Palliative Care Nurses Australia Fellowship

Palliative Care Nurses Australia (PCNA) announced that 5 former PCNA presidents would be the inaugural recipients of a PCNA Fellowship during our 2022 Conference.  

This recognition acknowledges the importance of their leadership and contribution as past presidents of PCNA. Their dedication to our Organisation has enabled PCNA to form a highly respected National voice for palliative care nursing – one that provides support to members through policy development, ongoing education and advocacy with key professional organisations/bodies.

“The decision to award these Fellowships to the 5 past Presidents of PCNA was undisputed and speaks to the high regard in which they are held as nursing leaders, and the impact and influence they have contributed, and continue to do so,” said President Janeane Harlum. “All of the previous presidents are key nursing leaders in their own right and have contributed significantly to the development and growth of the organisation.”

  • Professor Margaret O'Connor was the Inaugural President of PCNA in 2005 who, along with a group of nurses, had a vision to unite palliative care nationally. She was a recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2018. In 2005, Margaret received an Order of Australia (AM) honour for her contribution to the development of palliative care in Victoria. In 2012, she was awarded Life Membership of Palliative Care Victoria and PCNA named an oration in her honour.

  • Karen Glaetzer was a member of the working party that established PCNA in 2005 and went on to be the Chairperson from 2006-2008 and Treasurer from 2008-2009. During her time as President, she was on the organising committee for our 2nd Conference held in Adelaide in 2006. She was also a Member of the Conference and Scientific Committee for the PCNA Conference held in September 2016.

    Karen was the first nurse in Australia to be endorsed as a NP in Palliative Care in 2003. Karen has been the recipient of many awards, including a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2013 and a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2018 for services to nursing, palliative care and people living with MND.

  • Dr John Rosenberg was a foundation member of PCNA and became President in 2009. During John's term as President, PCNA hosted the National Conference in Brisbane. John is one of the co-authors of the original Competency Standards for Specialist Palliative Care Nursing Practice, which remains a key document in PCNA.

    John was the Foundation Director of the Calvary Centre for Palliative Care Research in Canberra in a joint appointment with the Australian Catholic University and was as a Research Fellow at the NHMRC Centre of Excellence in End-of-Life Care at Queensland University of Technology.

  • John Haberecht was the President of PCNA from 2011-2015, and also served as Honorary Secretary, General Committee Member and was on the organising committee for the PCNA Conference in 2010, 2012 and 2014. John is also a former President of Palliative Care Queensland, and is now a Life Member of that organisation.

    During his time as President of PCNA, John worked closely with the executive and other committee members to improve membership and explore ways to ensure the financial security of PCNA.

  • Professor Jane Phillips, PhD, RN, FACN is Head of School at the QUT School of Nursing. She is a Registered Nurse with extensive experience as a leader in research and education in the health sector. She has just been named Australia’s top researcher in the field of hospice and palliative care in the Australian’s list of top 250 researchers in 2021.

    Jane was the President of PCNA from 2015-2020 and also served as Chair and Co-Chair of the Conference Committee from 2016-2022. Jane was instrumental in achieving improved governance systems from PCNA; key to this was the establishment of the Secretariat, the review of the constitution to support the work of PCNA, and development of a functional website.