Dr. Patricia Cronin

Summary

An embedded methodological research project which will develop and pilot test an education and training intervention for recruiters to trials, aimed at improving recruitment rates to randomised trials

Funding Agency

Health Research Board Ireland

Programme

HRB-TMRN renewal

Project Type

Pilot trial

Person Months

36

Summary

The aim of this descriptive and exploratory quantitative study is to assess the level of depression in patients with chronic illness. This will provide data for planning and developing services to meet the psychological needs of these patients. The research involves a one off survey of patients with a chronic illness who are attending outpatients clinics in a General Hospital. Patients attending clinics for rheumolotogy, diabetes, stroke, tissue viability, cardiac rehabilitation and respiratory departments will be included The survey consists of: (a) demographic and health questions (b) illness-specific questions (e.g. illness type, disease severity/stage/duration, adherence and pain) and (c) the Patient Health Questionnaire. All of the data will be entered into SPSS for descriptive and multivariate analysis. The Patient Health Questionnaire will be tested for reliability (using Cronbach's Alpha). Inferential statistics will be performed to test for association between variables.

Funding Agency

N/A

Project Type

Descriptive Exploratory Quantitative study

Summary

The aim of this research is to evaluate the use of podcasts as a learning activity in a final year undergraduate module. . To explore student's perspectives on the usefulness of podcasts for their learning . To investigate staff perspectives on the usefulness of podcasts in the 'flipped classroom' . To reflect on the process of producing podcasts for the module . Based on the findings, make recommendations on the efficacy of implementing podcasts. A descriptive mixed-methods approach is being adopted using the 4Q model of evaluation (Smith 2008) as a conceptual framework. A sample has been drawn from the target population of Senior Sophister Nursing students (205) who completed the module in Hilary term 2017-2018, academic staff who facilitate tutorials on the module (8) and the 2 module leaders who designed and produced the podcasts. Data collection includes an online questionnaire adapted from Merhi (2012, a focus group and reflective analysis. Students were recruited through an announcement on Blackboard and the link to an online, anonymous questionnaire. Staff who facilitated tutorials in 2017-2018 academic year were invited through email to participate in an audio-recorded, focus group discussion following completion of the tutorials. The 2 module leaders will engage in reflective analysis utilising Boud et al's (1985) reflective framework to examine the process of designing and producing the podcasts. Descriptive analysis of the findings of the questionnaire will be undertaken. The focus group data and the outcome of the reflective analysis will be transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis framework of Braun & Clarke (2006).

Project Type

Mixed method

Summary

As part of the work of the Centre for Practice & Healthcare Innovation, a nutrition & hydration group undertook a project focusing on observation of mealtime assistance at breakfast across three partner hospitals.

Project Type

Audit

Summary

The purpose of this Cochrane review is to assess the effects of systemic antibiotics in the treatment of malignant wounds, including their safety, and their impact upon quality of life and related symptoms.

Funding Agency

None

Project Type

Systematic Review

Person Months

0