Professor Frank Donnelly began his nursing career at the Royal Adelaide Hospital after graduation from the University of South Australia (Salisbury). After a stint in neurosurgical nursing Frank moved to work in Intensive Care, where he spent the majority of his clinical life. After completing post graduate qualifications in ICU a shift in direction saw him move into nursing education, particularly clinical education. Further study and completion of a Master of Nursing, with a thesis examining the lived experience of a tracheostomy tube change, led Frank toward a PhD, a study which combined his primary interest in nursing knowledge and the role of clinical placement experiences. Frank is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK).

In 2019 Frank was awarded The Stephen Cole the Elder Award for Excellence, the University of Adelaide’s premier learning and teaching award. This award recognises the University’s highest achievers in teaching, support of teaching, and supervisory practices.

Frank is Dean and Head of School of Nursing, Adelaide Nursing School.

As well as advocating for teaching excellence, Frank conducts and supervises research in nursing education, inter-professional learning and clinical innovation.