https://digitalheartpsp.napier.ac.uk/
Principal project manager and member of the team who developed and implemented the Consumer Involvement and Engagement Toolkit, to provide researchers with the practical tools and resources to involve consumers in research.
Consumer Involvement and Engagement Toolkit https://involvementtoolkit.clinicaltrialsalliance.org.au/consumers/