Resume

Victoria A. Smith

PO Box 99-101 • Newmarket • Auckland • NEW ZEALAND

+64 (0) 21 270 2795

Summary of qualifications

Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health – Biostatistics and Epidemiology (DPH) University of Auckland, New Zealand

Master of Nursing Studies (MNS)
Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

Certification in Infection Control and Epidemiology (CIC)
American Certification Board of Infection Control, USA

Bachelor of Nursing (BN)

Avondale College, Sydney, Australia

Diploma of Applied Science -Nursing (Dip App Sci)
Avondale College, Sydney, Australia

Other courses attended 

n     Microsoft Word

n     Microsoft Excel

n     Microsoft Access

n     Microsoft Project

n     Franklin Covey - Managing Multiple Projects and Meeting Deadlines

n     SPSS statistical software

n     NZ Quality College - Lead Auditor Training

Professional experience

1999-2003 VS Consultancy Services Auckland, NEW ZEALAND Nurse Epidemiologist, Research & Quality Management Consultant, Infection Prevention & Control Advisor

·       Self-employed in own business providing specialist advice and consultation to a wide variety of organisations including local and national government, universities, local councils, health care providers and private sector companies. Projects include epidemiology, research, auditing, planning, service assessment and evaluation, curriculum development, lecturing and course co-ordination, development of strategies and recommendations and associated report writing.

2000-2003 South Auckland Health, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND   Infection Control Practitioner (0.5 FTE)

·        Infection Control Practitioner employed to assess, plan and implement a paediatric and community health Infection Prevention & Control programme.

2001-2002 Ministry of Health, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND Senior Analyst, Quality, monitoring, audit & analysis  (0.5 FTE) 

·        Descriptive epidemiological work for the National Screening Unit of the Ministry of Health investigating high cancer detection rates, laboratory reporting rates and other analytical and quality issues.

1995 - 1999 Auckland Healthcare, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND Infection Control Practitioner

 ·         Infection Control Practitioner in New Zealand’s largest healthcare network covering Auckland Hospital, Starship Children’s Hospital and setting up a new service for the Community and Mental Health Services. Roles included education to all levels of staff, surveillance data collection and reporting, audit and advising all hospital and community departments and services.

1991-1995 Auckland Adventist Hospital, Auckland NEW ZEALAND Quality Management Officer, Infection Control/Occupational Safety and Health Officer, Registered Nurse

·         Held a variety of roles including having overall responsibility for quality management for all aspects of the hospital including audit design and implementation.  Led the hospital through two successful NZCHS accreditation processes.

1990 - 1991 Guildford Nursing Agency, Surrey, ENGLAND Registered Nurse  

·         Community Nursing duties

1989 - 1990 Sydney Adventist Hospital, NSW AUSTRALIA  Registered Nurse  

·         Registered Nurse in medical, surgical and maternity areas of 350-bed hospital

Other relevant professional expertise & activities

§     International Editorial Board Reviewer, American Journal of
     Infection Control 1999-2003

§         National Coordinator, Regional meetings, NZNO National Division of Infection Control Nurses 2002-2003

§         Certified Lead Auditor, New Zealand Quality College 2002

§         Core Group member and paediatric representative New Zealand Centre for Evidence-based Nursing 1999-2000

§         Chairperson Starship Nurses’ Research Group and Editor of Starship Nurses’ Research Newsletter 1999

§         International Examination Reviewer Certification Board Infection Control (USA) 1998

§         Secretary, NZNO National Division of Infection Control Nurses 1998-1999

§         Chairperson, Australasian Paediatric Infection Control Nurses Group 1997-1998

§         Member of Organising Committee - NZ National Infection Control Conference 1997

§         Advanced Certificate in Vocational Speaking 1992 

§         Public Speaking - Grade 12 Trinity College 1992

§         Certificate in Occupational Safety 1992  

Conference presentation and publications 

New Zealand Neonatal Conference 2003
Sibling visitation in the neo-natal intensive care unit

New Zealand Infection Control Conference 2002
Third World issues and their impact on Infection Control measures in 2002 

Improved performance and behaviour through exciting new technologies (co-authored with T Kampkes)

