CIHS Leadership Strand

Lead Dr. Elizabeth A. Curtis (Assistant Professor Nursing)

and

Dr. Siobhán Corrigan (Senior Research Fellow Psychology)

Overview of Leadership

Given the ongoing success of the annual Leadership Seminar in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the scholarly developments in leadership currently being planned, the CIHS has decided to build upon this work and expertise and develop a Leadership in Health Care strand.

The importance of effective leadership in health care has been emphasised by a number of authors (Dunhamand & Fisher 1990; Hewison & Griffiths, 2004; Carney, 2006; Greenfield, 2007; Sutherland and Dodd, 2008, Finkleman 2012), and nursing leadership is pivotal to this since nurses represent the largest discipline in health care (Oliver, 2006; Marquis & Huston, 2009; Roussel et al. 2009; Sullivan & Garland, 2010). Research on leadership has demonstrated a positive relationship with improved patient safety outcomes (Tregunno et al. 2009); healthy work environments (Shirey 2009); job satisfaction (Heller et al. 2004; Sellgren et al. 2007); lower turnover rates (Gelinas & Bohen 2000); and positive outcomes for organizations, patients (Wong & Cummings 2007) and health care providers (Cummings et al. 2005).

While it can be argued that there are many challenges confronting nurse leaders at the present time (new roles, new technology, financial constraints, greater emphasis on participation, cultural diversity and education), it must be emphasised that leadership should not be viewed as an optional role or function/task for nurses. Leadership must exist in every health care facility where effecting change and achieving high standards of patient care are stipulated in job titles, such as Director of Nursing, Nurse Consultant, or Modern Matron (Sullivan & Garland 2010). However, the taking on of a leadership role by itself is not sufficient for ensuring effectiveness.

The leader must be knowledgeable about leadership and be able to apply leadership skills in all aspects of work. Heller et al. (2004) suggest that on the whole, nurses are not adequately prepared for the role of leader during their nursing education programmes. This gap between adequate educational preparation and the demands of the clinical setting can result in ineffective leadership in nursing. To support further the need for effective and consistent leadership in health care the NHS (NHS Leadership Academy 2011) developed a Leadership Framework document which represents the basis of leadership practice that all staff in the NHS should aim for. Similarly, the Strategy of the Office of Nursing and Midwifery Services Director, HSE stated that the provision of excellent patient/client care is dependent upon outstanding leadership and nursing and midwifery care practices. As a follow up to this the HSE has developed a National Leadership and Innovation Centre for Nursing and Midwifery as well as leadership programmes for future leaders and directors of nursing and midwifery.

Key Partners/collaborators for the Leadership Strand

Dr. Elizabeth A. Curtis (Lead), Ass. Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College, Dublin (TCD), Ireland

Dr. Siobhán Corrigan, (Co-Lead) School of Psychology, TCD, Ireland

Professor Martin Beirne, Professor of Management and Organisational Behaviour, University of Glasgow, Scotland

Dr. John Cullen, Lecturer, School of Business Studies, NUI Maynooth, Ireland

Ms. Tina Joyce, Institute of Leadership, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)

Ms. Mary MacMahon, Leadership and Innovation Advisor, Health Service Executive (HSE) Ireland

Skills and Expertise

Collectively, members of the leadership strand have extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in the following:

Education

Extensive experience in teaching research methods and other modules including Leadership, Organisational Behaviour, Organisational Psychology, Human Factors, and supervising students at MSc and doctoral levels
Developing curriculum documents, planning and developing modules in research methods, leadership and management including change
Planning, organising and conducting workshops and seminars

Research

Knowledge, experience and expertise in several research designs (e.g. mixed methods, quantitative, qualitative),
Experience in designing, planning and conducting research in health and other disciplines/settings including work organisations and employee relations, enhancement of practitioner insights and reflective abilities in promoting workplace motivation, ongoing collaborative learning in the workplace
Experience and expertise in data analyses techniques (e.g. focus groups, quantitative research, qualitative)
Expert knowledge and experience on gender, empowerment and equality opportunities
Expert knowledge on change management, organisational culture and climate, safety management systems and proactive risk management approaches in safety critical industries

Clinical Experience

Expert Knowledge and experience in planning and managing neurosciences nursing and cancer care nursing
Experience in conducting research with nurse clinicians and colleagues in education and industry (e.g. aviation industry),
Experience in assisting clinical staff in identifying the need for change and in planning and conducting changes in clinical practice

Projects and Publications

Current Research Projects:

A Study entitled Narratives of Nursing Leadership commenced in 2013. This study is being undertaken by three TCD staff members as follows: Ass. Professor. Jan de Vries, Ass. Professor Elizabeth A. Curtis and Ass. Professor Fintan Sheerin (all from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, TCD).

