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Virginia Schmied

Virginia Schmied is Professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Western Sydney and holds a Visiting Professorship at University of Central Lancashire (UK) and an Adjunct Professorship at the University of Technology, Sydney. She is a registered midwife and a registered nurse with experience in clinical practice, education, research and consultancy. Virginia has worked in other tertiary institutions and as a senior manager in the public sector. She is a leading Australian researcher in midwifery and child and family health. Her program of scholarship, teaching and research is grounded in social science theory and methods and focuses on transition to motherhood, perinatal mental health, postnatal care, breastfeeding and infant feeding decisions, family centered care in NICU, strengthening the universal health services for families and children and the role of the child and family health nurse. In addition she works with colleagues to research strategies to facilitate normal birth. Virginia is currently supervising higher degree students on these topics She has held 10 national competitive grants from ARC and NHMRC and has published over 100 refereed journal articles, book chapters and published reports and regularly presents (including as a key note speaker) at national and international conferences. Her research has been translated to policy and practice, for example through the development of teaching resources for consumers and health professionals.

Education

  • 1999 
    University of Technology, Sydney, PhD