Deakin Project Supervisor
Additional Supervision
Deakin School
Deakin Faculty
Location
Deakin Melbourne Burwood Campus (Australia) and Aston University (UK)
Research topic
This is a doctoral cotutelle project between Deakin University (Australia) and Aston University (UK)
The successful PhD Student will be awarded a scholarship from Deakin University with the supervision team being drawn from Deakin University and Aston University. The PhD Student will graduate with two testamurs, one from Deakin University and one from Aston University, each of which recognises that the program was carried out as part of a jointly supervised doctoral program. The PhD Student is anticipated to spend a minimum 6 months of the total period of the program at Aston University, including for 8 consecutive weeks in their final year of study to comply with UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) regulations, with the remainder of the program based at Deakin University.
The program is for a duration of 3 years and scheduled to commence in October 2025.
This programme of work will involve the development, piloting and feasibility-testing of a brief intervention to reduce stress and improve wellbeing amongst hospital-based healthcare shift workers and their families. The intervention would likely focus on key domains to reduce psychological distress and improve wellbeing, including, physical activity, nutrition and sleep. Many interventions already exist, though they haven't always been evidence-based or theoretically informed and are rarely assessed well in their target population and context. Uniquely, the intervention will be adapted to meet the needs of healthcare families and involve systemic engagement to enable it to be embedded within healthcare practices and family lifestyles.
Project aim
This doctoral project aims to:
- co-produce a brief intervention to improve stress and wellbeing among hospital-based healthcare shift workers and their families; and
- feasibility-test and evaluate the intervention with healthcare shift workers and their families
Research will involve a literature review of systems-based interventions to improve stress and wellbeing among hospital-based shift workers. Exploratory qualitative work with shiftworkers and their families will be undertaken to understand current practices around sleep, nutrition, physical activity; identify challenges associated with shift working; to establish effective strategies within families for managing wellbeing. This will involve inclusive, creative methods (e.g. photo voice, social mapping, artwork, creative play) to gather experiential data from children and young people living with healthcare shift workers.
Co-production work with PPIE groups using evidence reviewed and gathered and psychological theory to develop an intervention. This will involve consultations with hospital management and government policy to provide the regulatory and management contexts within which hospital staff work. Alongside this, key stakeholders representing healthcare staff, shift allocation staff, family members of healthcare staff, and practitioners in the fields of nutrition, physical activity and sleep will be recruited to establish the PPIE co-production team.
The intervention is likely to include physical activity, nutrition, sleep, wellbeing. It may explore possibilities for a digital intervention but with caution that wearable technology is not designed for those with unusual sleep patterns, i.e., shift workers.
Piloting and feasibility-testing will involve identifying appropriate outcomes and measures for a larger-scale evaluation. Likely measures will include: Self-report perceived stress, Self-report health-related quality of life, Self-report anxiety symptoms, Self-report depression symptoms, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, actigraphy, sleep diaries, Physiological measure of stress, heart rate (e.g. with wearable technology).
Important dates
Applications close 5pm, Sunday 2 February 2025
Benefits
This scholarship is supported by Deakin University, is available over 3 years and includes:
- Stipend of $35,550 per annum tax exempt (2025 rate)
- Full Tuition Fee Waiver for up to 4 years
- Funding to support single travel between Deakin University and Aston University.
- Travel insurance support during residency at partner institution.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible you must:
- be a domestic candidate. Domestic includes candidates with Australian Citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency or New Zealand Citizenship.
- meet the PhD entry requirements of both Deakin University and Aston University, including English language proficiency requirements
- hold a Bachelor's degree with research experience or Master's degree (research) in a relevant subject area
- be enrolling full time
- be able to physically locate to both Aston University (UK) and Deakin University (Australia)
Please refer to the research degree entry pathways page and Aston’s research entry criteria page for further information.
How to apply
Applicants should first contact A/Prof Jade Sheen (jade.sheen@deakin.edu.au) to discuss the project and provide the the relevant documentation. If successful, you will be invited by Deakin University to lodge a formal HDR application to Deakin.
The successful applicant will also be required to lodge a separate PhD application to Aston University via the Aston University application page.
Please be aware that screening for this advert will commence immediately and the scholarship may be awarded prior to the closing date.
Contact us
For more information about this scholarship, please contact:
A/Prof Jade Sheen
Email jade.sheen@deakin.edu.au
+61 3 925 17634