ICRN Friends | Global Collaboration

Supporters and partners

Working collaboratively with organisations that share our commitment to advancing respiratory nursing worldwide.

Dr Karen Marshall, (PhD) RGN, Respiratory Nurse Consultant Founder of the ICRN

“Andreja shared her vision to develop an international coalition for respiratory nurses (ICRN) a few years ago. At the time I thought it was such an amazing vision and it was critically important to support her. This organisation is key to help our respiratory nursing colleagues around the world, many of whom do not have access to education opportunities to develop their practice and improve patient care.

The ICRN is run by respiratory nurses for respiratory nurses. We have worked hard to achieve realise Andreja’s idea and I am delighted we are now an organisation to champion respiratory nurses globally.”

Dr Miguel Padilha, RN, CRRN, MScN, PhD. Professor at Nursing School, CINTESIS-Tech4edusim, Porto, Portugal Coordinator of the Nursing Group at the Portuguese Society of Pulmonology Nurses Group Chair at the European Respiratory Society

“The ICRN is an initiative of utmost importance to uniformising the nurse education around the World regarding the respiratory field, enhancing the safety and quality of the healthcare provided by nurses to patients suffering from respiratory diseases.“

Roberto Cabestre García, MSc, RN Nursing Group Chair at the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR)

“ICRN is the best initiative that has been taken in many years to make visible and give the importance that respiratory nurses have in the care of patients with respiratory pathology.

I am very proud of the work that is being done by these great colleagues, both our Spanish colleagues and the rest of the members of this first driving group, some of whom I am proud to have met.

Thank you for everything, Andreja, Karen, Miguel, Isabel, Silvia, Carme, Liliana, and all the other promoters of this initiative.”

Dr. Merve KIYMAÇ SARI (PhD) Assistant Professor Istanbul, Turkey

“Respiratory nurses needed to be represented, to develop a curriculum with an international consensus, and to make themselves visible. Andreja united us as the common voice of all of us in line with all these requirements. I believe that the ICRN will represent respiratory nurses at the international level and support the development of the profession in a best way that will enable patients / their families to achieve the best results. I am very happy to be a part of this.”

Lindsay Zurba Education for Health Africa / Spirometry Training Services Africa / Lung Wellness Clinic

“As a supporter of the ICRN, I pledge my full backing, and that of Education for Health Africa, Spirometry Training Services Africa and the Lung Wellness Clinic to your endeavours. I share your vision of advancing respiratory nursing and ensuring the highest standards of care for individuals with respiratory conditions. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of patients and contribute to the advancement of respiratory healthcare worldwide.”

Maja Zrnić, RN, Golnik, Slovenia

“ICRN is focused on the nursing professional development thorough research for the benefit of patients, especially safe treatment. It classifies nursing care as an independent, professional, equal and research activity based on evidence-based practice. ICRN supports, motivates and guides nurses in their professional development and education. It is an active coalition that directs all attention to quality and safe treatment of patients with appropriate education of nurses, which has been invisible and neglected in recent years.

ICRN is responsible for my professional development, for which I am extremely grateful and I am very proud to be a part of ICRN. I am more appreciated, respected and recognized in my environment. My work is valued. So thank you ICRN.”

Kaltrina Krasnić, MScN, RN Zagreb, Croatia

“I have been working with Andreja for many years at the Department for Respiratory Diseases Jordanovac. With her knowledge and competencies, which she uses in her work as a master’s degree in nursing, and soon as a doctor of science, she greatly helps our patients and directs them to the right and easier path to healing or preserving their health. I believe that her presence and advice in ICRN will raise nursing to a higher level and provide respiratory nurses with new knowledge and skills.”

Catherine Buchan, Research Assistant and PhD Candidate & Respiratory and Sleep Nurse Consultant - Research Melbourne, Australia

“I’m thrilled to endorse the ICRN as the collective voice of international respiratory nurses to raise our profile and to showcase the integral contribution we make to lung health and respiratory care; through our clinical, research, education and advocacy endeavours for better outcomes for people, their families, carers and communities”

Liliana Silva, RN, CRRN, MScN, PhD Candidate, Researcher Porto, Portugal

“The ICRN is giving voice to international respiratory nurses and will help respiratory nursing development both in the clinical and educational fields. We need quality research to support nursing growth, and ICRN has an important role. I support the ICRN vision and am so proud to be part of it!”

