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Meet our Research Nurses

Ashitha Bhaskaran

  • Hospital: St. James's Hospital
  • Current role: Clinical Placement Coordinator
  • Qualifications: Masters in Neuro Nursing, Foundations in Critical Care Nursing, PG Cert in Human Resource Management, BSc Nursing.
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: The Experience of Internship Nursing Students during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large teaching hospital in Ireland: A Qualitative Descriptive Study
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Val O'Brien (Principal Investigator), Ambily Velayudhan, Archana Dsouza, Ciara Kelly
  • Research Interests: Critical Care Nursing, Neuro Nursing, Nursing Education, Practice Innovation
  • Publications to date:
    • The impact of 'Introduction to Nursing Programme (ITNP)' in influencing career choice and attitude towards Nursing among Transition Year Students: An Interventional pre- post study. Presented in St. James's Hospital Nursing Conference 2021, themed 'Rising Strong'
    • Case Study Based Reflective Sessions: An Evaluation from the student's perspective. Oral presentation in 39th Annual International Nursing and Midwifery Research and Education Conference, RCSI Dublin, 2020. Research Poster presentation on Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2020.

 

Ann Connolly

  • Hospital: Children's Health Ireland at Tallaght
  • Current role: Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner for Childhood Epilepsy
  • Qualifications: Registered Nurse for Intellectual Disability, Registered Children's Nurse, Registered Nurse Prescriber, Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner, MSc in Epilepsy Science
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: The efficacy and tolerability of Levetiracetam as a first line monotherapy in childhood epilepsy.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Mary B. Quirke, Suzanne Crowley, Eadaoin Hayes, Collette Hurley, Maria Keegan, Grainne Griffin & David WM Webb
  • Publications to date:
    • Howard, C., Macken, W.L., Connolly, A. et al. (2019) Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for refractory epilepsy and medication refusal, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 104: 690-692
    • Boyle, M., Chukwu, J., Connolly, A. & Webb, D. (2013) An audit of first afebrile seizure management in an Irish tertiary pediatric setting, European Journal Pediatrics, 173(4): 525-8

 

Mary Doyle

  • Hospital/Service provider: Peamount Healthcare
  • Current role: Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP)
  • Qualifications: Higher Diploma in Gerontology, Post-graduate Diploma in Advanced Practice, MSc. Dementia.
  • Name of TCPHI Research Projects:
  • Title: Exploring experiences of the nursing team working in a residential care facility for older adults during COVID-19
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Dr Margarita Corry (Assistant Professor), Dr Julia Louw (Research Fellow)
  • Title: Unique contribution of the nursing team in older person rehabilitation: A systematic review.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Selecty Varaghase (CNS), Aoife Jordan (CNMII), Ruby Varaghase (CNMII), Dr Margarita Corry (Assistant Professor), Dr Julia Louw (Research Fellow)
  • Presentations to date:
    • Doyle, M. (2021) Reablement Programme - adapting a service to provide direct access to short-stay inpatient rehabilitation for community dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2021 (THEconf2021): 'Transforming healthcare in a changing world' 9-11 March 2021, TCD, Dublin (Accepted oral presentation)
    • Doyle, M., Louw, J.S., Doyle, C. (2020) A person-centred service approach: Lessons learnt from Case Studies in Older Adult with Intellectual Disability End of Life Care. Inaugural Celebration of Intellectual Disability Nursing in Dublin South, Kildare & Wicklow on 30th January 2020, in the Education centre, Peamount Hospital (Peer review oral presentation)

 

Archana D'Souza

  • Hospital/Service provider: St. James's Hospital
  • Current role: Education and Training Co-ordinator, Mercers Institute of Successful Ageing
  • Qualifications: Masters in Gerontological Nursing, BSc Degree Management, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Certificate Module (Micro-credential)
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: The experience of internship nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large teaching hospital in Ireland: A Qualitative Descriptive Study
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Val O'Brien (Principal Investigator), Ambily Velayudhan, Ciara Kelly, Ashitha Bhaskaran and Aoife Moran
  • Research Interests: Geriatric Nursing, Restrictive Practices in Care of the Older Adult, Nursing Education, Social isolation and Older Adult.
  • Presentation: A Qualitative Study of Nurses' Views and Experiences on Use of Restraint and Alternative Treatment to Restraint in Dementia (Oral presentation, 2020)

 

