Cardiovascular Nursing Lecturer

Carolyn Astley

Caroline M Astley

Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University
Adelaide, SA, Australia

 Topic: Opportunities for improving clinical effectiveness in acute coronary syndrome management.

Carolyn worked for 20 years as a clinical nurse before becoming involved in cardiovascular research, firstly in the project management of clinical trials and outcomes research and currently as clinical effectiveness manager for cardiology at Flinders Medical Centre(FMC). In this role she works with nursing and medical clinicians to redesign systems and processes of care through clinical audit, problem identification, improvement interventions and monitoring of outcomes to improve delivery of optimal patient care.

She recently completed a doctorate in public health studying quality improvement systems, tools, resources and workforce in acute cardiac care and their relationship with clinical outcomes. She was awarded the 2009 Royal College of Nursing Australia, Florence Nightingale Memorial scholarship to assist with this work.

She has been an active CSANZ Affiliate member, recently representing nursing on the board and as inaugural chair of the Cardiovascular Nursing Council. She co-convened the Affiliates program for the annual CSANZ conferences in 2003, 2006 and 2008 and she is a member of the Australasian College of Cardiovascular Nursing. She is also a member of the Heart Foundation acute coronary syndrome electronic decision support steering committee, the FMC Department of Medicine Quality and Innovation Committee and the Flinders University Clinical Change Area of Strategic Research Investment.