Dr Gordana Dermody | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Dr Gordana Dermody

PhD Nursing University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; Masters of Science in Nursing Saint Xavier University; Bachelor of Science Nursing Saint Anthony College of Nursing
  • Senior Lecturer in Nursing
Email
Telephone
+61 7 5459 4620
Office location
SD H1.3.16
Campus
Sunshine Coast

Dr Dermody is a seasoned expert in gerontologic nursing, holding a PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee with a specialty in applied gerontology, a Master's of Science in Nursing from Siant Xavier University, and she is board-certified as a Clinical Nurse Leader in the United States (US). She brings with her nearly 20 years of extensive experience in both nursing practice and academic settings, including a notable appointment at Washington State University prior to her relocation to Australia. Dr Dermody is committed to forging academic-practice partnerships to decrease the knowledge-practice gap and enhance health outcomes for older adults. Dr Dermody has traveled extensively internationally and presented at conferences, universities, large hospital settings, and special groups on nurse clinicians using a system lens to bring change at the point of care. She has received an award for outstanding leadership and service to the Commission on Nurse Certification Board of Commissionaires (US) for her contributions during her time on the board. Dr Dermody was a Famelab semi-finalist in Western Australia during her time at Edith Cowan University.

Dr Dermody's scholarly pursuits are firmly anchored in the multidisciplinary domain of Gerontechnology. This emergent field amalgamates technology and aging studies to augment the health, independence, and overall well-being of older individuals.

Professional Memberships 

Australian Association of Gerontolog

Australian College of Nursing

Sigma Theta Tau International

Awards/Fellowships

2020: Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service to the CNC Board of Commissionaires (2017-2020)

2019: WA Famelab semi-finalist

Professional Social Media

ResearchGate

LinkedIn

ORCID

Twitter

Dr Dermody's research extends beyond the confines of smart home technologies to include innovations such as telehealth, wearable health monitors, applications, and robotic caregiving aids. Moreover, Dr Dermody's work is not solely directed toward improving the lives of older adults; it also aims to support family caregivers. By integrating technology into home care practices, her research offers practical solutions that ease the caregiving burden and enhance the effectiveness of home-based care. Her research program offers a confluence of healthcare, technology, and aging, providing a comprehensive platform for doctoral students interested in innovative, cross-disciplinary research. Whether your academic interests are in remote health monitoring, artificial intelligence in healthcare, or technological interventions for community-based care, Dr Dermody offers a robust research environment designed for intellectual growth and meaningful contributions.

For prospective PhD students, joining Dr. Dermody's team provides an unparalleled opportunity to partake in pioneering research with far-reaching implications, not only elevating the quality of life for older adults and their caregivers but also shaping the future of integrated healthcare systems nationally and globally.

Research areas

  • Smart homes
  • Gerontology, physical mobility
  • Internet of Things
  • Applied Artificial Intelligence
  • Perceptions about and readiness to adopt health smart home technology by older adults, families and clinicians
  • Clinician-based machine learning for smart homes and precision health
  • Workforce readiness for ageing-in-place technologies
  • Cost effectiveness of health smart home-enabled ageing -in-place

For prospective PhD students, joining Dr. Dermody's team provides an unparalleled opportunity to partake in pioneering research with far-reaching implications, not only elevating the quality of life for older adults and their caregivers but also shaping the future of integrated healthcare systems nationally and globally.

Teaching areas

  • Undergraduate and Graduate entry nursing
  • Supervision of Higher Degree by Research Students
  • Aged care and gerontology
  • Research methods with expertise in Mixed Methods
  • Leadership in healthcare communities
  • Evidence-based practice and quality improvement

Research Publications

Publications summary 

Dermody, G., & Fritz, R. (2018). A conceptual framework for clinicians working with artificial intelligence and health-assistive Smart Homes. Nursing Inquiry, 26(1),1-8. DOI: 10.1111/nin.12267. Wiley Online Library 

Fritz, R.L., & Dermody, G. (2019). A nurse-driven method for developing artificial intelligence in "smart" homes for aging-in-place. Nursing outlook, 67(2),140-153.

Dermody, G., Whitehead, L., Wilson, G., & Glass, C. (2020). The role of virtual reality in improving health outcomes for community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, DOI: 10.2196/17331. JMIR Publications.

Fritz R.L, Wilson M., Dermody G., Schmitter-Edgecombe M., Cook D.J. (2020). Automated Smart Home Assessment to Support Pain Management: Multiple Methods Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2020;22(11):e23943. NCBI 

Kang J.J., Yang W., Dermody G., Ghasemian M., Adibi S., Haskell-Dowland P. (2020). No Soldiers Left Behind: An IoT-Based Low-Power Military Mobile Health System Design. IEEE Access. 2020; 8:201498-201515. IEEE Xplore.

Dermody G., (2020). Safety and Security Concerns in Older Adults (Ch.18). In S. Slaytor & C. Vafeas (Eds.), Gerontological Nursing: A Holistic Approach to the Care of Older People (1st ed.). Elsevier, Australia.