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Professor Fintan Sheerin

Adjunct Assistant Professor (School of Nursing & Midwifery)

 

Adjunct Assistant Professor (School Office - Nursing & Midwifery)


Professor Sheerin is the Founding Head of School and Professor of Nursing at Maynooth University. He is registered General and Intellectual Disability nurse, with extensive experience of nursing across a number of fields of practice. He was a recipient of an All-Ireland Nursing Research Fellowship in 1999, under which he undertook his PhD. His research has largely focused on mental well-being and sought to address issues which impact such well-being. His contribution to society is significant and has seen him lead the development of a national group focused on the human rights of persons with intellectual disabilities in Ireland, bringing together many local and national groups as well as individuals with/without intellectual disabilities. He has also been a contributor on such issues to print and visual media. He was an affiliated academic of Trinity College Dublin Centre for Global Health and led health teams, both in a voluntary capacity and as part of his civic engagement role, to refugee camps across Europe (Calais and Lesbos). Caring is core to his values. Over the years, whether in healthcare, social action in refugee camps, community development in Malawi, building inclusion in Drogheda or academia, he has come to believe in the importance of human engagement. He has learned that if the relational work is not done, then the other work is much more difficult. So, he spends time building relationships and instilling a culture of inclusion and community. This was how he approached his previous role as Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. He served as a College Tutor for 15 years. During his time at Trinity College Dublin, he undertook many Senior Leadership roles. He was on TCD Board for 4 years, and was chair of the Equality Committee. An Equality Fund project, undertaken by him and his colleague, Gillian Wylie, set the groundwork for Trinity College's designation as a University of Sanctuary (UOS). He was co-chair of the UOS Group. Alongside that, he also engaged with the Trinity Inclusive Curriculum project, Athena SWAN and the Global Incident Response Steering Committee. Finally, he led the Irish Universities Association Heads of Schools of Nursing and Midwifery at the height of the pandemic, advocating for students at departmental, regulatory body and health service levels. Professor Sheerin was Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery there from 2020-2024. He was Head of Intellectual Disability Nursing from 2018-2020, and was Director of PG Teaching and Learning. He was also Acting Director of the former National Institute for Intellectual Disability. He holds the position of Adjunct Professor at the School of Nursing Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin and Visiting Professor at the School of Psychology, UCD. He is a Fellow of the European Academy of Nursing Sciences, NANDA-International, and the Royal Astronomical Society, as well as being a Member of the Royal Society of Biology. He received Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin in 2024.
  Assistive Technology (Handicapped)   Equality rights   Handicapped Device Development   Health Disparities   Health of Underserved Populations   Human rights   INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES   Intellectual Disability   Learning disabilities   MENTAL HEALTH   Minorities and Disadvantaged   Women and disability
 The HEAL Project - internsHips in future hospitALs
 Survey of education programmes undertaken by healthcare staff in HSE and Section 38 Residential Care Facilities as it relates to the recommendations of the Nursing Home Expert Panel Report
 Evaluation of Personalised Budgets demonstration projects in Ireland
 Mental Health Service Use by Older Adults with Intellectual Disability in Differing Residential Settings: findings from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing
 Staff mental health during provision of care to people with intellectual disability during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Details Date
Secretary General of the Executive of the European Federation of Nurse Educators 2021
Chair of the Irish University Association Heads of Schools/Departments of Nursing Group 2020
Member of the Steering Committee of Shaping the Future of Intellectual Disability Nursing in Ireland 2019
President of ACENDIO 2015-2019
Editor in Chief of the Journal of Intellectual Disabilities 2020
Member of Expert Clinical Advisory Panel of NANDA-I (Intellectual Disability) 2015-date
Member of the International Advisory Board of the Journal of Intellectual Disabilities. 2016-date
Director on the Board of Sunbeam House Services 2015-2016
Vice President of the Association for Common European Nursing Diagnoses, Interventions and Outcomes 2011-2015
Secretary of the Association for Common European Nursing Diagnoses, Interventions and Outcomes 2009
Editor of the International Journal of Nursing and Midwifery 2009
Member of the Advisory Policy Committee of STTI Honor Society of Nursing. 2008-2009
Member of the Editorial Board of Spiritan Horizons - Journal of the Center for Spiritan Studies at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh. 2008 to date
Secretariat to the Association for Common European Nursing Diagnoses, Interventions and Outcomes (ACENDIO). 2007-2013
