Principal lecturer, School of Nursing Otago Polytechnic

"Training nursing professionals to be safe, ethical and cognitively capable - Judith inspires a life-long curiosity for learning "

From entering the nursing profession at age 17, Judith Roddick has devoted herself to teaching about nursing and increasing her expertise.  She says she has “an appetite for wanting to know more and for wanting to make a difference.”

Judith’s teaching is focussed on developing understanding of patients and their circumstances, the depth of nursing knowledge, and the challenges of nursing.

One of the pioneers of cultural safety in the nursing curriculum, Judith gathers material to help her students explore how culture, socio-economic status, poverty, inequality and life chances influence nursing beliefs and practices.

The artefacts she gathers are woven into her teaching. “Jude has really interesting photographs that she has taken on her travels and relates them to the topics we are covering” says a student. Judith’s teaching also includes stories, podcasts, videos, role-plays, debates and field trips – the field trip to a cemetery being an example of how Judith introduces sensitive topics. Colleagues speak of Judith’s focus on individual learner needs, her passion for her subject area, her innovative teaching approaches and her substantial contribution to nursing education.