Rate My Professor Elaine Towner

Elaine Towner is a Senior Lecturer in Nursing in the School of Health at the University of New England (UNE). Having grown up on the south coast of New South Wales and studied in regional areas, she attained the Bachelor of Nursing, Graduate Certificate in Acute Care Nursing, and Master of Nursing at UNE. She also holds a Master of Research from the University of Southern Queensland, with her thesis investigating new graduate nurses' experiences in rural areas caring for deteriorating patients. Prior to her academic appointment at UNE in 2014, Towner accumulated ten years of clinical experience as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, predominantly in Intensive Care, High Dependency, and Coronary Care units. She further possesses expertise in Emergency nursing, Operating Theatres, Recovery, Medical and Surgical wards, and Health Leadership positions.

Towner's academic interests revolve around supporting new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) in rural healthcare environments, particularly their management of deteriorating patients. Between 2020 and 2024, she conducted a qualitative study interviewing seven NGRNs, uncovering prevalent feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, and underprepared. The research underscored the essential support from seasoned rural nurses for safe patient care and highlighted NGRNs' challenges with emerging digital technologies, despite their increasing role in rural health services. Towner has published findings in peer-reviewed journals, such as "The experiences of new graduate nurses caring for the deteriorating patient in rural areas: a scoping review" in Collegian (2022, co-authored with Leah S. East and Jackie Lea), and "Exploring Experiences of the New Graduate Registered Nurse Caring for the Deteriorating Patient in Rural Contexts: A Scoping Review" (2025, with Jackie Lea and Leah S. East). In her teaching role, she delivers content to third-year undergraduates on patient deterioration using simulated scenarios to foster critical thinking and clinical reasoning, augmented by digital tools aligned with her research insights. Her work aims to enhance preparation for rural nursing practice and improve patient safety.