Nicola Farrand

  • Hospital: St. James's Hospital
  • Current role: cANP Emergency Cardiology
  • Qualifications: BSc Nursing (General), PG Dip Emergency Nursing, MSc Specialist Nursing (Emergency), Nurse Prescribing of medicinal products, ACLS Instructor.
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Clinical presentation of patients with COVID-19 with cardiovascular disease.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Deirdre McGuone, Geraldine Prizeman, Dr Frances O'Brien.
  • Research Interests: Cardiology, COVID-19 and CVD, Accelerated diagnostic chest pain pathway audit, clinical audit, STEMI audit, Acute Coronary Syndromes, Resuscitation.
  • Presentations to date:
    • Nurses experiences of breaking bad news following sudden death (dissertation)
    • ACLS basics, ECG interpretation (foundation course ED and instructor on ACLS provider and heartcode courses)
    • Acute Coronary Syndromes: Management and recognition in the ED (Foundation course)
    • CT Coronary Angiogram Clinical Audit (prospective data collection)
    • Brugada in the ED (poster presentation to Irish Cardiovascular Nurses Association)

 

Aoife Farrington

  • Hospital: St. Patrick's Mental Health Services
  • Current role: Clinical Placement Coordinator
  • Qualifications: Registered Psychiatric Nurse. BSc in Psychiatric Nursing, MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health in 2017
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Student Mental Health Nurse experiences of working with adolescents with eating disorders.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Dr Gráinne Donohue and Sylvia Huntley-Moore

 

Helen FitzGerald

  • Hospital: Tallaght University Hospital
  • Current role: Advanced Nurse Practitioner Paediatric Diabetes
  • Qualifications: RGN, RCN, RANP, MSc Paediatric Diabetes
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Evaluating the effectiveness of a hospital based structured education programme for School staff caring for children with Type 1 Diabetes.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Dr Mary Quirke, Eleanor Hollywood, Martina Comerford, and Patricia O'Brien

 

Marie King

  • Hospital: St. Patrick's Mental Health Services
  • Current role: Student Allocations Liaison Nurse
  • Qualifications: MSc. Nursing (RNT), Bachelor in Nursing (Hons), Dip. Higher Education in Psychiatric Nursing
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: An evaluation of Psychiatric Nurse's confidence in recognising a physically deteriorating patient.
  • Description: Quantitative research evaluating confidence levels of a group of registered mental health nurses pre and post-delivery of an education session and prior to the implementation of the National Early Warning Score in their clinical area. The education component of the implemented NEWS was evaluated.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Dr Brian Keogh and Dr Gráinne Donohue

 

Shane Kirwan

  • Hospital: St. Patrick's Mental Health Services
  • Current role: Nurse Practice Development Coordinator
  • Qualifications: MSc Healthcare Management, RCSI; MSc Nursing, Trinity College; Lean Green Belt in Healthcare Management, University of Kent; BSc Nursing, Trinity College Dublin; Diploma in Mental Health Nursing, Trinity College Dublin
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Nurse Leadership in Implementing Digital Health Change in an Irish Mental Health Service
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Dr Gráinne Donohue and Dr Brian Keogh
  • Publications to date: Kirwan, S. (2016) 'A training needs analysis of mental health nurses knowledge and application of the Mental Health Act 2001 which will inform the development of education and training workshops across the hospital' [MSc Thesis] Dublin: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

 

Martina Leigh

  • Hospital/Service provider: Muiríosa Foundation
  • Current role: Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
  • Qualifications: Certificate in Intellectual Disability (ID) Nursing, Diploma in Gerontological Nursing, MSc in Nursing ID Ageing Related Care, Post-graduate Diploma in Dementia Care, cANP in Dementia Assessment and ID, Post-graduate Diploma in Advanced Nursing Practice.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Dr Julia Louw (Research Fellow), Dr Carmel Doyle (Assistant Professor)
  • Presentations to date:
    • Leigh, M., Doyle, C., Louw, J.S. (2020) Lessons learnt from a case study supporting end-of-life care of individuals with intellectual disability living with dementia. Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2020 (THEconf2020): 'Integrated healthcare: developing person-centred health systems', 3-5 March 2020, TCD, Dublin (Peer reviewed poster presentation)
    • Leigh, M. (2020) Supporting individuals who have an intellectual disability to live in their community throughout their life's journey living with dementia. Inaugural celebration of Intellectual Disability Nursing in Dublin South, Kildare & Wicklow on 30th January 2020, in the Education centre, Peamount Hospital (Peer review oral presentation)
    • Leigh, M. (2019) Developing a framework for individualised care for individuals with intellectual disabilities with dementia. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) Annual Delegates Conference (ADC), 8th, 9th & 10th May 2019, Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim, County Meath (Peer review poster presentation)
    • Leigh, M. (2019) Designing a framework for an ideal community environment for individuals with intellectual disabilities with dementia. Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference, 6th & 7th March 2019, Trinity College Dublin (Peer review poster presentation)

 

