School of Nursing & Midwifery

Contact Us Trinity College Dublin
24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
Ireland

+353-1-896-2692

View the contact page for more contact and location information

nursing.midwifery@tcd.ie
Ms. Tracey O'Neill

Ms. Tracey O'Neill

Assistant Professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery

3531896 4161

Biography

Tracey O' Neill is an Assistant Professor in Children's Nursing, a PhD candidate and the Senior Sophister B.Sc Course Coordinator in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. She is a Registered Children's Nurse, a Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disability, and a Registered Nurse Tutor.

Tracey is an active member of interdisciplinary research teams and is affiliated with several research centres in Trinity College Dublin, including TRiCC (Trinity Research in Childhood Centre), the Child Health & Well-being Research Theme within the Trinity Centre for Maternity Care Research (TCMCR), and the Trinity Centre for Practice and Healthcare Innovation (TCPHI).

Her research focuses on child and family health, with expertise in domestic violence, childhood diabetes, and diabetes technology. She is committed to ethical, child-centred inquiry, with specific expertise in participatory research methods involving children.

Tracey has successfully disseminated her research nationally and internationally, developing a strong track record in peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and invited seminars. She has also contributed to the launch of funded research reports and has an emerging record of success in national and international grant applications.

An experienced and skilled educator, Tracey teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in children's nursing. She is known for her innovative teaching approaches, including work with Academic Practice to embed AI in teaching and learning, and the use of high-fidelity clinical simulation. She is also actively engaged in developing collaborative relationships with clinical partners to enhance student learning and research collaborations.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

  • Hill, K., Murphy, M., Hollywood, E. and O'Neill, T, Impact of COVID-19 on teaching an undergraduate children's nursing module: Rapid Responses. , All Ireland Journal of Higher Education, 12, (3), 2020, p1 - 10Journal Article, 2020, DOI , URL , TARA - Full Text
  • Hollywood, E., Hill, K., Murphy, M. and O'Neill, T, A dash to 'get online'! How Covid19 arrived in Ireland and children's nurse education swiftly went virtual, Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference (THEconf2021), Online, 10th and 11th March, 2021, pp4 - 4Meeting Abstract, 2021
  • O'Neill, T. Hollywood, E. and Banka Cullen, S, The use of diabetes technology in the primary school setting: experiences of children and their families. A scoping review protocol, Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference (THEconf2023), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 7-9 March, 2023Meeting Abstract, 2023, URL
  • O Neill, T., Hollywood, E., & Prakashini-Banka Cullen, S., Use of diabetes technologies in the primary school environment: a scoping review protocol, JBI evidence synthesis., 2024Journal Article, 2024, DOI , TARA - Full Text
  • Hollywood, E. O"Neill, T. and Fitzgerald, H., School-aged children and the management of Type 1 Diabetes in the primary school environment: an investigation of how to support children, parents, and schools., Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2024 (THEconf2024) New Horizons in Healthcare: Global Impact, Local Relevance., School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 5-7th March, 2024Meeting Abstract, 2024
  • O"Neill, T. Banka-Cullen, S. and Hollywood, E., The use of diabetes technologies in the primary school environment: A scoping review protocol., Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2024 (THEconf2024) New Horizons in Healthcare: Global Impact, Local Relevance., School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 5-7th March, 2024Meeting Abstract, 2024
  • Hollywood, E., O"Neill, T. and Fitzgerald, H., School-aged children and the management of Type 1 Diabetes in the primary school environment: an investigation of how to support children, parents and schools., ISPAD Inclusion and Innovation in Pediatric Diabetes, Lisbon, Portugal, 16th - 19th October, 2024Meeting Abstract, 2024
  • Hollywood, E., O"Neill, T. and Fitzgerald, H., Supporting children with Type 1 Diabetes: A mixed methods evaluation of a hospital-based education programme for school personnel, ISPAD Inclusion and Innovation in Pediatric Diabetes, Lisbon, Portugal, 16th - 19th October, 2024Meeting Abstract, 2024
  • Hollywood E, and O Neill, T, Supporting women and children who have experienced domestic violence and abuse in the community setting, Childrens Research Network and UCD CHilD-RC Annual Conference, Navigating Current and Emerging Challenges for Children and Young People, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 2024Meeting Abstract, 2024
  • Hollywood, E and O'Neill, T, `Truly Be Me' Supporting Children in the Community who have Experienced Domestic Violence and Abuse, Trinity College Dublin, April, 2025, p1 - 95Report, 2025, TARA - Full Text
  • Tracey O Neill, Lisa Kirwan, Using GenAI to transform teaching methods and enhance students' learning outcomes in Children's and General Nursing students, Teaching & Learning Symposium 2025, Trinity College Dublin, 28/05/2025, 2025, Centre for Academic Practice TCDInvited Talk, 2025, URL
  • Hollywood, E., and O'Neill, T., Supporting women and children who have experienced domestic violence and abuse in the community setting, European Conference on Domestic Violence 2025, Barcelona, Spain, 3-5th September 2025, 2025Conference Paper, 2025
  • Dr. Eleanor Hollywood, Tracey O Neill, Muluken Basa, Parental satisfaction in the management of their children's Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in the primary school environment., Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2025 (THEconf2025) 'Healthcare in times of crisis: adaptive responses and global innovations', Trinity College Dublin, 4th - 6th March 2025, 2025Conference Paper, 2025
  • Tracey O Neill, Dr Eleanor Hollywood Dr Thelma Begley, The Use of Technology in the Management Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in the primary school environment: The Experiences of Irish school-aged children and their parents., Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2025 (THEconf2025) 'Healthcare in times of crisis: adaptive responses and global innovations', Trinity College Dublin, 4th - 6th March 2025, 2025Poster, 2025
  • Dr Eleanor Hollywood, Tracey O Neill, `Truly Be Me Supporting Children in the Community who have Experienced Domestic Violence and Abuse, Report launch of `Truly Be Me" Supporting Children in the Community who have Experienced Domestic Violence and Abuse, Cuan, the Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) Agency 34-37 Clarendon Street, Dublin 2, D02DE61, 12th June 2025, 2025Invited Talk, 2025
  • Hollywood, E., O"Neill, T and Basa, M., Parental satisfaction in the management of their children's Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in the primary school environment., Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2025 (THEconf2025)., School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 5th - 6th March, 2025Conference Paper, 2025
  • Lennon S., Kirwan L., O'Neill T. & Coyne I., Student Nurses Perceptions, Experiences and Challenges with using Irish National Early Warning System in Clinical Practice., Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference (THEconf2026), School of Nursing and Midwifery, D'Olier Street, 05/03/2026, 2026Oral Presentation, 2026
  • Kirwan, L., & O'Neill, T., From co-pilot to care plans: Integrating generative AI into undergraduate children"s nursing education, Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2026, Dublin, Ireland, 3-5th March, 2026, 2026Conference Paper, 2026
  • Smith, M., & O'Neill, T., Nurses experiences of caring for maltreated children in the acute care setting: An integrative review of the literature, Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2026, Dublin, Ireland, 3-5 March 2026, 2026Conference Paper, 2026
  • Hollywood E, O'Neill T, Assessment and management of scalds and burns in children., Nursing Children and Young People, 26, (2), 2014, p28-33Journal Article, 2014, DOI , TARA - Full Text

