Professor Diana Slade
Research interests
Diana Slade is Professor of Applied Linguistics and Director of the Institute for Communication in Health Care (ICH) at the Australian National University. Her main research areas are linguistics, description of spoken English, communication in health care, organisational communication, applied linguistics and translational research method design.
Her significant contribution in linguistics is in the description and analysis of spoken English. She has been highly cited internationally for three of her key publications in this area: two co-authored books, Analysing Casual Conversation with Suzanne Eggins (1997, Equinox) and Conversation: From Description to Pedagogy with Scott Thornbury (2006, Cambridge University Press); and one internationally refereed article, ‘Discourse Analysis,’ co-authored with Michael McCarthy.
Since 2008, Diana has focused on the critical role of communication in the provision of safe and effective healthcare. Her research in communication in health care draws from linguistics, sociology, qualitative research methods and design, medicine, nursing and other health science-related disciplines, and has attracted a broad interdisciplinary readership.
During this time she has received research funding of approximately $6,900,000 AUD, led 20 cross-disciplinary research projects on healthcare communication across Hong Kong and Australia, and been second investigator on a further seven projects. Her publications in this field include ten book chapters and 25 articles in internationally refereed journals. Her books in the field include Effective Communication in Clinical Handover: From Research to Practice with Eggins and Geddes (eds. 2016, de Gruyter Mouton), and Communicating in Hospital Emergency Departments with Manidis et al. (2015, Springer).
Diana’s current research foci include end-of-life communication and self-management of chronic conditions, as exemplified by the multi-site project funded by the Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation on ‘Improving communication to enhance patients’ health literacy, empowerment and self-management of heart failure’.
Biography
Diana has over 30 years of experience in researching, teaching and publishing in applied linguistics, linguistics and organisational communication. She has co-authored six books; co-edited two books; and co-authored 31 refereed journal articles, 20 book chapters, 16 major reports and six published teaching and training materials. Since 2011 she has been a plenary or invited speaker to 31 national and international conferences. She has 9172 Google Scholar citations as of February 2023.
Diana’s first book, Analysing Casual Conversation (1997, co-authored with Dr Suzanne Eggins) on the description of spoken English, was a unique contribution to the fields of linguistics and applied linguistics as it developed a systematic model for the analysis and description of spoken English. Her second book in this area, Conversation: from Description to Pedagogy (2006), published by Cambridge University Press, was co-authored with Scott Thornbury.
Since 2008, Diana’s research and publications have focused on the critical role of communication in the provision of safe and effective healthcare. Her publications since 2008, in addition to two books and eleven book chapters, include 20 articles in internationally refereed journals.
Diana’s co-authored/edited books since 2008 include Communicating in Hospital Emergency Departments (2015); Effective Communication in Clinical Handover – from Research to Practice (2016); and Systemic Functional Linguistics, Part 1, Volume 1: The Collected Works of Christian M.I.M Matthiessen (2020). Slade was also a Harvard Macy Scholar in medical education at Harvard Medical School in 2013.
In 2018, Professor Slade was appointed the founding Director of the ANU Institute for Communication in Health Care (ICH), an internationally renowned research centre focusing on healthcare communication research that is translational, inter-professional and international. Its goal is to transform healthcare practice in Australia and internationally. In 2020 Diana also founded the International Consortium for Communication in Health Care (IC4CH), an international, interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaborative that unites leading research centres in the field of healthcare communication.
Professor Slade currently leads multiple projects in the field of healthcare communication, including on self-management of heart failure, communication in clinical handover, communication at end-of-life, and improving consent and decision-making procedures for dialysis patients.
Researcher's projects
Due to the evidence-based translational impact of her research in different healthcare contexts, Diana has received funding from numerous organisations and philanthropic sources to undertake translational research in hospitals. She has led 26 research projects, including 13 competitive research grants on healthcare communication across Hong Kong and Australia, and is currently on four projects on different aspects of healthcare communication research.
Diana has led two consecutive national ARC Linkage grants, the first on Communication in Hospital Emergency Departments, which examined clinician-patient communication across five hospital emergency departments; the second on Effective Communication in Clinical Handover which investigated the effectiveness of clinical handover communication in NSW, ACT, SA and WA.
Diana was second CI on an ARC project on communication at discharge from hospital to the community, and worked with a team in Hong Kong on two grants, one with a large private hospital—Hong Kong Sanatorium Hospital—and another with Queen Elizabeth hospital (to investigate SPEAK up strategies).
From 2019 to 2022 Diana received philanthropic and industry funding to undertake translational research at sites in the St Vincent’s Hospital Group on communication in nursing handovers. This project had a marked, measured impact on patient safety and quality of care. The success of this project led to the further funding by the Geoff and Helen Handbury Foundation and the St. Vincent’s Hospital Group towards a stepped-wedge control trial intervention, ACCELERATE, across three major St. Vincent’s hospitals, which has since been expanded to further hospitals.
Since 2019 Diana and her team at the ICH have received funding from Canberra Health Services to investigate end-of-life interactions at The Canberra Hospital; from the ANU Connect Ventures Discovery Translation Fund to evaluate the economic impact of their work on nursing clinical handover; and most recently from the Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation for their multi-site project, ‘Improving communication to enhance patients’ health literacy, empowerment and self-management of heart failure’.
These projects demonstrate the relevance of communication frameworks based on actual interactions between clinicians and patients, and the benefits to practice that can be achieved through empirical linguistic research and evidence-based targeted communication resources, co-developed with healthcare professionals.
Current student projects
- Maheyrin Chowdhury, PhD thesis, 2022-. An exploration of culture and trauma-informed health communication practices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in antenatal care settings.
- Toni Ashmore, PhD thesis, 2022-. Does a structured approach improve end of life care in comparison to routine care in an acute hospital setting or a specialist palliative care ward in an acute hospital setting?
Publications
- Dahm, M, Slade, D, Brady, B et al. 2022, 'Tracing interpersonal discursive features in Australian nursing bedside handovers: Approachability features, patient engagement and insights for ESP training and working with internationally trained nurses', English for Specific Purposes, vol. 66, pp. 17-32.
- Chien, L, Slade, D, Dahm, M et al. 2022, 'Improving patient-centred care through a tailored intervention addressing nursing clinical handover communication in its organizational and cultural context', Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 78, no. 5, pp. 1413-1430.
- Slade, D 2021, 'Chapter 8: Diana Slade (Interview with Diana Slade)', in (ed.), Women in Social Semiotics and SFL: Making a Difference, Routledge, new york, pp. 136-155.
- Pun, J, Chan, A, Raine, S et al. 2020, 'Training in communication and interaction during shift-to-shift nursing handovers in a bilingual hospital: A case study', Nurse Education Today, vol. 84, pp. 9pp.
- Scholz, B, Goncharov, L, Emmerich, N et al. 2020, 'Clinicians' accounts of communication with patients in end-of-life care contexts: A systematic review', Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 103, no. 10, pp. 1913-1921.
- Slade, D, Murray, K, Pun, J et al. 2019, 'Nurses' perceptions of mandatory bedside clinical handovers: An Australian hospital study', Journal of Nursing Management, vol. 27, pp. 161-171pp.
- Pun, J, Chan, A, Man, M et al. 2019, 'Pre- and post-evaluations of the effects of the Connect, Ask, Respond and Empathise (CARE) protocol on nursing handover: A case study of a bilingual hospital in Hong Kong', Journal of Clinical Nursing, vol. 28, no. 15-16, pp. 3001-3011.
- Leung, C, Pun, J, Lock, G et al. 2018, 'Exploring the scope of communication content of mechanically ventilated patients', Journal of Critical Care, vol. 44, pp. 136-141.
- Pun, J, Chan, E, Wang, S et al. 2018, 'Health professional-patient communication practices in East Asia: An integrative review of an emerging field of research and practice in Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Mainland China', Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 101, no. 7, pp. 1193-1206pp.
- Slade, D, Pun, J, Murray, K et al. 2018, 'Benefits of Health Care Communication Training for Nurses Conducting Bedside Handovers: An Australian Hospital Case Study', Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, vol. 49, no. 7, pp. 329-336pp.
- Pun, J, Chan, E, Murray, K et al. 2017, 'Complexities of emergency communication: clinicians' perceptions of communication challenges in a trilingual emergency department', Journal of Clinical Nursing, vol. 26, no. 21-22, pp. 3396-3407.
- Ng, G, Pun, J, So, E et al. 2017, 'Speak-up culture in an intensive care unit in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional survey exploring the communication openness perceptions of Chinese doctors and nurses', BMJ Open, vol. 7, no. 8, pp. 11pp.
