Biography

I am a registered nurse who is currently working as a senior lecturer in Nursing, at University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka who admires to become a specialist elderly care with special focus on dementia care and cognitive health promotion. On completion of my undergraduate education in nursing at University of Sri Jayewardenepura with a first class, I moved to Kristianstad University, Sweden to obtain training in applied clinical nursing and in there, I worked under supervision. Afterwards, I started my academic carrier as a demonstrator and stepped on to as a lecturer and then to a senior lecturer in Nursing at University of Ruhuna. I read for my MPhil in in Medical Education and Health Sciences at University of Sri Jayewardenepura and completed in 2018. My MPhil was on physical activity, executive functions and quality of life of older people.

Course/Modules Teaching for undergraduates

• Fundamentals of Nursing
• Medical Nursing I and II
• Microbiology and Parasitology
• Dietetics
• Research Methodology
• Epidemiology

Research and publications

Present research interests

Geriatric Nursing, Dementia care, Cognitive health promotion

Special awards and prizes

• 2 awards as best oral presenter and a merit award for a poster presentation
• Best oral presenter at International Mental Health Nursing Conference (2018) for the abstract titled “Cognitive ability and Physical activity behaviour of elders in Galle”, National Institute of Mental Health, Sri Lanka, pp. 40, 19-21 July 2018.
• Best oral presenter at Faculty of Medicine Academic sessions, University of Ruhuna (2018) for the abstract titled “Association between social activity participation and cognition of elderly people in elderly care institutions in Southern Province, Sri Lanka”, pp. 29, 15-16 November 2018.
• A merit award for a poster presentation at 1st Research Symposium, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ruhuna (2018) for the abstract titled “Does the IQ level and family’s social economic status affect the academic performance in Girls‟ school students in Kandy educational Zone?”, pp 61, 08 November 2018.

Research publications(full paper)

• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2018), “Effect of cognitive and executive functions on perception of quality of life of cognitively normal elderly people dwelling in residential aged care facilities in Sri Lanka”, BMC Geriatrics, 18:256, doi: 10.1186/s12877-018-0937-6, URL:https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/ 10.1186/s12877-018-0937-6
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2019), “Associated Factors for Cognition of Physically Independent Elderly People Living in Residential Care Facilities for the Aged in Sri Lanka”, BMC Psychiatry, 19:10, doi: 10.1186/s12888-018-2003-5, URL: https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888- 018-2003-5
• Wanniarachchi, T.I, Gamage, MW.K and Jayasingha, S.S. (2018), “Administration of paracetamol to children; do parents adhere to recommendations?”, Galle Medical Journal, vol. 23 (2), pp. 15-20, URL: https://gmj.sljol.info/articles/abstract/10.4038/gmj.v23i2.7977/
• Dassanayaka, D.L.W., Ukwatta, U.D.M.L. and Gamage, M. (2017), “Adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes of elective induction of labour at term vs spontaneous onset of labour; a comparative study”, Galle Medical Journal, vol. 22 (2), pp. 11-15, URL: https://gmj.sljol.info/articles/abstract/10.4038/gmj.v22i2.7969/
• Gamage, M.W.K. and Warnakulasuriya, S.S.P. (2014), “Prevalence ofMusculoskeletal pains among Three wheeler drivers in Galle Municipality area of Galle District”, Kotelawala International Research Symposium proceedings, pp. 95-100.

Published abstracts of oral presentations

• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2020), Association between physical activity and executive functions of institutionalized physically independent elderly people of Southern Province, 17th Academic Sessions, University of Ruhuna, pp. 67.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2018), Association between social activity participation and cognition among elderly people living in elderly care institutions in Southern Province, Ruhuna Journal of Medicine, vol. 6 (1), pp. 29.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2018), Association between engagement in leisure activities and cognition among elderly people living in elderly care institutions in Southern Province, 4th Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka Association of Geriatric Medicine, pp. 32, 25th – 27th October 2018.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2017), Inhibitory control and associated factors among physically independent elderly people living in elderly care institutions in Galle District, Proceedings of Scientific sessions of Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura in collaboration with Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, Sri Lanka, pp. 49, 24-25 May 2017.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2017), Association between dual task performance and Quality of life of elderly people living in elderly care institutions Galle District, Proceedings of Peradeniya University International research sessions, Sri Lanka, pp. 317-318, 24 November 2017.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2016), Association between cognition, quality of life and physical activity in a sample of physically independent institutionalized elderly people in Galle District, Sri Lanka, Proceedings of International Research Conference, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka, pp. 226, 08-09 September 2016.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2016), The level of cognition is significantly associated with the quality of life in a sample of physically independent institutionalized elderly people in Galle District, Sri Lanka, Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Public Health, Sri Lanka, pp. 10, 28-29 July 2016.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2016), Quality of life and associated factors among physically independent institutionalized elderly people in Galle District, Sri Lanka, Proceedings of 5th Biennial Conference of South Asian Association of Physiologists, Nepal, pp. 139, 10-12 November, 2017.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2016), Working memory and associated factors among physically independent elderly people living in elderly care institutions in Galle District, Sri Lanka, Proceedings of Annual scientific sessions of the physiological society, Sri Lanka, pp. 35, 25-26 November, 2016.
• Gamage, M.W.K. and Warnakulasuriya, S.S.P. (2014), Prevalence of Musculoskeletal pains among Three wheeler drivers in Galle Municipality area of Galle District, Proceeding of Kotelawala International Research Symposium, pp. 82, 21-22 August 2014.
• Wickramarachchi B.I., Gamage M.W.K., Perera, R. and Perera, B. (2018), Cognitive ability and Physical activity behaviour of elders in Galle, Proceedings of International Mental Health Nursing Conference National Institute of Mental Health, Sri Lanka, pp. 40, 19-21 July 2018.
• Dharmarathna, H.H.N.D., Gamage, M.W.K. and Hewawasam, S.P. (2018), Impact of extracurricular activities, health status and the socioeconomic status on the academic performance of students of Girl-schools in Kandy educational Zone, Proceedings of Annual scientific sessions of Physiology society of Sri Lanka, pp. 39, 16-17 November 2018.
• Lakmani, P.H., De Silva, P.V. and Gamage, M.W.K. (2017), Prevalence and risk factors of selected occupational health problems of teachers working in Biyagama Educational Division, Proceedings of Kotelawala International Research Symposium, pp. 21, 3-4 August 2017.
• Gunathilake, A.A.G.B.M., Gamage, M.W.K. and Hettiarachchi, M. (2016), Knowledge, attitudes and barriers for higher education among nursing officers in Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, Proceedings of International conference on Multidisciplinary approach, pp. 32, 12-14 October 2016.
• Weerakoon, W.M.N.P, Gamage, M.W.K. and Imendra, K.G. (2016), Knowledge & practices among school teachers in Thambuttegama educational division on suitable first aid needed at a traumatic event to prevent spinal cord complications, Proceedings of International conference on Multidisciplinary approach, pp. 29, 12-14 October 2016.
• Wanni Arachchi, T.I., Gamage, M.W.K. and Jayasingha, S.S. (2016), Administration of Paracetamol for childhood fever; practices of parents, Ruhuna Journal of Medicine, vol. 4 (1), pp. 41.
• Somarathna, K.C.S., Gamage, M.W.K. and Lenora, R.S.J. (2015), Burden of patients with traumatic injuries admitted to Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, Ruhuna Journal of Medicine, vol. 3 (1), pp. 5.

