ACU Researcher

Associate Professor Alana Delaforce

Director, Nursing Research and Practice Development Centre
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine

Areas of expertise: Implementation science, Digital health, Perioperative care, Acute and Surgical care, Quality and Safety, Nursing

Email: [email protected]

Location: ACU Brisbane Campus

HDR Supervisor accreditation status: Not accredited/Not applicable

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3931-2875

Associate Professor Alana Delaforce is an internationally recognised nurse researcher and implementation scientist whose work improves the translation of evidence into practice to enhance patient outcomes, healthcare quality, and health-system performance. She holds a conjoint position between the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, and The Prince Charles Hospital, where she is Director of the Nursing Research and Practice Development Centre in Brisbane, Queensland.

Her research program spans implementation science, digital health, patient safety, perioperative care, patient blood management, and evidence-based healthcare. Drawing on a clinical background in perioperative nursing and senior experience in healthcare quality and safety leadership, she designs and evaluates implementation strategies that are rigorous, scalable, and relevant to real-world health services.

Associate Professor Delaforce has a strong track record in competitive grants and large-scale collaborative research. She has successfully secured and contributed to major nationally competitive research programs, including Medical Research Future Fund-supported initiatives and complex digital health implementation projects. Across her career, she has led and collaborated on research programs valued at several million dollars, working with academic, clinical, government, and industry partners nationally and internationally.

She has an established publication record in implementation science, digital health, patient safety, evidence translation, and health services research. Her publications and collaborative research outputs have informed clinical practice, policy development, implementation methodology, and health service improvement at state, national, and international levels. Her work is particularly recognised for connecting implementation theory with measurable improvements in healthcare delivery, efficiency, and patient outcomes.

Associate Professor Delaforce also contributes to research capacity building through higher degree research supervision, mentoring emerging researchers, and strengthening partnerships between universities, health services, government, and industry. She is committed to developing research and clinical capability that supports evidence-informed practice and sustainable improvement across health systems.

Website

‪Google Scholar‬‬‬

Select publications

• Delaforce, A., Li, J., Niven, P., Maddock, E., Grujovski, M., Fahy, M., Good, N., & Jayasena, R. (2025). Using the CFIR-ERIC approach to enhance the uptake of a digital fall prevention platform: a quasi-experimental pre-post implementation study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. DOI | IF 2.4 Q1

• Haynes E, B. J., Suna J, Malseed R, Delaforce A, Mulvenney-Fenner R, Alog-Daroya K, Plummer K, McBride C, Kimble R, Griffin B. (2026). Exploring technological solutions for interoperability between patient electronic medical records and clinical registries: a scoping review. Journal Of Medical Internet Research. DOI | IF 4.6 Q1

• Li J, Maddock E, Hosking M, Ebrill K, Sullivan J, Loi K, Tavares-Rixon D, Jayasena R, Grieve G, Delaforce A (Senior author) (2025) Identifying and optimizing factors influencing the implementation of a FHIR accelerator: a qualitative exploration using the CFIR-ERIC approach. JMIR Med Informatics. DOI | IF 3.8 Q1

• Brankovic, A., Cook, D., Rahman, J., Delaforce, A., Li, J., Magrabi, F., Cabitza, F., Coiera, E., & Bradford, D. (2025). Clinician-informed XAI evaluation checklist with metrics (CLIX-M) for AI-powered clinical decision support systems. npj Digital Medicine, 8(1), 364. DOI | IF 15.1 Q1

• August, D., Walker, R., Gibson, V., Marsh, N., Kleidon, P., Delaforce, A., Mihalopoulos, C., Ullman, A., & Keogh, S. (2025). Implementation contexts and strategies for alternative peripherally inserted central catheter material and design selection: A qualitative exploration using CFIR/ERIC approach. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 81(11), 7067-7086. DOI | IF 3.1 Q1

