Amy Graham

Mrs Amy Graham

Student Services Officer

Indigenous Engagement

Division of Academic and Student Engagement

I am a Kaurna, Narungga woman. My world is centred on my family, my community and my culture. I am a mother, sister, Aunty, daughter, niece and friend. I am committed and connected to my First Nations community. For me this is with the Kaurna, Narungaa community but also more broadly at the South Australia First Nations community. Participating and contributing to my community is a key value in my personal and professional life, and particularly important for my children’s future.

I am an Aboriginal Health Practitioner who has moved from the clinical environment to be a Research Assistant at the University of Adelaide. My clinical background means that I am very thorough and focused on planning and completion of tasks. My clinical background also means that I have key knowledge which is important for public health research design, planning, implementation and evaluation. This allows me to be patient centred.

My life experiences particularly as a patient and as an Aboriginal Health Practitioner has exposed me to the inequity within Australia's systems for First Nations people. Through research I am able to use the lived experience of myself and those around me to inform meaningful change and see a real-life, real-time impact on the way we as Aboriginal people are observed, assessed and portrayed.

Research Interest

  • Aboriginal Health Research
  • Aboriginal women’s health
  • Improving health journey’s
  • Cultural safety
  • Translational approaches
  • Participatory action research
  • Primary health care
  • Aboriginal Maternal Infant Care

Current Research Projects

Aboriginal Kidney Care, Improving Outcomes Now - AKction2:

Location: Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide

Description: A collaborative action research project involving Aboriginal people with kidney disease and their families, health professionals, renal services, health and support services, universities and other key stakeholders. Methods include community consultations, patient journey mapping, priority setting and implementation of improvement strategies.

Role: Project Cordinator

Funding: NHMRC Ideas Grant

Collaborations and Networks: Central Northern Adelaide Renal & Transplantation Service (CNARTS), SA Health, Kidney Health Australia, National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce (NIKTT), Aboriginal Chronic Disease Consortium, Pika Wiya Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (Port Augusta), Ceduna Hospital (and more being established).

AKction2

 

Health Journey Mapping (HJM)

Location: Adelaide Nursing School, University of Adelaide

Description: Review of use of the Managing Two World Together patient journey mapping tools, and co-design of new health journey mapping tools.

Health Journey Mapping and their resources can assist clinicians, managers and teams to recognise:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patient and family needs,
  • identify strengths and gaps in the health system
  • develop responsive strategies
  • evaluate effectiveness
  • meet accreditation standards

When creating these tools it was our vision that the tools will assist with improving equitable and optimised health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Role: Research assistant

My children, Father and I filming the video in the University of Adelaide Simulation Lab

 

The Kidney Mums Project: Advancing pregnancy planning and care for women with kidney disease

Description: This project will transform the experiences and outcomes of Australian women living with
kidney disease who wish to achieve motherhood. The "Kidney Mums" toolkit will be based
on solid evidence generated by our studies. It will support women and their clinicians to
navigate enormously difficult decisions about pregnancy and deliver best-practice care - a
major advance for these vulnerable women.

Role: Associate Investigator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2021 - ongoing Project Coordinator - AKction2 Project/HJM Project University of Adelaide
    2019 - 2019 Aboriginal Liaison Officer Manager Mildura Base Hospital
    2015 - 2019 Aboriginal Maternal Infant Care Manager Lyell McEwin Hospital
    2011 - 2015 Aboriginal Health Practitioner Watto Purrunna
    2011 - 2011 Administration Officer Aboriginal Primary Health Care Service

  • Certifications
    Date Title Institution name Country
    2016 Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Care Aboriginal Health Council SA -
    2014 Certificate IV Primary Health Care Aboriginal Health Council SA -

2021-2022 Guest Lecturer_Aboriginal Health Care_ Adelaide Nursing School_University of Adelaide

  • Presentation
    Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
    2021 - ongoing Health Journey Mapping to Identify Strength and Resilience as experienced by an Aboriginal Woman with Kidney Disease Adelaide Nursing School Conversazione The University of Adelaide Australia
    2021 - ongoing Adelaide Nursing School Conversazione Adelaide Nursing School Conversazione University of Adelaide -
  • Position: Student Services Officer
  • Phone: 83133406
  • Email: amy.graham@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Schulz, floor First Floor
  • Org Unit: Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education
Connect With Me