Member of the Healthcare Informatics Society of Ireland Nursing Steering Group. 2003-2008
Member of ACENDIO Scientific Committee. 2006-2007
Co-Chair of ACENDIO Ireland/UK. 2005-2007
Board Member of ACENDIO. 1999-2007
Chairman of Publications Committee of ACENDIO. 2001-2007
Advisor on spinal nursing to the Dublin Area Teaching Hospitals safe handling group. 2004-2006
Irish Representative UK/Ireland Spinal Cord Injury Multi-Professional Educators Group 2001-2006
Member of the Scientific Committee of the Royal Dublin Society 2010
Failte Ireland Conference Ambassador 2011-2013
Member of the British Institute of Learning Disabilities 2006
Learning/Intellectual Disability Nursing Academic Network 2010
Member of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities 2006
Member of the Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association 2008
Member of the Steering Group for the Implementation of Shaping the Future of Intellectual Disability Nursing in Ireland 2019
Member of the Shaping the Future of Intellectual Disability Nursing in Ireland Education Sub Committee 2019
Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
French Basic Basic Basic
Irish Basic Basic Basic
Details Date From Date To
Member of the Royal Society of Biology October 2017 date
ACENDIO 1997 date
NANDA International 2004 date
British Institute of Learning Disabilities 2006 date
National Network for Learning Disability Nurses (UK). 2006 date
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing - Alpha Chi and Upsilon Xi Chapters 2004 2009
International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities 2006 2022
University of Ulster Developmental Disabilities Research Interest Group 2000 2007
Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association 2008 2009
Capital Area Roundtable on Informatics in Nursing. 2006 2008
UK-Ireland Spinal Cord Injury Multi-Professional Educators Group 2001 2007
Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society 2006 date
Member of the Learning/Intellectual Disability Nursing Academic Network 2010 2022
Registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland in the Intellectual Disability, General and Nurse Tutor divisions 1988 2022
Breslin, N., Brennan, D., Hollywood, E., Comiskey, C. and Sheerin, F., The role of Path Dependency Theory in the reproduced structures, systems and practices of the Irish Mental Health System over the last 200 years., 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, 2024, Conference Paper, PUBLISHED
Sheerin, F., Fleming, S., May, P., McCallion, P., McCarron, M., Naseer, A., Lalor, G. & D'Eath, M., Challenges in Care and Service Provision for Older Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Complex Age-Related Conditions in Ireland, British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 52, 2024, p248 - 259, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI  URL
Sheerin, F. and Doyle, C., Intellectual Disabilities: Health and Social Care Across the Lifespan, First, Geneva, Springer Nature, 2023, Book, PUBLISHED
Sexuality, Gender Identity and Relationships in, editor(s)Sheerin, F. Doyle, C. , Intellectual Disabilities: Health and Social Care Across the Lifespan, Geneva, Springer Nature, 2023, pp241 - 254, [Mannion, J., Sheerin, F.], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED
de Vries JMA, Downes C, Sharek D, Doyle L, Murphy, R, Begley, T, McCann E, Sheerin F, Smyth S & Higgins A, An exploration of mental distress in transgender people in Ireland with reference to minority stress and dissonance theory, International Journal of Transgender Health, 23, (3), 2023, p0 - 0, Notes: [open access], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Timmins, F., McCausland, D., Brennan, D., Sheerin, F., Luus, R., McCallion, P., & McCarron, M. , A national cohort study of spiritual and religious practices of older people with intellectual disability, A national cohort study of spiritual and religious practices of older people with intellectual disability, 0, 2023, phttps://doi.org/10.1177/174462 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Sheerin, F. and Fleming, S., Can art and craft activities be used to stimulate discussion on mental health and wellbeing with people with learning disabilities?, Learning Disability Practice, 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Lynch, A., Kilroy, S., McKee, H., Sheerin, F., Epstein, M., Girault, A., Gillois, P., Bosson, J., Rolland, C., Harkin, M., McKinney, C., McKee, G., Active older adults goal setting outcomes for engaging in a physical activity app and the motivation characteristics of these goals (MOVEAGE-ACT), Preventive Medicine Report, 31, 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
de Vries, Jan; Downes, Carmel; Sharek, Danika; Doyle, Louise; Murphy, Rebecca; Begley, Thelma; McCann, Edward; Sheerin, Fintan; Smyth, Siobhan; Higgins, Agnes , Irish transgender voices on mental health and mental healthcare, Mental Health and Social Inclusion., 2023, Notes: [https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-12-2022-0085], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Sheerin, F., Angel Buil, S., Duran Salguero, J., Ferrer Lopez, D., Foden, E., McCann, E., Paans, W., Mpundu, G., Peña-Salazar, C., McCallion, P., Fleming, S., The SOOTHE eQuilt of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Supporting Voice, Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
  

