Rate My Professor Linda Furness

Dr. Linda Furness serves as a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University, located at the Gold Coast Campus. She earned her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy from the University of Queensland, Master of Professional Studies from the University of Southern Queensland, and Doctor of Professional Studies from the University of Southern Queensland. A registered occupational therapist, Furness possesses extensive practical experience in overseeing work-integrated learning and providing support to new graduates within regional and rural health services. Prior to her current role, she worked as an Occupational Therapy Clinical Education Support Officer at Darling Downs Health, contributing to the integration of occupational therapy theory into everyday clinical practice. Her professional background also encompasses positions at institutions such as the University of Southern Queensland, where she pursued her advanced degrees.

Furness's research centers on facilitating workplace learning for health professional students, particularly allied health and medical students, in regional and rural settings. She contributes to the Resilient Ageing in Supportive Environments research team at Southern Cross University. Her publications include "Implementation of occupation-centred practice by occupational therapists: A mixed method study in a regional and rural health service" (Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 2025, with Bennetts and Tynan), "Enhancing Workplace Learning: A Video Reflexive Ethnography Study" (2025, with Noble, Ajjawi, and others), "Integrating Generative AI in Health Education: A Scoping Review and Implementation Framework" (2025, with Toohey and others), "Occupational therapist led environmental assessment and modification to prevent falls: a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study protocol" (BMC Geriatrics, 2019, with Pighills, Tynan, and Rawle), "What students and new graduates perceive supports them to think, feel and act like a health professional: A study of allied health students and new graduates" (2020), and "Promoting positive occupational therapy student placement experiences in rural Queensland" (2013, with Martin). She has also co-authored conference posters and papers on topics such as learning conversations in patient care and authentic reflection in clinical placements. Furness's work advances clinical education, rural health professional development, and innovative practices in occupational therapy.