Melissa Taylor

Associate Professor Melissa Taylor is a nursing academic and researcher at the University of Southern Queensland's School of Nursing and Midwifery. Her work focuses on gerontology, dementia care, and end-of-life nursing. She holds affiliations with the Institute for Resilient Regions and the Centre for Health Research. Taylor has extensive experience in qualitative and mixed-methods research, particularly in translating findings into clinical practice improvements.

Education:

• Bachelor of Nursing (QUT, 1994)
• Graduate Diploma in Health Practice (QUT, 1997)
• Master of Health Science (QUT, 1998)
• PhD in Nursing (USQ, 2018)

Her research interests include aging populations, health equity, and nursing workforce development. Notable projects examine peer supervision in clinical practice, digital health literacy, and COPD guideline adherence in emergency departments. Taylor has authored over 30 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to influential textbooks like Tabbner’s Nursing Care. She also leads collaborative initiatives such as the West Moreton Care Collaborative, addressing end-of-life care coordination.

Grants & Supervision:

• Current doctoral supervisions focus on dementia economics, aged care consent frameworks, and nurse workforce resilience
• Completed projects include studies on COPD clinical pathways and transition-to-practice programs

Her work emphasizes practical solutions for healthcare inequities, with a strong emphasis on improving care for older adults through interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based practice.