Research Expertise

Tracey O'Neill is an Assistant Professor in Children's Nursing at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, and a doctoral researcher in the final stages of her PhD. Her research focuses on two complementary areas of child health and wellbeing: Diabetes care for school aged children in the primary school environment, and the experiences of children and young people affected by domestic violence.
Tracey's primary research programme centres on how children with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their families navigate diabetes care and the use of diabetes technology in educational settings. Her PhD study explores the experiences of school-aged children, their parents, and school personnel in Ireland. A scoping review arising from this work has been published in JBI Evidence Synthesis and the full review is currently in press. This research has been disseminated at national and international level, including at the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) conference in Lisbon (2024) and through the ISPAD Diabetes in Schools Research Interest Group.
Tracey is also a co-investigator on funded research examining the experiences of children and young people affected by domestic violence in community settings. The 'Truly Be Me' report, co-authored with Dr Eleanor Hollywood and funded by the Katharine Howard Foundation, was published in April 2025 and launched at CUAN, the statutory agency under the remit of the Department of Justice dedicated to tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland. A peer-reviewed manuscript arising from this work is in press.
Tracey is committed to child-centred and participatory research methodologies, embedding meaningful Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) across her research programme in collaboration with the PPI Ignite office at Trinity College Dublin. She is an active member of the Trinity Research in Childhood Centre (TRiCC) and the National Children's Nursing Network (NCNN).
Her research has been supported by funding from the Katharine Howard Foundation, the Trinity PPI Festival Fund, the SNM Research Capacity-Building Scheme, and the Rotunda Hospital, and she has been a co-applicant on grant applications to Horizon Europe, the Health Research Board, and Tusla.