• Delaforce, A., Good, N., Niven, P., Plate, C., Jayasena, R., & Parkinson, J. (2025). An evaluation of healthcare seeking behaviours through a telephone health advice and triage service. Health marketing quarterly. DOI | IF 1.7 Q2

• Delaforce, A., Maddock, E., Wheeler, P., et al. (2024). Factors that influence the uptake of virtual care solutions in Australian primary care practice: a systematic scoping review. JBI evidence implementation. DOI | IF 2.7 Q1

• Delaforce, A., & Moore, D. (2024). Keys to successful clinical audit and feedback: essential steps to making impactful improvements in patient care. JBI Evidence Implementation. DOI | IF 2.7 Q1

• Munday, J., Delaforce, A., Heidke, P., Rademakers, S., Sturgess, D., Williams, J., & Douglas, C. (2023). Perioperative temperature monitoring for patient safety. International Journal of Nursing Studies. DOI | IF 8.1 Q1

• Delaforce, A., Li, J., Grujovski, M., Parkinson, J., Richards, P., Fahy, M., Good, N., & Jayasena, R. (2023). Creating an implementation enhancement plan for a digital patient fall prevention platform using the CFIR-ERIC approach: a qualitative study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 20(4). DOI | IF 3.7 Q2

• Delaforce, A., Farmer, S., Duff, J., Munday, J., Miller, K., Glover, L., Corney, C., Ansell, G., Gutta, N., Tuffaha, H., Hardy, J., & Hurst, C. (2023). Results from a Type Two Hybrid-Effectiveness study to Implement a Preoperative Anemia and Iron Deficiency Screening, Evaluation and Management Pathway. Transfusion. 63(4), 0. DOI | IF 3.3 Q2

• Isbister, J. P., Pearse, B. L., Delaforce, A. S., & Farmer, S. L. (2022). Patients' Choice, Consent, and Ethics in Patient Blood Management. Anesthesia & Analgesia. 135(3), 489-500. DOI | IF 6.6 Q1

• Munday, J., Maffey, S., Delaforce, A & Keogh, S. (2022). Perioperative temperature monitoring practices in Australia: A multidisciplinary cross-sectional survey. Collegian. 29(5), 713-719. DOI | IF 2.3 Q2

• Crispin, P., Akers, C., Brown, K., Delaforce, A., et al. (2022). A review of electronic medical records and safe transfusion practice for guideline development. Vox Sanguinis. DOI | IF 2.9 Q2

• Delaforce, A., Duff, J., Munday, J., Farmer, S., Miller, K., Glover, L., et al. (2021). A Theoretically Informed Approach to Support the Implementation of Pre-Operative Anemia and Iron Deficiency Screening, Evaluation, and Management Pathways: Protocol for a Type Two Hybrid-Effectiveness Study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. 14:1037-44. DOI | IF 2.4 Q1

• Delaforce, A., Duff, J., Munday, J., & Hardy, J. (2020). Preoperative anaemia and iron deficiency screening, evaluation and management: Barrier identification and implementation strategy mapping. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. 20(13): 1759-1770. DOI | IF 2.4 Q1

Projects

• Barr, A; Griffin, B; Phillips, N; Plummer, K; Delaforce, A; Petsky, H; Ware, R; Brynes, J; Xiang, H; Holbert, M. (Co-Investigator) VIRTUE: Virtual Reality Intervention for Reducing Trauma and Unpleasant Experiences in Paediatric Emergency Care - A Multi-Site Hybrid RCT across Metro, Urban and Rural Settings EMF $119,337 2025

• Geroge, J; Dabscheck, E; Hew, M; Lee, J; Radford, J; Peterson, G; Saini, B; Sim, T; Delaforce, A; Jayasena, R; Mahal, A. (Chief Investigator) Enhancing the Management of Chronic Respiratory Conditions in Primary Care (EMPIRIC) MRFF $1,999,939 2025

