Melissa Riegel

Dr. Melissa Riegel serves as a Lecturer in Critical Care Nursing (Intensive Care) at the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery within the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. She maintains active clinical practice through casual registered nursing in acute hospital settings, ensuring her academic work remains grounded in contemporary ICU realities. Her dual roles bridge theoretical education and frontline critical care delivery.

Her educational foundation includes registered nursing qualifications from the United States followed by 15 years of clinical experience (3 years in neuro ICU, 12 years in general adult ICU), complemented by roles as clinical nurse consultant and advanced practice nurse. She completed her PhD at the University of Sydney in April 2023, focusing on end-of-life care optimization in intensive care environments.

Dr. Riegel's research program centers on transforming bereavement care through memory-making interventions and family-centered practices in adult ICUs. She investigates ICU patient diaries, family writing preferences, and healthcare professional roles in facilitating post-death support. Her work addresses critical gaps in continuity of care during the transition from life-sustaining treatment to bereavement, with particular attention to cultural and organizational influences on practice.

Analysis of her 2019-2024 publications reveals an evolving research trajectory deepening memory-making methodologies while adapting to external crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Her studies consistently employ mixed-methods approaches to examine both family experiences and provider capabilities, establishing foundational frameworks for standardized bereavement protocols in critical care.

No scientific awards or major fellowships are documented in the available information about Dr. Riegel.

She currently supervises Masters candidate Lynne HUNT, whose research examines myocardial infarction risk reduction during environmental triggers. While specific grant details remain undisclosed, her sustained publication record across Australian Critical Care and Journal of Clinical Nursing indicates successful research funding acquisition. Dr. Riegel's collaborative work with colleagues like Buckley, Randall, and Ranse demonstrates active engagement in multidisciplinary critical care research networks.