Monika Ferguson

Dr Monika Ferguson

Senior Lecturer, Mental Health

School of Nursing and Midwifery

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.

I am a suicide prevention and mental health researcher and lecturer. My expertise includes mixed-methods evaluations of suicide prevention initiatives, in the health sector and in the community. I am currently undertaking a Research Fellowship funded by Suicide Prevention Australia to evaluate the impact of the safety planning intervention for people experiencing suicide-related distress. I also deliver suicide prevention training to health and human service professionals. 

Year Citation
2026 Pusey, K., Ferguson, M., Ennals, P., & Procter, N. (2026). Community-Based Crisis Care Beyond the Emergency Department: A Scoping Review. Community Mental Health Journal, 10 pages.
DOI
2025 Ferguson, M., Loughhead, M., Mcintyre, H., & Procter, N. (2025). Trauma-informed approaches to suicide prevention: a scoping review. Crisis-The Journal Of Crisis Intervention And Suicide Prevention, online(1), 1-12.
DOI
2025 McDonough, J., Loughhead, M., Rhodes, K., Ferguson, M., & Procter, N. (2025). ‘Am I Safe Here? Am I Going to Be Let Down?’ Disentangling Tensions in the Pursuit of Person-Centred and Consumer Directed Care in the Australian Mental Healthcare Context. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 34(6), e70177.
DOI Europe PMC1
2024 O'Connor, E., Rhodes, K., Procter, N., Loughhead, M., Procter, A., Reilly, J. A., . . . Ferguson, M. (2024). The experiences of consumers, clinicians and support persons involved in the safety planning intervention for suicide prevention: a qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15(1482924), 1-20.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2024 Ferguson, M., McIntyre, H., Rhodes, K., & Procter, N. G. (2024). Co-creating safety plans with people experiencing suicide-related distress. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, 28(6), 52.
2023 Procter, N., Othman, S., Jayasekara, R., Procter, A., McIntyre, H., & Ferguson, M. (2023). The impact of trauma-informed suicide prevention approaches: a systematic review of evidence across the lifespan. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 32(1), 3-13.
DOI Scopus12 WoS13 Europe PMC7
2022 Ferguson, M., Posselt, M., McIntyre, H., Loughhead, M., Kenny, M. A., Mau, V., & Procter, N. G. (2022). Staff perspectives of safety planning as a suicide prevention intervention for people of refugee and asylum-seeker background: a qualitative investigation. Crisis, 43(4), 331-338.
DOI Scopus15 WoS11 Europe PMC10
2022 Procter, N., Posselt, M., Ferguson, M., McIntyre, H., Kenny, M. A., Curtis, R., . . . Mau, V. (2022). An evaluation of suicide prevention education for people working with refugees and asylum seekers: improvements in competence, attitudes, and confidence. Crisis, 43(3), 205-213.
DOI Scopus10 WoS4 Europe PMC8
2021 Posselt, M., Loughhead, M., Ferguson, M., McIntyre, H., Kenny, M. A., & Procter, N. G. (2021). Suicide prevention gatekeeper training for those supporting refugees and asylum seekers: perspectives of participants. Advances in Mental Health, 19(3), 260-271.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4
2021 Ferguson, M., Rhodes, K., Loughhead, M., McIntyre, H., & Procter, N. G. (2021). The effectiveness of the safety planning intervention for adults experiencing suicide-related distress: a systematic review. Archives of Suicide Research, 26(3), 1022-1045.
DOI Scopus120 WoS120 Europe PMC88
2020 Ferguson, M., McIntyre, H., Martinez, L., Eygenraam, J., Baker, A., & Procter, N. (2020). Development of an evidence-based evaluation toolkit for suicide prevention networks in regional Australia. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 28(2), 224-228.
DOI
2020 Ferguson, M., Reis, J., Rabbetts, L., McCracken, T., Loughhead, M., Rhodes, K., . . . Procter, N. G. (2020). The impact of suicide prevention education programmes for nursing students: a systematic review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 29(5), 756-771.
DOI Scopus19 WoS17 Europe PMC11
2019 Posselt, M., Eaton, H., Ferguson, M., Keegan, D., & Procter, N. (2019). Enablers of psychological well-being for refugees and asylum seekers living in transitional countries: A systematic review. Health and social care in the community, 27(4), 808-823.
DOI Scopus75 WoS67 Europe PMC36
2019 Kassir, H., Eaton, H., Ferguson, M., & Procter, N. G. (2019). Role of the pharmacist in suicide prevention: primely positioned to intervene. Journal of pharmacy practice and research, 49(6), 567-569.
