Bernard Clarke | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Bernard (Bernie) Clarke has been a Registered Nurse since 2004 and has a clinical background of Intensive Care and Burns Nursing. He joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Reserves in 2008, prior to transferring to the Full-time RAAF in 2012.

During Bernie’s military service, he completed three operational deployments, including a deployment to the NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan as an Intensive Care Nurse. On his return, he presented at the Australasian Military Medicine Association’s Conference on the application of Clinical Simulation Training in a Combat Zone. During Bernie’s military service, he was also Health Centre Manager for an Australian Defence Force (ADF) Health Facility and the Lead Clinical Auditor of ADF Health Facilities in Western Australia for three years.

Upon discharge from the RAAF in January 2020, he was appointed as Centre Manager for headspace Maroochydore and headspace Gympie. During his time at headspace, he introduced Telehealth to headspace services at his centres in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. He developed the organisation’s COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan for headspace centres and led the review of the organisation’s Clinical Governance Framework

At USC's Thompson Institute, Bernie's work focuses on the quality of care provided to clients, and the processes involved for the smooth conduct of research. He also focuses on Governance, ensuring that the Thompson Institute is compliant with the relevant governing bodies. He maintains his clinical skillset by conducting clinical assessments on research participants enrolled in projects at the Healthy Brain Ageing Clinic. He is also a Sessional Academic with the USC School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine.