Dr Kim O'Donnell
NHMRC Externally-Funded Senior Research Fellow
School of Nursing and Midwifery
College of Health
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Kim is a Barkindji/Malyangapa woman from far Western NSW, and a Senior Researcher, Aboriginal Health Care Research, Adelaide Nursing School at the University of Adelaide. Kim is a Public Health researcher with extensive understanding and experience working with Australia’s First Peoples in education, health, and governance. Kim’s Doctor of Public Health thesis explored the funding relationship between staff within Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations and government, focusing on understanding of their accountability to each other, and the extent to which funding contracts provide the basis for partnership. A mutual lack of trust was found, coexisting with goodwill on both sides. Distrust is perpetuated when there is a lack of agreed understanding about purpose and function of Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations– arising from history, effects of colonisation, systemic racism and commonwealth bureaucratic restrictions. A new approach focused on the building of respectful relationships is crucial and needs to be reflected in the contractual agreements for improved health outcomes of Australia’s First Peoples. Kim worked as Senior Project Researcher of the Indigenous Researcher and Capacity Building Network project at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute. This project explored building a national approach to supporting and growing the next generation of Indigenous researchers working in Aboriginal health across each of the 9 Centres and their partners that make up the Australian Health Research Alliance. The aim is to effect translation of research into practice, offering timely consistent and quality interventions through a collaborative, Indigenous led and consensus driven approach. Kim’s role was pivotal to establishing this network as a coordination point for the activities occurring. Kim also worked on the RECOGNISE campaign as a National Field Leader to raise awareness around the principles of constitutional reform. She co-led Health Policy and Systems research of The Lowitja Institute and chaired the Mutawintji Local Land Council board from 2016-2019 in Western NSW. She also co facilitated the gazettal of an additional 56,954 hectares of land 160 kilometres north-east of Broken Hill, known as Nuntherungie Station, to the Mutawintji State Conservation Area in September 2019.Kim is passionate about the development of equitable partnerships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and corporate organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of Australia’s First Peoples.
AKction2:
Timeline: April 2021 – March 2026
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 co-lead & Chief Investigator A
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).
AKction1 - Aboriginal Kidney Care Together – Improving Outcomes Now
Timeline: January 2020 – December 2021
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.
Research activities: Community consultations, patient journey mapping, AKction Reference Group, stakeholder workshops, piloting new models of care.
Role: Senior researcher
Funding: Health Translation SA – Rapid Applied Research Translation for Health Impact Grant.
Collaborators: Central Northern Adelaide Renal & Transplantation Service (CNARTS), SA Health, Kidney Health Australia, Aboriginal Chronic Disease Consortium, Pika Wiya Health Service Aboriginal Corporation (Port Augusta), Health Translation SA.
AKction1 Research Outputs:
- AKction Reference Group comprising Aboriginal patients and family members with lived experience of kidney disease and kidney care
- Patient Journey Mapping Tools specific for Aboriginal Kidney Care
- Video (above)
- Radio interviews
- Annual key stakeholder workshops
- Community consultation reports for Adelaide, Port Augusta and Ceduna
 |
|---|
For full copies of reports go to: https://kidney.org.au/get-involved/advocacy/yarning-kidney-consultations
- Newspaper articles
- Port Augusta Community Consultation – https://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/5893548/art-raises-awareness-for-kidney-care/?cs=1538&utm_source=website&utm_medium=story&utm_campaign=sidebar
- New models of practice in kidney care – Dialysis at Kanggawodli Aboriginal Hostel
- https://centraladelaide.health.sa.gov.au/new-dialysis-chairs-at-aboriginal-health-service/
- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-26/sa-dialysis-trial-has-promising-results-for-aboriginal-patients/12914018
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 - ongoing | Research Academic Level B | Flinders University |
| 2019 - ongoing | Research Academic Level B | University of Adelaide |
| 2018 - 2019 | Senior Project Officer | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) |
| 2016 - 2017 | Aboriginal &Torres Strait Islander National Field Leader | Reconciliation Australia - RECOGNISE Campaign |
| 2016 - 2016 | Research Fellow (casual) - Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Research | South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) |
| 2016 - 2016 | Research Fellow (casual) | Flinders University |
| 2015 - 2016 | Team Leader - Aboriginal Programs | Cancer Council SA |
| 2013 - 2015 | Research Educator | Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc |
