Rate My Professor Fiona Orr

Dr. Fiona Orr is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Notre Dame Australia, where she also serves as an International Student Advisor. With extensive clinical experience in hospital and community-based mental health nursing, she has established herself as a dedicated nursing academic. Her qualifications include a PhD, MLitt, Bachelor of Health Science in Nursing, and registration as a nurse (RN). Orr's teaching portfolio encompasses mental health nursing, health and wellness, and evidence-based practice. She has been recognized with two Australian Awards for University Teaching Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, one specifically in 2015 for transforming mental health nursing education through innovative approaches. Additionally, in 2023, she co-received a Certificate of Excellence in Consumer and Community Involvement at the University of Notre Dame Australia's Health Research Symposium for her work with Dr. Kate Gill on living with functional neurological disorder.

Orr's research specializations focus on education interventions co-designed with individuals who have lived experience of mental health issues, the experiences of those living with functional neurological disorder, and educational strategies to cultivate empathy among nursing students. As a Board Director of the Mental Health Services Learning Network (TheMHS), she contributes to its Governance committee, influencing mental health education and services. Her scholarly output includes numerous peer-reviewed publications. Key works are 'Learning that cannot come from a book: an evaluation of an undergraduate Alcohol and Other Drugs subject co-produced with experts by experience' (2022, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing), 'The development and evaluation of an integrated virtual patient case study and related online resources for person-centred nursing practice' (2021, Nurse Education in Practice), 'Cultivating empathy through the development of a virtual empathy museum' (2021, Collegian), 'The distress of voice-hearing: the use of simulation for awareness, understanding and communication skill development in undergraduate nursing education' (2013, Nurse Education in Practice), and 'Simulation in nursing education: International perspectives and contemporary scope of practice' (2016, Journal of Nursing Scholarship). These contributions underscore her impact on advancing person-centred, empathy-informed nursing education and mental health care practices.