• George, J; Manias, E; Radford, J; Peterson, G; Pond, C; Mahal, A; Eldho, P; Delaforce, A; Hills, D; Bell, S; Varnfield, M; Cross, A; Jayasena, R; Saini, B; Godbee, K. (Chief Investigator) Australian Primary caRe Initiative for mediCine use Optimisation and safeTy (APRICOT) MRFF $3,999,470 2024

• Boyle, J; Delaforce, A (Co-Investigator) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 'Conversations' Funding - "What factors influence meaningful engagement with remote Indigenous communities?" CSIRO - Internal $30,000 2024

• George, J; Abramson, M; Bonevski, B; Hew, M; et al.; Delaforce, A (Chief Investigator) MRFF Chronic Respiratory Conditions - "Enhancing Adherence and Self-Management in the Treatment of Respiratory Conditions (ENGAGEMENT)" MRFF $1,999,924 2023

• Brankovic, A; Rahman, J; Magrabi, F; Delaforce, A (Chief Investigator) CSIRO Future Science Platform - "Responsible Innovation Project" CSIRO - Internal $75,000 2023

• Delaforce, A; Duff, J; Munday, J; Farmer, S; et al.; (Principal Investigator) Betty McGrath Seeding Grant - Additional funding - Mater Hospital Internal competitive $50,000 2021

• Delaforce, A; Duff, J; Munday, J; Farmer, S; et al.; (Principal Investigator) Betty McGrath Seeding Grant - Mater Hospital Internal competitive $50,000 2020

• Munday, J; Delaforce, A; Heidke, P; Rademakers, S; Osborne, S - "Perioperative temperature monitoring in Australia: a point prevalence survey" - ACORN $20,000 2019

• Delaforce, A; Australian Postgraduate Research Scholarship - University of Newcastle $111,367 2017

Awards

• Letter of Commendation for Outstanding Student Evaluations - UTAS 2021-2025

• dRIving Excellence in Research Award - CSIRO, Future Science Platform 2025

• People Excellence Award - CSIRO, Health and Biosecurity (EMCR Committee) 2024

• Top 10% Downloaded Article - Vox Sanguinis 2024

• Best Overall Publication - The University of Newcastle, School of Nursing and Midwifery 2022

• Best Publication - The University of Newcastle, Faculty Award 2020

• Top 10% Most Downloaded Paper - ISBT Science Series 2019

• Best HDR Confirmation - The University of Newcastle, Faculty Award 2019

• Young Investigator Award - Australia and New Zealand Society for Blood Transfusion 2019

• Excellence in Perioperative Nursing (Novice) - ACORN 2018

Appointments and Affiliations

• Secretary, Health and Biosecurity Early Career Researcher Committee - CSIRO 2022-2024

• Nursing and Midwifery Network Member - Australasian Institute of Digital Health 2023-2024

• Clinical Practice Improvement Committee Member - Australia and New Zealand Society for Blood Transfusion (ANZSBT) 2018-2023

• Research Workstream Member - Australian College of Perioperative Nurses 2020-2022

• Co-Education Chair / Board Member - Australian College of Perioperative Nurses QLD 2018

• Conference Committee Member, Scientific Program Division - Australian College of Perioperative Nurses QLD 2020

• Journal, and Research Committee Member - Australian College of Perioperative Nurses Education 2019

Editorial roles

• JBI Evidence Implementation, Co-Editor in Chief 2024- Present

• ACORN Journal, Editorial Board, 2022 - Present.

• World Social Marketing, Editorial Board 2023 - Present.

International journal review panels

• Journal of Medical Internet Research

• Health Science Reports

• JBI Evidence Implementation

• Frontiers in Digital Health

• Journal of Perioperative Nursing

• Journal of Systematic Reviews

• Journal of Blood Medicine

• International Journal of evidence-based healthcare (Joanna Briggs)

• International Journal of Nursing Studies

• Sage Open Medicine

• International Journal of General Medicine

• Orthopedic Research and Reviews

• Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare

Grant agency review panels

• MRFF Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission - 2025 Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Grant Assessment Committee