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Sheerin, F., Increasing Complexity, Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 27, (1), 2023, p3 - 4, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Sheerin, F., Reflecting on Life with Disability, Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 27, (3), 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Sheerin, F., Ordinary Life, Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 27, (4), 2023, p2 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Sheerin, F., Fleming, S., McCarron, M., McCallion, P., May, P., Lalor, G. & D'eath, M. Fleming, S., The Care of Older Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Complex Age-Related Conditions, National Disability Authority, January, 2023, Report, PUBLISHED
Brennan Damien, Burke Eilish, Byrne Katrina, Corrigan Stephanie, Daly Blánaid, D'eath Maureen, Fitzpatrick Darren, Flannery Fidelma, Gorman Ashleigh, Haigh Margaret, Lynch Louise, Phadraig Caoimhin MacGiolla, McCallion Philip, McCausland Darren, McGlinchey Eimear, McMahon Martin, McReynolds David, Dann Gavin, Moynihan Jean, Mulryan Niamh, O'Brien Frances, O'Connell Juliette, O'Donovan Mary-Ann, O'Dwyer Maire, Paul Aviejay, Pavirhta Pavithra, McCarron Mary, Ryan Caitriona, Sheerin Fintan, Syahidah Hisamuddin Noor, Winning Lewis, Wormald Andrew, IDS-TILDA Wave 5 Report - Longitudinal Dynamics in the Ageing of People with an Intellectual Disability: Evidence from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA) , University of Dublin, 2023, Report, PUBLISHED
Sheerin, F., The Trials of Displacement, Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 26, (3), 2022, p559 - 560, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Sheerin, F., Protecting the status of nursing education during the Covid crisis: reflections from Ireland, Learning from COVID experience: The perspective from Nursing education in Europe, Online, 26 March, 2021, European Federation of Educators in Nursing Science, Invited Talk, PRESENTED
Sheerin, F., Supporting Mental Health, Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 25, (1), 2021, p3 - 4, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Sheerin, F., Can Hope and History Rhyme?, Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 25, (2), 2021, p149 - 150, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Sheerin, F. and Mannion, J., Valuing Diversity in Our Communities, Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 25, (3), 2021, p293 - 295, Journal Article, PUBLISHED

  

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Award Date
Honorary Life Membership of ACENDIO 19th March 2021
Elected Fellow of NANDA-International May 2016
Elected Fellow of the European Academy of Nursing Science 2012
Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society Research Grant 2009
Elected Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society 2006
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Nursing Research Bursary 2002
All Ireland Nursing Research Fellowship 1999
Dr. Sheerin's principal areas of research relate to the health, well-being and rights of people of human diversity within both Irish and global health context. He has worked on the two most recent Irish studies into LGBTI issues (Visible Lives and LGBTIreland). He is also interested in professional development and was co-PI on the HSE-funded project, Shaping the Future of Intellectual Disability Nursing in Ireland as well as the SCAPE study into specialist and advanced nursing/midwifery practice.