Romana Palić, RN, MScN, Head nurse Unite for Prevention and Control of Intrahospital Infections, Zagreb, Croatia

“I believe that the ICRN will present the state and challenges in nursing respiratory practice at the level of the nursing profession as well as allied health professionals. I expect that the ICRN will promote a multimodal approach to the exchange of experience and issues through the latest achievements of modern world respiratory practice”

Dr Silvia Arranz Alonso, Hospital Inspector & Clinical Advisor, Associate Professor & Occupational Health Nurse, Madrid, Spain

“The ICRN is the Institution that many Respiratory Nurses have been willing to appear, as it will standard the daily practice of nursing in different countries and contexts, basing Respiratory Nursing care on the best available scientific evidence and research.”

Mitar Saveljić, RN, MScN, PhD Candidate Head nurse Emergency Department Podgorica, Montenegro

“With the establishment of the ICRN, it started a new chapter in the field of the education of Respiratory nurses. This organization will help Respiratory nurses all over the world to exchange their experiences, to conduct nursing research and to write scientific papers, and thus to improve the health care of respiratory patients”

Karen Corder, MSc, Pg Dip, BSc, RN, RNT, FHEA Dept. Head of Apprenticeships, and Assistant Professor Dept. of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Northumbria University Newcastle, UK

“The Global Pandemic highlighted how vital respiratory knowledge was for all nurses, not just those who chose to specialise once qualified in a general field. That is why the ICRN are striving to improve outcomes for people living with respiratory disease by raising the profile and importance of respiratory education to be embedded in all undergraduate nursing programmes internationally.

The ICRN seeks to support colleagues across the world to develop a core respiratory curriculum that is fit for purpose.”

Nikolina Dodlek, RN, MScN, PhD Candidate Osijek, Croatia

“ICRN has an important role and mission in providing education, opportunities, growth and development for respiratory nurses, implementing the basis for the highest possible quality of care, better future and improved outcomes, supporting patients and their families in their journey and everyday challenges.”

Dr. Gamze Oğuz, PhD, Assistant Professor İstanbul, Turkey

Gamze Oğuz serves on the Nursing Task Force of the Turkish Thoracic Society. She has been a member of the European Respiratory Society since 2021 and plays an active role on the ICRN executive board, where she also leads the education committee. She works on advancing pulmonary nursing practices and education in Turkey and participates in international meetings. Her areas of focus include COPD, asthma, quality of life, oncology, and palliative care, and she is employed as an assistant professor in the Department of Nursing at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul Atlas University.

Aleksandra Gawlik-Lipinski

Aleksandra Gawlik-Lipinski is a Respiratory Consultant Nurse in Primary Care with 20 years of healthcare experience. She is currently completing a PhD at the University of Leicester (UK), focusing on asthma mortality and predictors of asthma-related deaths in children.

Her career spans emergency, acute, and primary care settings, with a specialist focus on respiratory disease management. Aleks is Vice-Chair of the Research and Education Committee at the Association of Respiratory Nurses (UK) and a Clinical Fellow with the National Respiratory Audit Programme for Children and Young People’s Asthma (UK).

She is committed to improving respiratory outcomes through research, education, leadership, and clinical excellence.

Carol Stonham

Following 26 years nursing in general practice Carol now works at Gloucestershire ICB Respiratory Clinical Programme Group and is CYP Asthma Clinical Lead. Carol is also a co-clinical lead of the NHSE Southwest Respiratory Network.

Carol is past Executive Chair of PCRS – the first non-doctor and first female to take the chair. She is current a trustee of the charity. She is vice chair of the Lung Health Task Force and also co-chairs the Taskforce early and accurate diagnosis group.

Carol received Queen’s Nurse award in 2007 and in 2016 was awarded an MBE for Services to Nursing and Healthcare.

Ricardo Salgado

Ricardo Salgado is a Senior Lecturer and researcher at La Source School of Nursing in Switzerland, with expertise in digital health, respiratory care, and health professions education. He is a PhD candidate in Nursing Sciences, focusing on self-management digital interventions to promote physical activity in people living with COPD.

Ricardo contributes to national and international initiatives in respiratory care, digital health, and nursing education, with a strong interest in evidence-based practice and patient-centered models of care. His work bridges clinical practice, research, and innovation to strengthen training systems and improve health-related outcomes.

Be part of the ICRN story

The strength of ICRN lies in its members and partners. We welcome collaboration with individuals and organisations who share our vision for excellence in respiratory nursing.