Ms. Deborah Nelson
Executive Director of Nursing, Hamad Medical Corporation
Ms. Deborah Nelson is an experienced mental health nurse who has worked in a variety of senior clinical leadership and managerial roles.
She has a strong interest in emergency mental health and introduced Community Emergency Response Teams and Psychiatric Nursing Consultation Liaison Services in Emergency Department settings within Western Australia.
Ms. Nelson’s contribution and leadership to the mental health nursing industry has been nationally recognized and she was named Australian Mental Health Nurse of the Year in 2010.
Ms. Nelson is driven to pursue best outcomes for mental health consumers and has worked extensively to promote patient engagement at both the individual and policy level. She is currently completing her PhD and the focus of her studies is exploring the attitudes and beliefs of clinicians towards mental illness within Emergency Departments and Psychiatric Services and if Mental Health First Aid is an effective intervention in reducing stigma and increasing help seeking behavior.