  • Title
    1. Youth Advocates Programme (YAP) Ireland, Examining the Long-Term Benefits of the Youth Advocate Programme (YAP) for Young People and their Families
    Summary
    Funding Agency
    Youth Advocates Programme (YAP) Ireland
  • Title
    NEXT-REALITY: EXTENDED REALITY AND CITIZEN SCIENCE-BASED PREPAREDNESS ECOSYSTEM FOR VULNERABLE POPULATION"S RESPONSE TO DISASTER AND HEALTH EMERGENCIES (NEXT-REALITY)
    Summary
    neXt-Reality aims to improve preparedness for and management of disasters and health emergencies by developing and
    implementing an eXtended Reality and Citizen Science-based preparedness ecosystem to empower vulnerable groups, particularly
    children and young people (C&YP).
    Funding Agency
    HORIZON-AG
  • Title
    The Impact and Benefits of Volunteer-Led Play Models in Hospital Settings Internationally: Using Children in Hospital Ireland as a Case Study
    Summary
    Funding Agency
    School of Nursing and Midwifery Research Capacity-Building Scheme: Competitive Seed Funding Call
  • Title
    The Use of Technology in the Management of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in the Primary School Environment: The Experiences of Irish School-Aged Children and Their Parents
    Summary
    Funding Agency
    The School of Nursing and Midwifery Research Capacity-Building Scheme, Competitive Seed Funding Call
  • Title
    An Evaluation of the Community Children's Programme for Meath Women's Refuge and Support Services (MWRSS).
    Summary
    The project aims to evaluate the practice and impact of the Community Children's Programme at Meath Women's Refuge and Support Services (MWRSS).
    Funding Agency
    Katharine Howard Foundation
    Date From
    1/4/2024
    Date To
    31/03/2025
  • Title
    Design-a-Study Day: A Co-Design PPI Workshop with Children on Managing Chronic Illness at School
    Summary
    This half-day PPI event, titled Design-a-Study Day, invites primary school-aged children with and without chronic illnesses (e.g., asthma, epilepsy) to participate in a co-design workshop that explores how health is experienced and supported in schools. Through structured, child-friendly mini-workshops, children will brainstorm, prioritise themes, and co-create research questions and project ideas that reflect their experiences of how their health is managed during the school day.
    The workshop will promote equity, empower children as co-researchers, and provide valuable insight into child-centred research design. Parents will be invited to remain on-site in a supportive "coffee corner," ensuring a welcoming and safe environment. The workshop findings will inform future research on health supports in schools, led by the applicants.
    Funding Agency
    Trinity PPI Festival Fund 2025
  • Title
    A Review of Meitheal, Tusla Led Early Intervention National Practice Model
    Summary
    Funding Agency
    Tusla, The Child and Family Agency
  • Title
    BainnE: Breastfeeding Experiences of Mothers of Children with Down Syndrome in Ireland: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Case Study
    Summary
    Breast milk confers numerous documented benefits, including the provision of optimal nutrition,
    promotion of appropriate growth and development, and reduction in the incidence of infectious
    diseases among infants. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding
    up to 6 months of age and continuation alongside complementary feeding until the age of 2 years. The
    advantages of breastfeeding extend to both the mother and infant, including not only physiological
    and medical outcomes but also psychological and emotional well-being through maternal"infant
    bonding. Ireland's breastfeeding rates are amongst the lowest in Europe, with breastfeeding rates of
    infants with Down Syndrome being even lower. Several factors contribute to these low rates for infants
    with Down Syndrome, such as medical complications, including anatomical structural barriers. The
    proposed project presented in this application seeks to explore the breastfeeding experiences of
    mothers of children with Down Syndrome in Ireland to help develop more effective and responsive
    support services. This seed funding will facilitate a two-phased approach to explore breastfeeding
    initiation, exclusivity and duration amongst this cohort of breastfeeding mothers. Findings will inform
    breastfeeding and maternal-child health strategies. Furthermore, it will offer new insights with the
    potential to revolutionise breastfeeding support for families of children with Down Syndrome.
    Phase 1 of the project will proceed without funding
    Funding Agency
    Deans Research Initiatives Fund
  • Title
    A case study evaluation of the use of webcams in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
    Summary
    Funding Agency
    The Rotunda Foundation
  • Title
    , I-CAND: Exploring Childhood and Disability in Ireland
    Summary
    Funding Agency
    Health Research Board (HRB) Secondary Data Analysis Projects (SDAP) 2025

Public and Patient Involvement in Health Research, Adolescent health, Paediatrics, Endocrinology, Infant and child health, Nursing,

Recognition

  • NCNN: Ireland's National Children's Nursing Network A national network connecting children's nursing professionals across Ireland to advance the discipline through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and advocacy for children's nursing practice and education. present
  • Registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) as a Registered Children's Nurse (RCN), Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disability (RNID), and Registered Nurse Tutor (RNT). Present
  • ISPAD: International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes, including the Diabetes in Schools Special Interest Group An international society dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people with diabetes through research, education, and advocacy. Member of the Diabetes in Schools Special Interest Group, which focuses on supporting children with diabetes in educational settings internationally. present
  • PPI Shared Learning Group in University College Cork A collaborative group bringing together PhD researchers from Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork to share learning, experiences, and best practice in Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in doctoral research present
  • TRiCC: Trinity Research in Childhood Centre An interdisciplinary research centre at Trinity College Dublin dedicated to advancing research on children's health, wellbeing, and rights. TRiCC brings together researchers across disciplines to generate evidence that improves outcomes for children and families in Ireland and internationally present
  • Current member of TriCC (Trinity Research in Childhood Centre) 2023
  • Current member of the ISPAD Diabetes in Schools Special Interest Group 2024
  • Current member of the NCNN (Ireland's National Children's Nursing Network).
  • Current representative of the Children's Nursing Discipline from TCD on the Children's Health Ireland (CHI) Nurse Practice Committee.