DOI Scopus8 WoS7
2019 Ferguson, M., Dollman, J., Jones, M., Cronin, K., James, L., Martinez, L., & Procter, N. (2019). Suicide prevention training - improving the attitudes and confidence of rural Australian health and human service professionals. Crisis, 40(1), 15-26.
DOI Scopus12 WoS11 Europe PMC7
2018 Ferguson, M., Reis, J. A., Rabbetts, L., Ashby, H. J., Bayes, M., McCracken, T., . . . Procter, N. G. (2018). The effectiveness of suicide prevention education programs for nurses: a systematic review. Crisis, 39(2), 96-109.
DOI Scopus25 WoS22 Europe PMC20
2018 Jones, M., Ferguson, M., Walsh, S., Martinez, L., Marsh, M., Cronin, K., & Procter, N. (2018). Perspectives of rural health and human service practitioners following suicide prevention training programme in Australia: a thematic analysis. Health & social care in the community, 26(3), 356-363.
DOI Scopus20 WoS18 Europe PMC10
2016 Maher, C. A., Toohey, M., & Ferguson, M. (2016). Physical activity predicts quality of life and happiness in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy. Disability and rehabilitation, 38(9), 865-869.
DOI Scopus93 WoS79 Europe PMC63
2016 Baker, A. E. Z., Procter, N. G., & Ferguson, M. S. (2016). Engaging with culturally and linguistically diverse communities to reduce the impact of depression and anxiety: a narrative review. Health and social care in the community, 24(4), 386-398.
DOI Scopus27 WoS23 Europe PMC16
2016 Pearson, E., Tindle, H., Ferguson, M., Ryan, J., & Litchfield, C. (2016). Can we tweet, post, and share our way to a more sustainable society? A review of the current contributions and future potential #socialmediaforsustainability. Annual review of environment and resources, 41(1), 363-397.
DOI Scopus51 WoS41
2016 Ferguson, M., Baker, A., Young, S., & Procter, N. (2016). Understanding suicide among Aboriginal communities. Australian nursing and midwifery journal, 23(8), 36.
Scopus1
2015 Ferguson, M., Jones, M., Procter, N., Martinez, L., Cronin, K., James, L., . . . Ryan, B. (2015). Preparing nurses to practice evidence based suicide prevention skills in the bush. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, 23(4), 41.
2015 Procter, N., & Ferguson, M. (2015). Responding to youth suicide: a film for nurses and health workers. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, 22(8), 41.
2015 Procter, N., & Ferguson, M. (2015). Face to face and person to person: rural clinicians' views on engaging with mental health consumers. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, 23(4), 34.
2015 Procter, N., & Ferguson, M. (2015). Are there warning signs for suicide?. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, 23(5), 31.
Scopus2 Europe PMC1
2015 Maher, C., Ferguson, M., Vandelanotte, C., Plotnikoff, R., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., Thomas, S., . . . Olds, T. (2015). A web-based, social networking physical activity intervention for insufficiently active adults delivered via Facebook app: randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 17(7), e174-1-e174-14.
DOI Scopus135 WoS119 Europe PMC95
2015 Procter, N., Backhouse, J., Cother, I., Ferguson, M., Fielder, A., Jackson, A., . . . Reilly, J. A. (2015). Engaging consumers in the Australian emergency mental health context : a qualitative perspective from clinicians working in the community. Health and social care in the community, 23(4), 428-436.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2015 Procter, N., Ferguson, M., Backhouse, J., Cother, I., Jackson, A., Murison, J., & Reilly, J. A. (2015). Face to face, person to person: skills and attributes deployed by rural mental health clinicians when engaging with consumers. Australian journal of rural health, 23(6), 352-358.
DOI Scopus7 WoS8 Europe PMC7
2014 Procter, N., & Ferguson, M. (2014). Collaborative action to improve rural mental health. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, 22(6), 35.
2013 Szokalski, M. S., Foster, W. K., & Litchfield, C. A. (2013). Behavioral monitoring of big cats involved in 'behind-the-scenes' zoo visitor tours. International journal of comparative psychology, 26(1), 83-104.
2012 Szokalski, M. S., Litchfield, C. A., & Foster, W. K. (2012). What can zookeepers tell us about interacting with big cats in captivity?. Zoo biology, 32(2), 142-151.
DOI Scopus20 WoS16 Europe PMC11
2012 Szokalski, M. S., Litchfield, C. A., & Foster, W. K. (2012). Enrichment for captive tigers (Panthera tigris): current knowledge and future directions. Applied animal behaviour science, 139(1-2), 1-9.
DOI Scopus54 WoS52

