Qualifications

• Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Latrobe University 
• Bachelor of Nursing, Federation University 
• Bachelor of Nursing (Honours), Federation University 
• Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education and Online Learning, Federation University 
• PhD (Nursing), Federation University

Areas of interest

• Nursing education  
• Transition to practice  
• Digital health  
• Academic integrity  
• Patient safety  
• Falls prevention  
• Simulation-based learning  
• Evidence-based practice 
• Interprofessional education 
• Neurodiversity 

Areas of expertise

Elissa’s expertise spans undergraduate nursing education, digital health literacy, academic integrity and patient safety education. Her work focuses on preparing nursing students for contemporary practice through authentic assessment, simulation-based learning, electronic medical record integration, and research-informed curriculum design. She also has expertise in mixed methods and qualitative research, including co-designed educational research and reflexive thematic analysis. 

Grants

• 2025: Enhancing nursing students’ capacity in preventing and responding to falls, pressure injuries and medication errors: A mixed-methods evaluation of a co-designed workshop series. CERC Seed Grant ($5,000) 
• 2024: Evaluation of the PREP program – GCASA Community Grants Hub, Information, Linkages and Capacity Building – Individual capacity building ($354,000) 
• 2024: Interprofessional Education Research Project, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor’s Society – Psi Zeta at-Large chapter ($1,000) 
• 2023: Evaluation of the Nature-Based Community Recovery project extended. Zoos Victoria ($30,000) 
• 2022: Scoping project of Physical Literacy in Latrobe Valley: Children and Families. Latrobe Health Assembly ($25,000) 
• 2021: Co-funded industry PhD Scholarship, Falls Prevention. Latrobe Regional Health and Federation University Australia. ($30,000 per annum for 3 years) 
• 2021: Evaluation of the Wellness Clinic. Latrobe Regional Health ($10,000) 
• 2021: Incident Analytics Model Evaluation. Incident Analytics Pty Ltd. ($10,960) 
• 2021: Evaluation of the Healthy Supermarkets Latrobe Project. Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS) ($40,000) 
• 2021 Health Innovation Project. Latrobe Valley Authority ($149,100) 
• 2021: Career Journey Mapping of health and Community Services. Latrobe Valley Authority ($148,200) 
• 2021: Evaluation of the Nature Led recovery Grants project. Zoo’s Victoria. ($20,000)  
• 2021: Evaluation of DELIVER: Delivering Enhanced heaLthcare at home through optImising Virtual tools for oldEr people in Rural and regional Australia. MRFF – Rapid Allied Research Translation Initiative – Department of Health. ($750,000) 
• 2020: The Latrobe Health Assembly Community programs evaluation. DHHS, Latrobe Health Assembly ($173,866)  
• 2020: Impact of COVID-19 on youth engagement with community services. Baw Baw Latrobe Local Learning & Employment Network (LLEN) ($10,000) 
• 2020: Evaluation of emerging health practices. Department of Health and Human Services and Latrobe Heath Assembly joint funding. ($7,909) 
• 2020: A quantitative study of the impact of COVID-19 on youth engagement in Latrobe. LLEN Youth survey. ($10,000) 
• 2020: Federation University Community Health Hub Feasibility study, Gippsland campus. ($8,842)

Awards

• 2025: Executive Dean’s Commendation, Federation University Australia, Institute of Health and Wellbeing 
• 2025: Latrobe Regional Health Research for the Regions HREC Award for best project for methodology, outcomes and regional clinical impact. 'Patients’ falls risk awareness in hospital in regional Victoria: A mixed methods study' 
• 2025: Vice Chancellor’s Awards, Federation University Australia, – Learning and Teaching, Student Learning Citation Award. 'Changing the Face of Research for Undergraduate Nursing Students' 
• 2025: Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Innovation, Federation University Australia, Electronic Medical Records Team. 
• 2024: Vice Chancellor’s Commendation for Research Excellence (early career), Federation University Australia, Federation University. 
• 2023: ‘Best Oral Presentation’ for Federation University HDR Conference: Patients’ falls risk awareness in regional Victorian hospitals: A mixed methods study. 
• 2023: Executive Dean’s Letter of Commendation for Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) for NURBN1012 
• 2018: University Medal of Academic Excellence for Bachelor of Nursing, Federation University, 2018 
• 2017: Executive Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence (Semesters One and Two) for Bachelor of Nursing, Federation University 
• 2016: Executive Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence (Semesters One and Two) for Bachelor of Nursing, Federation University 

Current

• PhD student, Federation University, ‘Developing and validating a digital health literacy framework for undergraduate nursing students: A mixed methods study’, co-supervisor. 
• Master’s student, Federation University, ‘Psychosocial impact of Open-Plan Office Design in Community Health Organisations’, co-supervisor 
• Master’s student, Federation University, ‘Neuroaffirming approaches in Australian speech pathology practice: A mixed methods systematic review’, supervisor. 
• Master’s student, Federation University, ‘Outcomes used to evaluate interventions for food selectivity in autistic children: A scoping review’, supervisor. 
• Master’s student, Federation University, topic to be determined, supervisor. 
• Honours student, Federation University, ‘A qualitative exploration on how primary contact physiotherapists in regional Australia manage mental health presentations’, co-supervisor.