A study to explore the concept of Reflective Leadership commenced in April 2012. The study led by Ass. Professor Elizabeth A. Curtis and includes collaborations with the School of Psychology TCD (Dr. Siobhan Corrigan) and Dave Egan (external TCD) and external adviser Visiting Professor Gary Rolfe. The design will include three possible phases: phase 1 – (a) a review of the literature, (b) presentation at a conference and (c) publication of a paper, phase 2 – a Delphi study, and phase three - focus groups to expand and develop the findings from phase two. Progress to date – phase 1 – an initial review of the literature has been completed and the findings presented at a symposium at the NET conference in September 2012. That literature review has since been developed further and a working model developed to explain the concept of reflective leadership. A paper for publication in the Journal of Nursing Management is currently being developed. In tandem with this, an ethical application will be submitted for approval to complete the empirical phases of the study. It is anticipated that phase 2 will commence in early 2015.

Research Tender
The Intellectual Disability Discipline (E.A. Curtis is a member of this team) submitted an HSE tender in July 2013 entitled Shaping the Future of Intellectual Disability Nursing in Ireland. The tender was successful and the research project has commenced.

Short list of Recent Publications

Dr. Elizabeth A. Curtis

Book
Curtis Elizabeth A. & Drennan J., (eds) (2013) Quantitative Health Research: Issues and Methods Open University Press: McGraw –Hill Education, Berkshire, England (please note that RS System not accepting item at present, confirmation of publication attached in paper submission of this application).

Book Chapter
Curtis E.A. & O’Connell R. (2010) Recruiting Samples from Vulnerable Populations. In Quantitative Health Research: Issues and Method. (Curtis E.A. & Drennan J., eds), Open University Press & McGraw-Hill Education, Berkshire, England.

Journal Paper
Curtis E.A. & Glacken M. (2012) Job Satisfaction Among Public Health Nurses: A National Survey. Journal of Nursing Management, published online 7th December 2012. DOI: 10.1111/jonm.12026.

Invited Speaker to Scientific Discussion Forum and Workshop in Durban South Africa
Curtis E.A., de Vries, J. & Sheerin F. (2013) Developing Leadership in Nursing. Presentation given to the Nursing Sciences leadership Consultative Forum meeting held in Durban South Africa on 19th – 20th August 2013.

Conference Presentations through submission of abstracts
Ayton A. & Curtis E.A. (2013 A Mixed Methods Study to Explore Nursing Care of the Older Person with Dementia and the Influence of Nurses’ Attitudes and the Environment of Care. Presentation at 4th International Nursing and Midwifery Conference, National University of Ireland, Galway. 15-16th April 2013. Abstract published in book of Abstracts – no page numbers given.
Ayton A. & Curtis E.A. (2012). Nursing Care of Older Persons with Dementia: A Review of the Literature. Poster Presentation at the 12th Annual Research Conference, Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork. 9th November 2012. Abstract reviewed by conference editorial team and published in book of abstracts (no page numbers).

Professor Martin Beirne

Book
Beirne M. (2013) Rhetoric and the Politics of Workplace Innovation: Struggling with Empowerment and Modernization. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.
Journal Paper
Beirne M. (2008) Idealism and the Applied Relevance of Research on Employee Participation, Work Employment and Society 22 (4), 675-693.

Dr. Siobhan Corrigan

Book Chapter
Corrigan S. (2013). Understanding Probability In Quantitative Health Research: Issues and Method. (Curtis E.A. & Drennan J., eds), Open University Press & McGraw-Hill Education, Berkshire, England.

Journal Paper

Corrigan, S., & Mc Donald, N. (2014). Introduction to the Special Issue: Managing System Change in Aviation: What Makes for Successful Change? Journal of Cognition, Technology & Work. Volume 16, Issue 4 (Nov 2014)

Corrigan, S., Martensson, L., Kay, A., Okwir, S., Ulfvengren, P., & Mc Donald, N (2014). Preparing for Airport Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM) Implementation: An Evaluation and Recommendations. Journal of Cognition, Technology & Work. Volume 16, Issue 4 (Nov 2014)

Corrigan, S., Zon, R., Maij, A., Martensson, L, Mc Donald, N. (2014). An Approach to Collaborative Learning & Serious Game Development. Journal of Cognition, Technology & Work. Volume 16, Issue 4 (Nov 2014)

Corrigan, S., Mc Donald, N (2014). What Makes for Successful Change: Evidence from Industrial-Based Research? Journal of Airport Management, Vol. 8, June 2014 (Nov 2014)

Mc Donald N., Corrigan S., Morrison, R. & Leva C. (2012) Achieving Impact through Human Factors Research, Irish Journal of Psychology, 33 2-3

Seminars
Prof. Curtis has organised and hosted an annual Leadership Seminar in the School of Nursing and Midwifery for the last six years. Two years ago an organising committee was formed to assist with this event (see below). The purpose of the seminar is to provide an opportunity for health care professionals to explore important issues in leadership and to assist them in improving their skills, knowledge and work-based practices. Evaluations by delegates have been outstanding with many reporting high satisfaction with the content of the programme and the excellent team of speakers. Comments such as seminar “was inspiring, gave me a lift as things at work are considerably difficult at present”, “I feel more positive” after attending the seminar, the seminar “was appropriate in the times that we are in, it gave me ideas about how to empower and inspire my work colleagues”.