| 2013 - 2014 | Community Leader Program 3: Health Systems and Policy | Lowitja Institute |
| 2011 - 2014 | Postdoctoral study (Doctor of Public Health) | Flinders University |
| 2007 - 2013 | Research Associate Health Care Management | Flinders University |
| 2005 - 2007 | Research Associate Aboriginal Health Research Unit | Flinders University |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Flinders University | Australia | Doctorate of Public Health |
| 2006 | Flinders University | Australia | Master of Primary Health Care |
| 1985 | Charles Sturt University | Australia | Diploma of Teaching |
| Date | Title | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | ATSI Mental Health First Aid Training | Mental Health First Australia | Australia |
| 2017 | Aboriginal Women’s Civic Leadership Program | Onkaparinga City Council | Australia |
| 2015 | Board Member Responsibilities Training | NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) | Australia |
| 2014 | Certificate IV in Training and Assessment | Treson Business College | Australia |
| 2013 | Indigenous Research and Leadership | University of Melbourne | Australia |
| 2010 | Indigenous Research Training and Practice | University of Melbourne | Australia |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Kelly, J., Owen, K., O'Donnell, K., Sinclair, N., Bateman, S., Arnold-Ujvari, M., . . . Stevenson, T. (2023). Improving Aboriginal people’s kidney care journeys - dialysis at Kanggawodli hostel. In Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research Annual Conference Program. Montreal, Canada. |
| 2022 | Kelly, J., Graham, A., Owen, K., Arnold-Chamney, M., Lester, R., Cormick, A., . . . O'Donnell, K. (2022). Health Journey Mapping for busy clinical settings, detailed care planning and strategic evaluation. In https://eventstudio.eventsair.com/hsr-2022/conference-handbook-e-proceedings. Sydney. |
| 2022 | Owen, K., Sinclair, N., Kelly, J., Arnold-Chamney, M., Bateman, S., Graham, A., & O'Donnell, K. (2022). Improving Aboriginal people's kidney care journeys - Kanggawodli hostel dialysis. In Abstracts of the 12th Health Services Research Conference (HSR2022) (pp. 85). Sydney, Australia: Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand (HSRAANZ). |
| 2021 | Arnold-Chamney, M., Sinclair, N., Kelly, J., Pearson, O., Whittington, T., Jesudason, S., . . . O'Donnell, K. (2021). AKction - Aboriginal Kidney Care Together – Improving Outcomes Now. In 2021 SA Nursing & Midwifery Research Symposium. University of Adelaide. |
| 2021 | Arnold-Chamney, M., Bateman, S., Owen, K., Jesudason, S., McDonald, S., Pearson, O., . . . Kelly, J. (2021). Akction: Aboriginal kidney care together - improving outcomes now. In Abstracts of the 56th Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology Annual Scientific Meeting, as published in Nephrology Vol. 26 (pp. 37). virtual online: Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Kelly, J., Dent, P., Owen, K., Schwartzkopff, K., & O'Donnell, K. (2021). Cultural Bias Indigenous Kidney Care and Kidney Transplantation Report. |
| 2019 | Stevenson, T., Kelly, J., & O'Donnell, K. (2019). Indigenous Yarning Kidneys Report: Ceduna Consultation June 2019. |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 - 2025 | Co-Supervisor | The emergence and translation of cultural safety education into renal nursing care in South Australia. | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Part Time | Mrs Melissa Arnold-Ujvari |
| Date | Role | Board name | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 - 2019 | Chair | Mutawintji Local Aboriginal Land Council | Mutawintji Local Aboriginal Land Council NSW | Australia |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 - ongoing | Chair | Neporendi Aboriginal Forum Incorporation | Neporendi Aboriginal Forum Incorporation SA | Australia |
| Date | Title | Engagement Type | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 - ongoing | Far West Local Health District Aboriginal Staff Network | Public Community Engagement | Far West Local Health District | Australia |
| 2013 - 2014 | Health System Coalition Project | Public Community Engagement | Lowitja Institute | Australia |
| Date | Institution | Department | Organisation Type | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 - 2017 | Margins International Research Group | Margins International Research Group | Scientific research | Australia |
| 2013 - 2015 | Aboriginal Health Research Ethics | Aboriginal Health Research Ethics Committee SA | Health services and related | Australia |
| 2013 - 2015 | Lowitja Institute Health | Lowitja Institute Health Policy & Systems | Health services and related | Australia |
| Date | Event Name | Event Type | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 - ongoing | Onkaparinga City Council: Women of Courage Leadership Program | Workshop | Onkaparinga City Council | Australia |
| 2017 - ongoing | Aboriginal Women’s Civic Leadership Program | Workshop | Onkaparinga City Council, Adelaide | Australia |
| 2016 - ongoing | RECOGNISE Campaign | Workshop | Reconciliation Australia | Australia |
| 2016 - ongoing | Action Research Workshop | Workshop | Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) | Australia |
| 2012 - 2014 | Program 3 Research Co Leader: Enabling Policy and Systems | Workshop | Lowitja Institute | Australia |
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