Professor Gerdtz joins La Trobe from The University of Melbourne where she has led the Nursing Department for the past eight years.

La Trobe Provost, Professor Robert Pike, congratulated Professor Gerdtz on her achievement.

“I am delighted that such a distinguished executive leader, clinical expert and academic will be leading our world-renowned Nursing and Midwifery School at La Trobe,” Professor Pike said.

“Her enthusiasm for curriculum development, research, influencing policy, and driving operational reform in the healthcare sector, along with her positive experience as an undergraduate student at La Trobe nearly three decades ago, are among the many factors that made her an exceptional candidate for this important position.

“Professor Gerdtz joins La Trobe at a time when we are undertaking our largest ever investment in the health sector, with our significant Health Innovation strategy designed to address significant shortfalls in Australia’s health workforce, including an anticipated shortage of more than 79,000 nurses (headcount) by 2035*.”

Professor Gerdtz said she was honoured to be appointed as the new Dean of Nursing and Midwifery at La Trobe.

“I am especially excited to be transitioning back to the University that provided me with such an exceptional foundation on which to build my career,” Professor Gerdtz said.

“With the reputation as one of Australia’s most established schools of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University continues to offer one of the most comprehensive suites of programs, from undergraduate to graduate research degrees.

“These strengths in reputation and sustainability position La Trobe’s School of Nursing and Midwifery as a preeminent leader of higher education in the disciplines nationally and across the Asia-Pacific region.”

Professor Gerdtz has played a pivotal role in transforming hospital triage systems within the Australian public healthcare sector and has contributed significantly to the prevention and management of behavioural disturbances in hospitalised patients.

Professor Gerdtz will commence the role in March 2025.

About Professor Gerdtz

Marie Gerdtz is a Registered Nurse with a background in the specialty of emergency nursing. Prior to the completion of her PhD at The University of Melbourne in 2003, she held clinical leadership and education roles in a number of tertiary hospitals across metropolitan Melbourne.

Marie’s research is focussed on emergency access, resource allocation, and clinical risk management. She has supervised 14 graduate research degree candidates to completion and authored 130 peer-reviewed publications. Clinical implementation of her research findings is enhanced by the strong collaborative partnerships she has established within the health care industry and with government. Since 2016 she has been Head of Department of Nursing in the Melbourne School of Health Sciences.

* Australia is experiencing a staffing crisis in health care. In nursing alone, the Department of Health & Aged Care’s Nursing Supply & Demand study estimates there will be a shortage of more than 79,000 nurses (by headcount) by 2035. Rural and regional communities are particularly impacted by widespread shortages and long-term health workforce challenges.

ENDS

Media enquiries

Claire Bowers – 0437 279 903, c.bowers@latrobe.edu.au or media@latrobe.edu.au