Harvesting the EntrepreNurse

Dr Drew Dwyer1

1School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Queensland

This keynote will focus on inspiring nurses and midwives across all domains of healthcare to take the opportunity of the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, to see themselves as the entrepreneurs of the healthcare sector and its services to patients and consumers in the future. It will focus on the four key themes of the conference (innovation, research, leadership & collaboration) and demonstrate these concepts through the lived experience of Dr Drew Dwyer PhD FACN CFJBI, to show how nurses and midwives can make an impact and transform change into the future.

Dr Drew is a Gerontological Nurse (Gerontologist) and an entrepreneur (an EntrepreNurse) who has a story to share with all nurses and midwives across the world. As the lived experience of an ageing population is upon us now, it will again be nurses and midwives who will hold the hand of society as it transforms and help to mould the outcomes we need for positive healthcare in the future.

“I want to keep the oil in the nurse’s lanterns burning bright” was the message from Florence Nightingale over 150 years ago, but which remains just as relevant for “NURSING NOW”.


Biography:

Dr Drew Dwyer is known internationally as an inspiring, knowledgeable, passionate and engaging clinical leadership educator and mentor.  He is a consultant gerontologist who completed a PhD (Med) in Evidence-Based Healthcare through the Joanna Briggs Institute at Adelaide University in South Australia.  He also holds a master’s degree in clinical science and undergraduate qualifications in Nursing and Applied Social Sciences (Psychology).

His passion is geriatric nursing and he has spent the last 15 years focussed on improving the care provided to our most vulnerable people by leading and advocating for change in the aged, community and disability care sectors.  He currently sits as the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) representative on the Enrolled Nursing Industry Reference Committee that provides expert guidance to the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC) on the future of nursing training in Australia.

Dr Drew serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at the University of Queensland.  In this role he uses his extensive career in practical on-the-floor nursing roles to encourage and motivate aspiring nurses to fully understand and embrace their role as clinical leaders. His combination of passion for people, professionalism, service and leadership leave an indelible mark on all of his students.