• Transition to nursing practice 
• Research 
• Interprofessional education 
• Academic integrity 
• Thesis supervision 

Specialist roles

• Chair, Institute of Health and Wellbeing Academic Integrity Committee, Federation University 
• Australian Council of Senior Academic Leaders in Digital Health (ACSALDH) – Federation University alternative representative 
• Research Lead – Digital Health Stream, Nursing Research Collective 
• Institute of Health and Wellbeing Interprofessional Education Subcommittee 
• Institute of Health and Wellbeing Learning and Teaching Committee 
• Executive Committee member, Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund 

Professional association memberships

• Australian College of Nursing, General Member (previous emerging nurse leader 2019–2020) 
• Federation University Counsellor of Psi-Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor’s Society 

Reports

• Latrobe Healthy Supermarkets Project Evaluation (Report). Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/LHSPE23 
• Fenton, S., Porter, J.E., Fletcher, A., Dabkowski, E., & Prins, A. (2023). Physical Literacy Scoping Project: Children and Families. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https:// doi.org/10.35843/NVMX6078 
• Porter, J.E., Johnson, N., Prokopiv, V., Jackson, M., Prezioso, M., Cowan, A., Barbagallo, M., & Dabkowski, E. (2022). ‘I Am Deadly’ Project Evaluation. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/VKYC3809 
• Porter, J.E., Prokopiv, V., Prezioso, M., Ghasemiardekani, M., Wildblood, R., Dabkowski, E., & Barbagallo, M. S. (2024). Latrobe Valley Authority Health Innovation Project Report 2023. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/LBAHIPR23 
• Porter, J.E., Prokopiv, V., Prezioso, M., Ghasemiardekani, M., Wildblood, R., Dabkowski, E., & Barbagallo, M. S. (2024). Latrobe Valley Authority Career Pathways Project Report 2022. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://doi.org/10.35843/LVACPPR22 
• Porter, J.E., Barbagallo, M., Reimers, V., Prokopiv, V., James., M., Dabkowski, E., & Prezioso, M. (2021). Latrobe City Council Community Engagement Survey Results and Analysis 2021. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://federation.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/529558/LCC-Community-Engagement-Survey-Final.pdf 
• Porter, J.E., Barbagallo, M., Dabkowski, E., & Prokopiv, V. (2020). FRRR Health and Wellness Program 2019 Evaluation. [Report]. Federation University Australia. https://federation.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/624930/EVAL_YinnarProgram_Final_29042020.pdf 
• Casey, M., Alvarenga, M., Dabkowski, E., Nasstasia, Y., Porter, J.E., De Gracia, R., Moore, K., & Kennedy, G. (2024). Exploring the factors influencing physical activity engagement for menopausal women [Protocol]. PROSPERO. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42021286517 
• Dabkowski, E., Cooper, S., Duncan, J., & Missen, K. (2024). An evaluation of falls risk perception tools  

Conference presentations 

• 2021: School of Health Research Symposium, Patient perceptions of falls: A scoping review 
• 2022: Federation University Australia Doctor of Philosophy Confirmation of Candidature, Patients’ falls risk awareness in regional Victorian hospitals: A mixed methods study (confirmed with no amendments)  
• 2022: Federation University HDR Conference, Mt Helen, Patients’ falls risk awareness in regional Victorian hospitals: A mixed methods study.  
• 2022: Sigma Theta Tau International, online presentation with Dr Jhodie Duncan, Industry-based PhDs. 
• 2023: Federation University HDR conference: Patients’ falls risk awareness in regional Victorian hospitals: A mixed methods study. Awarded ‘Best Oral Presentation’.  
• 2023: Health Innovation and Transformation Centre monthly seminar: Patients’ falls risk awareness in regional Victorian hospitals: A mixed methods study.  
• 2023: Gippsland Healthcare Symposium: Patients’ falls risk awareness in regional Victorian hospitals: A mixed methods study. 
• 2025: The Impact of GenAI on Academic Integrity: Nursing Academics’ Experiences in Undergraduate Education, Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery, Christchurch, New Zealand. 
• 2025: 2025 Learning and Teaching Showcase: GenAI as a catalyst for change, Safeguarding Integrity in the Age of GenAI: An Authentic Assessment Approach 
• 2025: Latrobe Regional Health Research for the Regions, Patients’ falls risk awareness in hospital in regional Victoria: A mixed methods study 
• 2025: IHW Research Day, Exploring Nursing Academics’ Experiences and Perceptions of Academic Integrity in Undergraduate Education: A Qualitative Study, Berwick Campus 

Poster presentations 

• Dabkowski, E., Winchester, T., & Barbagallo, M. (2025). Exploring student nurses’ perspectives of research and evidence-based practice. National Nursing Forum, Australian College of Nursing, Canberra, July 2025. 
• Webb, C., Dabkowski, E., Allen, L., Missen, K., & Dekker, E. (2025). Development and implementation of an electronic medical records prototype for nursing students. Victorian Translational SIMposium, Victorian Simulation Alliance, Melbourne October 2025. 
• Hood, K., Mee, J., Dabkowski, E., Cowan, A., & Garvey, L. (2025). Authentic interprofessional education for undergraduate health students using VR180 technology. Victorian Translational SIMposium, Victorian Simulation Alliance, Melbourne October 2025. 
• Dabkowski, E., Allen, L., Whitehead, D., Missen, K., & Worn., R. (2025). Exploring nursing academics’ experiences and perceptions of academic integrity in undergraduate education. Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery, Christchurch October 2025. 
• Webb, C., Dabkowski, E., Allen, L., Missen, K., & Dekker, E. (2025). Evaluation of electronic medical record training in undergraduate nursing education. Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery, Christchurch October 2025.