Community Nursing

Biography

Professor Gugu Mchunu (B. Soc Sci (Nursing), M. Nursing., PhD), is an Associate Professor and Academic Leader in the Discipline of Nursing. She is an InternatFord Foundation programme Alumna. While studying towards her degrees she has received prestigious scholarships and bursaries from the Kellogg Foundation, Ford Foundation International Program and National Research Foundation. As a Ford Foundation Fellow she completed her PhD through a sandwich programme between University of KwaZulu-Natal and Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, US. She started her first job as a professional nurse at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial, working in theatre high care unit, in 1994. In the same year she relocated to the Northern Cape and worked as an occupational health nurse at PPC Lime, in Lime Acres, Kimberley until 1996. After serving another 3 years in the local community Health Centre, Danielskuil Gemeenskaap Gesondhuid Sentrum, (Danielskuil Community Health Centre) she finally returned to KwaZulu-Natal in 2000. Professor Mchunu started her academic career at the then University of Natal, School of Nursing in 2000 working as a junior lecturer in Community Health Nursing. She then progressed obtaining her Masters in nursing degree (2000-2001) until she obtained her PhD in 2008, and became a Senior lecturer in 2010. In the same year she left the University of KwaZulu-Natal to serve as an Executive Director of the Durban Chamber Foundation, a section 21 company of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) that focuses on managing HIV / AIDS in the workplace. In 2011 she joined the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), HIV/AIDS, STI, and Tuberculosis (HAST) as a Senior Research Specialist and Post- Doctoral Fellow (2011 to 2012). In 2013 she re-joined the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Professor Mchunu’s research focus areas are in community health, health promotion, wellness/healthy living in the workplace and programme evaluation. Professional Positions & Awards International Ford Foundation Alumna Founder Member and Exco member of Action in Autism Member of KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing Senate Member of STTI (Tau Lambda Chapter) Visiting Research Fellow to Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA (2006) National Research Foundation (NRF) grant holder (2006-2009 ) Recipient of the best paper published in Journal of Occupational Health: Southern Africa (2008)

Research Interest

tuberculosis,primary public care, Virus Testing by Tuberculosis Public, Primary Care, Health Care