- Pun, J, Matthiessen, C, Williams, G et al. 2017, 'Using Ethnographic Discourse Analysis to Understand Doctor-Patient Interactions in Clinical Settings', Sage Open, vol. online, no. -, pp. 1-19pp.
- Ng, G, Pun, J, So, E et al 2017, 'Exploring speaking-up culture in an intensive care unit (ICU): Chinese doctors' and nurses' perceptions of the openness of communication', BMJ Open, vol. 7, no. 8, pp. 12pp.
- Geddes, F, Slade, D, Raine, S et al. 2016, 'Clinicians' voices: what healthcare professionals say about handover practice', in Suzanne Eggins, Diana Slade and Fiona Geddes (ed.), Effective Communication in Clinical Handover: From Research To Practice, De Gruyter, Germany, pp. 25-42.
- Slade, D, Matthiessen, C, Lock, G et al. 2016, 'Patterns of Interaction in Doctor-Patient Communication and Their Impact on Health Outcomes', in L Ortega, A E Tyler, H I Park and M Uno (ed.), The Usage-Based Study of Language Learning and Multilingualism, Georgetown University Press, United States, pp. 235-254pp.
- Raine, S & Slade, D 2016, 'Resource: communicating effectively in bedside nursing handover', in Suzanne Eggins, Diana Slade and Fiona Geddes (ed.), Effective Communication in Clinical Handover: From Research To Practice, De Gruyter, Germany, pp. 115-125pp.
- Slade, D, Pun, J, Lock, G et al. 2016, 'Potential Risk Points in Doctor-Patient Communication: An Analysis of Hong Kong Emergency Department Medical Consultations', in Helen de Silva Joyce (ed.), Language at Work: Analysing Language Use in Work, Education, Medical and Museum Contexts, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, United Kingdom, pp. 146-165pp.
- Slade, D, Raine, S, Geddes, F et al. 2016, 'Effective communication in clinical handover: challenges and risks', in Suzanne Eggins, Diana Slade and Fiona Geddes (ed.), Effective Communication in Clinical Handover: From Research To Practice, De Gruyter, Germany, pp. 5-24.
- Raine, S & Slade, D 2016, 'Clinical handover in context: risks and protections across a hospital patient's journey', in Suzanne Eggins, Diana Slade and Fiona Geddes (ed.), Effective Communication in Clinical Handover: From Research To Practice, De Gruyter, Germany, pp. 131-155.
- Raine, S & Slade, D 2016, 'Communication in bedside nursing handovers', in Suzanne Eggins, Diana Slade and Fiona Geddes (ed.), Effective Communication in Clinical Handover: From Research To Practice, De Gruyter, Germany, pp. 97-113.
- Raine, S, Geddes, F & Slade, D 2016, 'iCARE: an integrated translational model of effective clinical handover communication', in Suzanne Eggins, Diana Slade and Fiona Geddes (ed.), Effective Communication in Clinical Handover: From Research To Practice, De Gruyter, Germany, pp. 295-323pp.
- Raine, S & Slade, D 2016, 'Contrasting discourse styles and barriers to patient participation in bedside nursing handovers', Communication and Medicine, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 71-83.
- Eggins, S, Slade, D & Geddes, F (eds) 2016, Effective Communication in Clinical Handover: From Research to Practice, De Gruyter, Germany.
- Slade, D, Chandler, E, Pun, J et al. 2015, 'Effective healthcare worker-patient communication in Hong Kong accident and emergency departments', Hong Kong Journal of Emergency Medicine (HKJEM), vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 69-83.
- de Silva Joyce, H, Slade, D, Bateson, D et al. 2015, 'Patient-centred discourse in sexual and reproductive health consultations', Discourse & Communication, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 275-292.
- Slade, D, Manidis, M, McGregor, J et al. 2015, Communicating in Hospital Emergency Departments, Springer, Germany.
- Slade, D, Rider, E, Pun, J et al. 2015, 'The International Research Centre for Communication in Healthcare (IRCCH): Interprofessional, Multicultural Approaches to Healthcare Communication Challenges', Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice, vol. 1, no. 2, p. 67.
- Chandler, E, Slade, D, Pun, J et al. 2015, 'Communication in Hong Kong Accident and Emergency Departments: The Clinicians' Perspectives', Global Qualitative Nursing Research, pp. 1-11.
