Jenny Sando

2015 College Recipient. College of Healthcare Sciences

Dr Jennifer Sando is the immediate past-Chair of the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service Clinical Council. She is also the Nursing Director for Education and Research within the Health Service. Dr Sando has extensive experience in the field of nursing and midwifery education and training, and is considered by her peers to be an expert in this field. Dr Sando manages education and training for more than 2,300 nurses and midwives across the Health Service, which stretches from Tully in the south to Cow Bay in the north and west to Croydon.

Qualified in a number of relevant areas, Dr Sando’s knowledge and skills are extensive and broad, and as a current member of a number of high-level government committees with concern for education and training, Dr Sando is abreast of contemporary trends and programs of activity.

With considerable years of employment in senior positions within Queensland Health, Dr Sando is conversant with Australia’s healthcare system and nursing and midwifery workforce issues. Over the past decade, Dr Sando has successfully achieved a dramatic increase in James Cook University nursing and midwifery clinical placements within the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, particularly in the rural and remote areas of the Service.

On the University’s behalf, Dr Sando has negotiated an innovative model of undergraduate nursing student clinical placement in collaboration with both nurse unit managers and nurse educators. This has made a difference in the quality of students’ experiences, and also enhanced the ‘work ready’ status of these graduates to function optimally as registered nurses and midwives.

Dr Sando is regarded by many as being open to new ideas, promotes change, and has the enthusiasm and commitment to be a vocal advocate for nursing and midwifery education.

Dr Sando became the first Nurse to graduate from James Cook University (Cairns, Nguma-bada campus) with a PhD. Dr Jennifer Sando graduated from James Cook University with a Doctor of Philosophy in 2010.