Published abstracts of poster presentations

• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2018), Factors associated with cognition among physically independent institutionalized elderly people in Southern Province, Proceedings of International Conference of Health Sciences, pp. 84, 7-9 October 2018.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2017), Association of age, gender and educational status with working memory and inhibitory control of elderly people living in elderly care institutions in Galle District, Proceedings of 11th Annual academic sessions of the association of Sri Lankan neurologists, Sri Lanka, pp. 37-38, 17-19 November, 2017.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2016), Association between executive functions, quality of life and physical activity in a sample of community dwelling elderly people in Galle Municipality area, Proceedings of Scientific sessions, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura in collaboration with Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, Sri Lanka, pp 10, 7-8 April, 2016.
• Gamage, M.W.K., Hewage, D.C. and Pathirana, K.D. (2016), Association between executive functions, physical activity and quality of life among physically independent elderly people living in elderly care institutions in Galle District, Sri Lanka, Proceedings of 5th Biennial Conference of South Asian Association of Physiologists, Nepal, pp. 207, 10- 12 November, 2017.
• Madushani W.A.D.S, Gamage M.W.K, Perera U.C.P (2020), Knowledge and practices on medico-legal activities related to nursing practice among nursing officers in Teaching Hospital Karapitiya and Mahamodara, Nursing Research Symposium 2020, pp. 73.
• Dharmarathna H.H.N.D, Gamage M.W.K, Hewawasam S.P (2019), The effect of missing breakfast and body mass index on academic performance in girls’ school students in Kandy Education zone, 1st International conference on public health and wellbeing, pp. 55, 4-5 April 2019.
• Dharmarathna, H.H.N.D., Gamage, M.W.K. and Hewawasam, S.P. (2018), Does the IQ level and family’s social economic status affect the academic performance in Girls’ school students in Kandy educational Zone?, Proceedings of 1st Research Symposium, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ruhuna, pp. 61, 08 November 2018.
• Jayasingha, K.D.I.L., Gamage M.W.K. and Weerasingha N.P. (2018), Practices of nurses on specimen collection for bacteriological cultures (Blood, Urine and wound swabs) at a tertiary care hospital in Southern province of Sri Lanka, Proceedings of 1st Research Symposium, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ruhuna, pp. 39, 08 November 2018.
• Sundarapperuma, T., Gamage, M., Jagodage, H., Kariyawasam, P., Fonseka, D. and Lenora, J. (2017), Factors affecting compliance to life style modifications of patients with Diabetes mellitus: Results from a diabetic clinic in Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, Galle, Proceedingsof Peradeniya University International research sessions, Sri Lanka, pp. 150-151, 24 November 2017.
• Madushani, W.A.D.S., Gamage, M.W.K. and Perera, U.C.P. (2016), Knowledge and practices of medico legal activities related to nursing practice among nursing officers in Teaching Hospital Karapitiya and Mahamodara, Ruhuna Journal of Medicine, vol. 4 (1), pp. 50.
• Wickramasingha, C.U., Bodinayake, C.K. and Gamage, M.W.K. (2016), Knowledge and Attitude regarding disease among patients with tuberculosis treated at Thassim Chest Clinic Galle, Proceedings of International conference on Multidisciplinary approach, pp. 41, 12-14 October 2016.
• Amarasingha, A.A.T.D.K., Wijayarathna, W.M.D.G.B. and Gamage, M.W.K. (2015), Knowledge, attitudes and practices on venous blood sample collection among nurses in Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, Ruhuna Journal of Medicine, vol. 3 (1), pp. 59.

Membership of professional associations

• Ceylon Medical College Council
• Sri Lanka Nursing Council