Year Citation
2022 Procter, N., Macedo, D., & Ferguson, M. (2022). Person-centred care in suicide and self-harm distress. In N. Procter (Ed.), Source details - Title: Mental Health: A Person-centred Approach (3rd ed. ed., pp. 127-143). UK: Cambridge University Press.
2022 Procter, N., Baker, K., Ferguson, M., Hodge, L., Macedo, D., & Loughhead, M. (2022). Mental illness and narratives of experience. In N. Procter (Ed.), Source details - Title: Mental Health: A Person-centred Approach (3rd ed. ed., pp. 83-100). UK: Cambridge University Press.
2022 Procter, N., Baker, A., Kenny, M. A., Macedo, D., & Ferguson, M. S. (2022). Mental health of people of immigrant and refugee backgrounds. In N. Procter (Ed.), Source details - Title: Mental health: a person-centred approach (pp. 315-338). UK: Cambridge University Press.
2022 Procter, N., Baker, A., Baker, K., Hodge, L., Macedo, D., & Ferguson, M. (2022). Introduction to mental health and mental illness: human connectedness and the collaborative consumer narrative. In N. Procter (Ed.), Source details - Title: Mental Health: A Person-centred Approach (3rd ed. ed., pp. 1-25). UK: Cambridge University Press.
2019 Procter, N., & Ferguson, M. (2019). Mental health emergencies. In K. Curtis (Ed.), Source details - Title: Emergency and trauma care for nurses and paramedics (3 ed.). US: Elsevier Press.
2019 Ferguson, M., Baker, A., & Procter, N. (2019). A culturally competent approach to suicide research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In Source details - Title: Handbook of Research Methods in Health Social Sciences (pp. 1707-1722). Singapore: Springer.
DOI
2018 Ferguson, M., & Litchfield, C. (2018). Interactive zoo visitor experiences A review of human and animal perspectives. In N. Carr, & J. Young (Eds.), WILD ANIMALS AND LEISURE: RIGHTS AND WELLBEING (pp. 40-60). ROUTLEDGE.
2018 Ferguson, M., & Litchfield, C. (2018). Human-wild animal leisure experiences The good, the bad, the ugly. In N. Carr, & J. Young (Eds.), WILD ANIMALS AND LEISURE: RIGHTS AND WELLBEING (pp. 13-39). ROUTLEDGE.
WoS1
2018 Ferguson, M., & Litchfield, C. (2018). Interactive zoo visitor experiences: A review of human and animal perspectives.. In N. Carr, & J. Young (Eds.), Source details - Title: Wild animals and leisure: Rights and welfare (pp. 39-59). US: Routledge.
DOI Scopus5
2018 Ferguson, M., & Litchfield, C. (2018). Human-wildlife leisure experiences: the good, the bad, the ugly. In N. Carr, & J. Young (Eds.), Source details - Title: Wild animals and leisure: Rights and welfare (pp. 12-38). US: Routledge.
DOI Scopus8
2017 Procter, N., & Ferguson, M. (2017). Mental health. In J. Bloomfield (Ed.), Source details - Title: Clinical nursing skills an Australian perspective (pp. 309-330). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
2017 Procter, N., Ferguson, M., Baker, A., & Babakarkhil, A. (2017). Services and supports for refugees and asylum seekers. In M. Chambers (Ed.), Source details - Title: Psychiatric and mental health nursing: the craft of caring (3rd ed. ed., pp. 735-745). UK: Taylor and Francis.
DOI Scopus1
2017 Procter, N., Baker, A., Baker, K., Hodge, L., & Ferguson, M. (2017). Introduction to mental health and mental illness: human connectedness and the collaborative consumer narrative. In N. Procter (Ed.), Source details - Title: Mental health: a person-centred approach (2 ed., pp. 1-28). UK: Cambridge University Press.
DOI Scopus1
2017 Procter, N., Baker, A., Kenny, M. A., & Ferguson, M. (2017). Mental health of people of immigrant and refugee background. In N. Procter (Ed.), Source details - Title: Mental health: A person-centred approach (2 ed., pp. 238-259). UK: Cambridge University Press.
DOI Scopus4
2016 Ferguson, M., Traynor, A. O., & Procter, N. (2016). Mental health during childhood. In M. Steen, & M. Thomas (Eds.), Source details - Title: Mental health across the lifespan: a handbook (pp. 88-112). UK: Routledge.
DOI
2016 Procter, N., Baker, A., Ferguson, M., & Baker, K. (2016). Mental health within society and societies. In M. Steen, & M. Thomas (Eds.), Source details - Title: Mental health across the lifespan: a handbook (pp. 21-45). UK: Routledge.
DOI
2015 Procter, N. G., & Ferguson, M. (2015). Mental health emergencies. In K. Curtis, & C. Ramsden (Eds.), Source details - Title: Emergency and trauma care for nurses and paramedics (2 ed., pp. 953-975). New York: Elsevier Press.
2014 Procter, N., Babakarkhil, A., Baker, A. E. Z., & Ferguson, M. S. (2014). Mental health of people of immigrant and refugee backgrounds. In H. P. Hamer (Ed.), Source details - Title: Mental health: a person-centred approach (pp. 197-216). UK: Cambridge University Press.
DOI Scopus4
2013 Procter, N., Baker, A., Grocke, K., & Ferguson, M. (2013). Introduction to mental health and mental illness: human connectedness and the collaborative consumer narrative. In N. Procter (Ed.), Source details - Title: Mental health: a person-centred approach (pp. 1-24). Port Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press.
DOI Scopus3