Christina Lydon

  • Hospital: Tallaght University Hospital
  • Current role: Assistant Director of Nursing, Nurse Practice Development
  • Qualifications: MSc. Nursing Education, MA Healthcare Mgt., Cert. Health Services Mgt., PG Dip. Operating Department Nursing, BSc (Hons) Nursing, Dip. General Nursing, RGN, RNT
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Evaluation of Critical Care Outreach Services
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Professor Anne-Marie Brady, Dr Gobnait Byrne, Dr Karin O'Sullivan (TCD), Dr Mary B. Quirke, Patricia Morrison, Siobhan Connors and Dr Maria Donnelly

 

Shaini Paul Mathew

  • Hospital: Tallaght University Hospital
  • Current role: ADON, Infection Prevention and Control
  • Qualifications: Registered General Nurse, PG Dip Infection Prevention and Control, Master's in Nursing
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices of Healthcare Professionals on Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacterales (CPE)
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Sarah Whoriskey (TUH), Dr Karin O'Sullivan (TCD-TUH) and Dr Margaret McCann (TCD)

 

Deirdre McGuone

  • Hospital: St. James's Hospital
  • Current role: Advanced Nurse Practitioner Emergency Cardiology
  • Qualifications: RANP Emergency Cardiology, NP of medicinal products and ionising radiation, MSc in Clinical Practice, PGD Emergency Nursing, BNS, DNS.
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Clinical presentation of patients with COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Nicola Farrand, Geraldine Prizeman, Dr Frances O'Brien
  • Research Interests: Emergency Cardiology Nursing, COVID-19 and CVD, Evaluation and development of new accelerated diagnostic cardiac pathways.
  • Publications:
    • Case presentation and winner of the award of Excellence in Cardiovascular Care at the ESC Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professionals, Dubrovnik, Croatia
    • IAEM Poster presentation STEMI Door to balloon times
    • INCA Case presentation Atypical ACS
    • TCD ANP and nurse prescribing Hypertension presentation
    • TCD ANP module cardiovascular presentation on Advanced Physical Assessment

 

Julie O'Grady

  • Hospital: St. James's Hospital
  • Current role: Director, Learning and Development (Interim)
  • Qualifications: MSc. (Health Services Management), B.N.S. (Bachelor of Nursing Studies), R.G.N., Dip Health Services Management, PG Dip Healthcare Innovation
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Nutrition, Nursing Metrics
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Dr Patricia Cronin, Professor Anne-Marie Brady, Ms Miriam Roche
  • Publication to date: The co-design, implementation and evaluation of a serious board game 'Play Decide patient safety' to educate junior doctors about patient safety and the importance of reporting safety concerns. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-019-1655-2
  • Specific clinical or research interests: Research, Quality, Audit, Quality Improvement and all things nursing!

 

Beatriz Tejada Rios

  • Hospital: St. James's Hospital
  • Current role: Clinical Nurse Facilitator
  • Qualifications: P. Dip. Intensive Care Nursing, Trinity College Dublin, Masters in Dialysis, University Complutense (Madrid)
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: TCD-SJH-TUH Critical Care Nursing Research Group
  • Clinical or Research Interests: Critical Care Nursing, Intensive Care, Nursing Education, Healthcare Innovation.

 

Ambily Velayudhan

  • Hospital/Service provider: St. James's Hospital
  • Current role: Clinical Placement Coordinator
  • Qualifications: Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Leadership (RCSI), BSc Degree in Nursing (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala India)
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: The experiences of internship students during COVID 19 pandemic in a large teaching hospital in Ireland: A Qualitative Descriptive Study
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Val O'Brien (Principal Investigator), Ashitha Bhaskaran, Archana Dsouza, Ciara Kelly
  • Research interests: Nursing education, Nurse Practice Development, Quality Improvement projects, Practice Innovation
  • Publications/presentations to date: Presentation on Role and Responsibilities of Link Nurses in Delivering Quality Care at Link Nurse Programme in St. James's Hospital.

 

Eva Whelan

  • Hospital/Service provider: Stewarts Care Ltd
  • Current role: (Acting NPDU/Clinical Nurse Specialist in Infection Prevention and Control (CNS IPC)
  • Qualifications: RNID, RGN, HDip Children's Nursing, PG Diploma in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), MSc IPC (2020 - 2021)
  • Name of TCPHI Research Project: Assessment of barriers to the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccine through a peer-to-peer vaccination program within an intellectual disability setting.
  • Other members of the collaboration team: Ms Maria Kavanagh (DON), Dr Julia Louw (Research Fellow), Dr Carmel Doyle (Assistant Professor)
  • Publications/presentations to date: Whelan, E., Kavanagh, M., Louw, J.S., Doyle, C. (2021) Assessment of barriers to the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccine through a peer-to-peer vaccination program within an Intellectual Disability setting. Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2021 (THEconf2021): 'Transforming healthcare in a changing world' 9-11 March 2021, TCD, Dublin - (Accepted oral presentation)