- Rider, E, Slade, D, Branch Jr, W et al. 2015, 'Translating Healthcare Values into Action: An International, Interprofessional Collaboration', Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice, vol. 1, no. 2, p. 68.
- Pun, J, Matthiessen, C, Murray, K et al. 2015, 'Factors affecting communication in emergency departments: doctors and nurses' perceptions of communication in a trilingual ED in Hong Kong', International Journal of Emergency Medicine, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 12pp.
- Raine, S & Slade, D 2015, 'Communication in Clinical Handover: Improving the Safety and Quality of the Patient Experience', Journal of Public Health Research, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 666-666.
- Wong, H, Yin, Q, Guo, Y et al. 2015, 'Big data as a new approach in emergency medicine research', Journal of Acute Disease, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 178-179.
- Slade, D, Matthiessen, C, Rider, E et al. 2014, 'The International Centre for Communication in Healthcare: Creating Safer and More Compassionate Healthcare Systems around the World', The International Journal of Whole Person Care, vol. 1, no. 1.
- Rider, E, Ho, M, Branch Jr, W et al. 2014, 'Restoring Core Values: An International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare', The International Journal of Whole Person Care, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 1pp.
- Rider, E, Kurtz, S, Slade, D et al. 2014, 'The International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare: An interprofessional global collaboration to enhance values and communication in healthcare', Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 96, no. 3, pp. 273-280.
- Rider, E, Ho, M, Branch Jr, W et al. 2013, 'PRESENTATION - Teaching Values and Compassion: An International Charter: 2013 Annual Retreat Abstracts'.
- Raine, S & Slade, D 2012, 'CLINICAL HANDOVER AS AN INTERACTIVE EVENT INFORMATIONAL AND INTERACTIONAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES IN EFFECTIVE SHIFT CHANGE HANDOVERS', Communication and Medicine, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 215-227.
- Rider, E, Slade, D, Kurtz, S et al. 2012, 'The human dimensions of care - Where have we been? Where are we going?', National Academies of Practice Conference 2012, National Academies of Practice (NAP), United States, pp. 1pp.
- Slade, D, Stein-Parbury, J, Scheeres, H et al. 2011, CHEC: Communication for Health in Emergency Contexts.
- Slade, D, Manidis, M, McGregor, J et al. 2011, Communicating in hospital emergency departments: Volume 2.
- Slade, D, Manidis, M, McGregor, J et al. 2011, Communicating in hospital emergency departments: Volume 1.
- Matthiessen, C & Slade, D 2011, 'Analysing Conversation', in R Wodak, B Johnstone and P Kerswill (ed.), The Sage Handbook of Sociolinguistics, SAGE Publications Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 375-395.
- Rider, E, Slade, D, Kurtz, S et al. 2011, 'An international collaborative on communication: Connecting research, education and practice', International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, ICCH 2011, International Research Centre for Communication in Healthcare, United States, p. 115.
- McGregor, J, Lee, M, Slade, D et al. 2011, Effective Clinical Handover Communication: Improving Patient Safety, Experiences and Outcomes.
- McCarthy, M, Matthiessen, C & Slade, D 2010, 'What is Discourse Analysis?', in Norbert Schmitt (ed.), An Introduction to Applied Linguistics, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 53-69.
- Slade, D, Scheeres, H, De Silva Joyce, H et al. 2009, Developing Effective Communication between Doctors and Clients: Sexual and Reproductive Health Consultations.
- Slade, D, Scheeres, H, Manidis, M et al. 2008, 'Emergency communication: the discursive challenges facing emergency clinicians and patients in hospital emergency departments', Discourse & Communication, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 271-298.
- Scheeres, H, Slade, D, Manidis, M et al. 2008, 'Communicating in hospital emergency departments', Prospect: an Australian journal of TESOL, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 13-22.
- Herke, M, Matthiessen, C, McGregor, J et al. 2008, 'Patient Safety: a tri-stratal interpretation of communicative risk in the Emergency Departments of public hospitals', 35th International Systemic Functional Linguistics Congress, Macquarie University, Sydney Australia, pp. 140-145.
- McCarthy, M & Slade, D 2007, 'Extending Our Understanding of Spoken Discourse', in Jim Cummins and Chris Davison (ed.), International Handbook of English Language Teaching, part 2, Springer, United States, pp. 859-873.
