Basil George

With over six years of higher education experience nursing and 13 years of clinical expertise in the intensive care unit, I bring a unique combination of academic knowledge and hands-on clinical skills to my professional and research roles. Currently, I am a PhD Candidate at Federation University, undertaking research titled: “Bridging the Digital Divide: Co-Designing Digital Literacy Solutions for Ageing Health Workforces.” This project is grounded in my previous work with online learning, digital platforms, and education for healthcare workers. Through my prior role as an Education Manager and Lecturer, I developed and implemented training programs for graduate and undergraduate nurses, equipping them to adapt to evolving clinical demands and digital systems. This practical background informs my research focus on co-designing digital literacy interventions to support ageing health professionals and older adult clients in navigating the technological shifts within healthcare. I am particularly interested in how these solutions can contribute to optimal ageing—not only by sustaining the confidence and competency of the ageing workforce but also by empowering older adult clients to actively engage with their own healthcare through digital tools.

PhD Focus

My doctoral research builds upon my prior academic and professional experiences in nursing education and digital training. I will be delving further to understand and explore various digital health literacy programs, training models, or interventions that have been implemented to enhance digital capability and reduce digital exclusion among older workers in health, aged care, and community care settings. Furthermore, I will also seek how has co-design or other participatory design methods been applied in the development, implementation, or evaluation of these digital health literacy solutions for the ageing workforce?

By integrating co-design methodologies with digital literacy initiatives, I aim to create sustainable solutions that:

• Enhance the digital competency and confidence of ageing health workers.
• Support the retention and effectiveness of experienced healthcare workforce.

My earlier research, published in the Contemporary Nurse Journal https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2023.2287075, examined the effectiveness of educational interventions on first-year nursing students’ knowledge and confidence in performing basic life support. This study reflects my ongoing commitment to advancing nursing education, workforce development, and patient outcomes through innovative teaching and learning strategies.

Areas of Interest

Critical Care Nursing

Basic Life Support & Advanced Cardiac Life Support

Electronic Health Records & Digital Health

Digital Literacy & Technology Adoption in Healthcare

Ageing Workforce and Optimal Ageing

Co-Designed Interventions for Education and Training