Vivienne Speirs RN BN (Hons) WSU, CertDerm ACN, MAdvN (Chronic and Complex Care) UTS

I have ten years of dermatology nursing specialty after working in aged care and school immunisation

I joined the Australian Dermatology Nurses Association (ADNA) in 2013, later nominating as Secretary in 2017 and President May 2023.

An education opportunity opened for nurses to study Melanography in 2019, followed by the graduate certificate in Dermatology Nursing and then completed a Masters of Advanced Nursing (Chronic and Complex Care) Late August 2022. I now work as a psoriasis care manager with over two hundred patients on biologic medicines and as a Melanography for melanoma research and surveillance at a Western Sydney teaching hospital.

Education has provided me a pathway to improve my nursing and the profession. Volunteering has opened opportunities to speak and liaise with expert nurses and doctors. I am encouraged to assist other Australian nurses to grow and develop their skills and use current literature for evidence-based practice as leaders in this profession and hope to entice several to assist with standardising dermatology nursing in Australia.

I been nursing for almost 36 years. Graduating from University of Western Sydney, with a Bachelors degree in Health Science- Nursing.  During that time I have worked in a variety of areas. It was during my time working at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead that my passion for Dermatology  began. I was working with children suffering from Eczema and Psoriasis, the difference we could make to their  lives and their families was amazing.

It took me many years to come back to Dermatology . Joining the Skin Hospital in 2012. My passion has only continued to grow in all things dermatology . I have had the pleasure to work with and some experienced nurses who were keen to share their expertise. My keen interest encompasses the areas of Phototherapy, Excimer therapy and Home Based phototherapy. 

I’ve been working in Dermatology for 10 years, mainly working with Dr Enjeti at The SAN Clinic. It’s a really exciting time to be involved in Dermatology with new medications, new research and new treatments emerging all the time. I think ADNA has a really important role in supporting, encouraging and educating Dermatology nurses around Australia, and connecting with nurses around the world. Let me know what you need and how we can help you be the best nurses you can be!