- Thornbury, S & Slade, D 2006, Conversation: From Description to Pedagogy, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.
- Slade, D & Matthiessen, C 2001, 'Teasing and Telling Tales: Analysing Casual Conversation at Work', International Sociolinguistics Symposium: Text and Talk at Work, University of Ghent, Belgium.
- Slade, D 1997, 'Stories and Gossip in English: the macro-structure of casual talk', Prospect: an Australian journal of TESOL.
- Slade, D 1997, 'Spoken Language in the ESL Classroom', Interchange, vol. unknown.
- Raine, S & Slade, D 1997, Analysing Casual Conversation, Equinox Publishing Ltd, London United Kingdom.
- Slade, D 1995, 'Effective Communication in the Restructured Workplace: the Spoken and Written Language of Training', Third National Immigration & Population Outlook Conference, Bureau of Immigration and Population Research, Australia.
- Slade, D 1994, 'Gossip: Two Complementary Perspectives On the Analysis Of Casual Conversation in English in Spoken Interaction Studies in Australia', Australian Review of Applied Linguistics (print edition), vol. 11, pp. 47-83.
- Clyne, M & Slade, D 1994, 'Spoken Discourse Studies in Australia in Spoken Interaction Studies in Australia', Australian Review of Applied Linguistics (print edition), vol. 11.
- Cope, W, Pauwels, A, Slade, D et al. 1994, Local diversity, global connections, volume 1 and volume 2, Australian Government Publishing Service, Australia.
- Slade, D 1994, 'Effective Communication in the Restructured Workplace: Job Performance', Australian Language Matters, vol. 2, no. 4.
- Matthiessen, C, Slade, D & Macken, M 1992, 'Language in Context: A New Model for Evaluating Student Writing', Linguistics and Education, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 173-193.
- Kalantzis, M, Cope, B & Slade, D 1989, Minority Languages and Dominant Culture: Issues of Education, Assessment and Social Equity, The Falmer Press, United Kingdom.
- Slade, D & Gibbons, J 1988, 'Testing Bilingual Proficiency in Australia: Issues, Methods, Findings', Evaluation and Research in Education, vol. 1, pp. 95-106.
- Barthel, A, Hughes, C & Slade, D 1987, 'Needs-based Programming and the Provision of English Language Tuition in the A.M.E.P.', Prospect: an Australian journal of TESOL, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 171-183.
- Slade, D 1986, 'Teaching Casual Conversation to Adult E.S.L. Learner's', Prospect: an Australian journal of TESOL, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 68-89.
- Kalantzis, M, Slade, D & Cope, B 1986, The Language Question: The Maintenance of Languages other than English, volume 1 Research Findings, Canberra Publishing and Printing, Australia.
- Kalantzis, M, Slade, D & Cope, B 1986, The Language Question: The Maintenance of Languages other than English, volume 2 Methodology and Empirical Results, Canberra Publishing and Printing, Australia.
- Slade, D & Gardner, R 1985, 'Interactional Skills in Casual Conversation', 6th International SGAV Conference, Revue de Phonétique Applique, Belgium, pp. 269-287.
- Slade, D & Gardner, R 1985, 'Interactional Skills in Casual Conversation', Australian Review of Applied Linguistics (print edition), vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 105-121.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- Improving communication to enhance patients health literacy, empowerment and self-management of heart failure (Primary Investigator)
- ACCELERATE Plus: Assessment and Communication Excellence for safe patient outcomes (Primary Investigator)
- Effective Communication during End of Life interactions at The Canberra Hospital (Primary Investigator)
- Quantifying the economic benefits of a program to improve nursing handover practices at three hospitals in the St Vincents Hospital Group (Primary Investigator)
- ACCELERATE - Assessment and CommuniCation ExcelLEnce foR sAfe paTient outcomEs (Primary Investigator)
- Improving consent procedures and shared decision-making for dialysis consumers (Primary Investigator)
- Effective communication in clinical handover: research and intervention to improve patient safety and satisfaction at St Vincents Hospital Sydney, St Josephs hospital, and St Vincents Hospital Melbourne (Primary Investigator)
- Driving health care efficiencies and patient care outcomes by improving communication in acute to primarytransitions of care (Primary Investigator)