Australian Infection Control Association Conference 2002   AUSTRALIA   
From Hospital to Home? Paediatric hospital-acquired infection manifest after discharge from hospital 

Intravenous Nursing New Zealand 2002
Introducing the 2002 CDC Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheter Infection

Royal Australasian College of Physicians 2001
Hospital-acquired infection in children manifest post-discharge

New Zealand Infection Control Conference 2001
 Outbreak! Containment, Communication, Collaboration and Control MRSA – Epidemiology and the burden within the Auckland region  

Paediatric Society of New Zealand 2000
Central Venous Lines in a Paediatric Hospital (poster presentation co-authored with E Wilson)

Celebration of Scholarship 1999
Children in isolation – their experiences

Association for Professionals in Infection Control 1999 USA
Expanding Healthcare into the Community

Association for Professionals in Infection Control 1998  USA
The experience of children aged 6 to 10 in isolation in hospital’ 

New Zealand Infection Control Conference 1998
An outbreak of gastroenteritis in a mental health facility

Australian Infection Control Association Conference 1998   AUSTRALIA
An isolating experience - literally

Australian Infection Control Association Conference 1997   AUSTRALIA
Paediatric Point Prevalence Surveillance
Setting up an Infection Control Programme for a Community and Mental Health Service 

New Zealand Infection Control Conference 1997
Infection Control - evolving into the community

New Zealand Infection Control Conference 1996 1996
Point Prevalence Surveillance in Paediatric Hospital 

2002 – Nursing Praxis in New Zealand
(co-authored with Margaret Horsburgh and Denise Kivell) Community Paediatric Nursing Service: Evaluating the South Auckland Approach

Accepted for Publication 2000 - New Zealand Medical Journal
(co-authored with C Wong and D Holland) Pulsed-field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) as a technique for investigation and control of outbreaks.

Healthwise 1999
Special group keeps hospitals bug-free

Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand 1998 
Facing new challenges in infection Control

ICP Report (USA) 1998
Improving isolation for pediatric patients

Australian Infection Control 1998
Setting up a new service for the community 

Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand1996
 Infection Control is not a political football (lett)

Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand 1995
A day in the life of an Infection Control Nurse

Professional memberships 

§         College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) 2001-2003

§         NZNO Research Nurses’ Section 1998-2000

§         NZNO National Division of Infection Control Nurses 1994 - 2003

§         Australian Infection Control Association (AICA) 1997-2001

§         Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology USA (APIC) 1996-2001

Awards / Conferrals 

2002 BD Best Presenter Award  NZNO National Division of Infection Control Nurses National Conference.

2001 Fellow of the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ).   For ‘an outstanding contribution to professional excellence in New Zealand nursing to the benefit of the nursing profession and the health of the community’.

1999 Johnson and Johnson Medical Infection Control Scholarship Award For international conference attendance.

1998 NZNO National Division of Infection Control Nurses  Becton Dickinson - Best presentation at National Conference Award.

Educational expertise

2000-2003 Auckland University, (Department of General Practice & Community Health; Division of Nursing) – contractor for curriculum development, lecturing, student mentoring and supervision, assignment marking, advisor and lecturer for both post-graduate nursing and undergraduate medicine and health science papers. Lecturer/tutor ‘Population Health’ including public health concepts, and basic epidemiology and biostatistical concepts. Course co-ordinator and academic advisor for Master of Nursing paper ‘Advanced Nursing Practicum’.

2000 - 2001 – Maastricht University/Auckland University, co-supervisor for masters degree students

2000 - 2001 – Massey University, contract lecturer, assessor for Masters degree theses.

2000 - Queensland University of Technology, examiner for Master of Nursing thesis.

1999 - Auckland University, mentor for post-graduate nursing programme and assignment marking.

1996-2000 - Auckland Institute/University of Technology, guest lecturer for Military Medicine course, Return to Nursing courses, post-graduate courses (paediatrics, renal, haematology/oncology), undergraduate nursing programmes, research advisor.

1991- 1996 - New Zealand Hospitals Association. Lecturing, examining and course review for Intravenous Therapy Certificate course.