Year Citation
2016 Procter, N., Jones, M., & Ferguson, M. (2016). A multi-disciplinary suicide prevention training program in rural South Australia. In INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING Vol. 25 (pp. 45). WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2016 Ferguson, M., & Procter, N. (2016). The effectiveness of educating nurses in suicide prevention: A systematic review. In INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING Vol. 25 (pp. 18). WILEY-BLACKWELL.
WoS1
2015 Baker, A., & Ferguson, M. (2015). Dying before their time: Indigenous youth suicide in Australia. In Conference Proceedings of the G20 Youth Forum 2015 (pp. 195-202). Switzerland: G200 Association.

Year Citation
2024 Procter, N., Ferguson, M., Loughhead, M., & McIntyre, H. (2024). Trauma-informed approaches to suicide prevention: consultation paper: Corporate body:Queensland Mental Health Commission. Australia: Queensland Mental Health Commission.
2023 Loughhead, M., McDonough, J., Baker, K., Rhodes, K., Manzini Macedo, D., Ferguson, M., . . . Procter, N. (2023). Person-centred and consumer directed mental health care: transforming care experiences. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2020 Baker, K., Ferguson, M., Loughhead, M., & Procter, N. G. (2020). Mental health safety and quality engagement guide: Corporate body:National Mental Health Commission. Australia: National Mental Health Commission.
2019 Procter, N. G., Ferguson, M., & McIntyre, H. (2019). Rapid review of evidence to advance a mental health nursing workforce strategy. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2017 Ferguson, M., Eaton, H., & Procter, N. G. (2017). The impact of MATES in construction: a mixed-methods study of GAT and connector training in the South Australian construction industry. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2017 Ferguson, M., Eaton, H., Baker, A., & Procter, N. (2017). Evaluation toolkit for South Australian Suicide Prevention Networks. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2017 Procter, N. G., Ayling, B., Croft, L., DeGaris, P., Devine, M., Dimanic, A., . . . Sullivan, R. (2017). Trauma-informed approaches in forensic mental health. South Australia: University of South Australia.

  • Preventive Health SA Scholarship, Preventive Health SA, 11/09/2025 - 30/06/2029

  • SA Health Scholarship, SA Health, 01/03/2019 - 31/12/2025

  • SA Community Suicide Postvention Rapid Review and Environmental Scan, Preventive Health SA, 15/05/2024 - 05/08/2024

  • National Mental Health Commission 'Spotlight' Report on Person Centred and Person Led Care Concepts Used in Mental Health, National Mental Health Commission, 01/07/2021 - 31/07/2022

  • Evaluation of Connecting with People training for South Australian Health Professionals, 4 Mental Health Ltd, 01/02/2018 - 31/07/2021

  • Open Minds Alliance CIC Scholarship, Open Minds Alliance CIC, 01/01/2017 - 30/05/2020

  • Help-seeking of emergency service first responders for mental health concerns, The Road Home (formerly the Repat Foundation), 01/07/2017 - 30/06/2019

  • Independent review on literature on evidence to advance a mental health workforce strategy and development of a protocol to evaluate state-wide mental health nursing workforce strategy, SA Health, 01/04/2019 - 07/06/2019

  • Systematic Literature Review: What are the barriers and enablers of psychological well-being in refugees and asylum seekers/displaced people?, HOST International, 04/01/2018 - 31/07/2018

  • Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Services Training, Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Services, 27/02/2018 - 30/04/2018

  • Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors Engagement of Professor Nicholas Procter for 2 day training course, Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors, 16/02/2018 - 30/03/2018

  • Design of a Research Methodology for Suicide Prevention Research, SA Health, 01/07/2016 - 30/06/2017

  • Developing a research protocol for evaluation of a suicide prevention network, Local Government Association of South Australia, 10/10/2016 - 31/03/2017

  • Unexpected but Important: A mixed methods inquiry into the positive workplace effects of suicide prevention education and training, Mates in Construction, 11/03/2016 - 31/01/2017

Courses I teach

  • NURS 2041 Mental Health Nursing (2025)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2019 Co-Supervisor Exploring the role of police in providing a mental health response to the community Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Kelly Louise Pusey

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2019 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Situated knowledge of the client's experience: an ethnography of the involuntary-admission decision Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Christopher Patterson

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