Organising Committee Leadership Seminar

Dr. Elizabeth A. Curtis (Lead), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College, Dublin (TCD), Ireland
Professor Martin Beirne, Professor of Management and Organisational Behaviour, University of Glasgow, Scotland
Dr. Siobhán Corrigan, School of Psychology, TCD, Ireland
Dr. John Cullen, Lecturer, School of Business Studies, NUI Maynooth, Ireland
Ms. Tina Joyce, Institute of Leadership, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
Ms. Mary MacMahon, Leadership and Innovation Advisor, Health Service Executive (HSE) Ireland

Workshops
The leadership seminar committee is planning its first workshop on Leadership in September 2014. This workshop will be integrated with the leadership seminar.

MSc Programme on Managing Risk and System Change (School of Psychology)
The Masters in Managing Risk & System Change offers a rigorous but practical focus on risk, change and system design in operations and services, with an innovative integrated approach to the role of people in such systems. It provides a core framework that has been tested in collaborative industrial research and practice for managing and developing people, the design and integration of new technologies, the management of risk and the implementation of change. It will deploy cutting-edge knowledge to foster advanced standards of professional practice and world class research in pursuit of the overall programme’s objectives.

Dr. Corrigan and Dr. Curtis are co-module leaders for a module on Leading Change as part of this Masters Programme

Leadership Network Group
Dr. Elizabeth A. Curtis organised the setting up of a Leadership Network Group and the first meeting was held on 12th September 2014. The idea behind this initiative is to bring together like minded academics and researchers from Europe and North America to discuss and advance research and scholarly activities on leadership in nursing.

New Book
In an effort to advance the work of the Leadership Seminar, Dr. Curtis and Dr. John Cullen are currently planning a new book on leadership and change. The book, like the annual leadership seminar in the School of Nursing and Midwifery TCD, aims to provide key themes that nurses and allied health care professionals can use to develop and navigate their leadership journeys which are unique to the context in which they find themselves.

Key Partners/collaborators
Dr. E.A. Curtis is currently working/collaborating with the following:

School of Psychology, TCD
School of Business Studies, NUI Maynooth
Department of Nursing, College of human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Wales
Institute of Leadership, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
John C. Lincoln Health Network, Phoenix, Arizona U.S.A.

Key Links
Dr. Curtis has links with the following:

SanTrust (is a registered educational trust in the Republic of South Africa).
Several Colleges of Nursing in Europe e.g. Norway, Portugal
London South Bank University – external examiner to an MSc Programme in Leadership
Department of Nursing, College of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Wales

Biography

Elizabeth A. Curtis M.A. (J.O.); Ph.D.; M.Ed.; DMS; Dip. Research Methods; RGN; ENB 148 (Neurosurgical and Neuromedical Nursing); ONC.
Elizabeth Curtis is a lecturer and Assistant Professor of Nursing in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College, Dublin. She received her PhD and MEd degrees from the School of Education, Trinity College.
Elizabeth qualified as a general nurse in London and worked in the disciplines of neurosciences and orthopaedics in the NHS prior to locating to Ireland. During her time in clinical practice she always had an interest in education and this ultimately led to postgraduate study in this field. Completing a Master in Education (M.Ed.) provided a comprehensive background in the disciplines relating to the study of education and provided the impetus for her to move from the clinical environment to education.
Elizabeth has many years’ experience of teaching research methods and in supervising research students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her research interests are varied and include job satisfaction, leadership and change. Elizabeth is currently collaborating with colleagues both within and outside Trinity College on a number of research initiatives; including Narratives of Leadership and Reflective Leadership. She initiated a leadership seminar in the School of Nursing and Midwifery six years ago and together with a small team of academics and researchers she now hosts the event annually. Elizabeth is working on setting up a Leadership Consortium which she hopes will bring together like minded academics and researchers to advance work on leadership in nursing. Recent publications include three books Quantitative Health Research: Issues and Methods (2013); Delegation: A Short Primer for the Practising Nurse (2009) and Research Success in Nursing and Health Care: A Guide to Doing your Higher Degree (2008).
Siobhán Corrigan, BSc. MSc. Ph.D.
Siobhán Corrigan is a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Innovative Human Systems (CIHS), School of Psychology Trinity College Dublin. Dr. Corrigan has played a leading role on a number of high profile Human Factor research projects & has had continuous and successful engagement with a range of industries (e.g., Aerospace, Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical, Health & Process). Current research projects include developing & sustaining change, development of collaborative learning communities, on-line education, developing prototype management systems for identifying and actively managing systemic risks, the role of reflective leadership in nursing practice and education. Dr Corrigan is also a certified Human Factor trainer and has substantial experience in the development, delivery & evaluation of core Human Factors training. Dr. Corrigan also lectures in the areas of Organisational Behaviour, Psychology of Work, Human Factors, & Research Methods as well as supervising & mentoring students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.