A spot light on…

President's Awards for Teaching Excellence 2010 – 2011

Congratulations were extended on behalf of the College to Ms Siobhán Smyth, School of Nursing and Midwifery and Dr John Kelly, School of Medicine, on being awarded the Presidents Award for Teaching Excellence 2010-2011.

President James J Browne stated that these Awards for Teaching Excellence recognise the outstanding efforts of academic staff to ensure our students receive the highest quality learning experience.  Inspirational teaching has always been a key feature of the learning experience at NUI Galway. Ms Smyth and Dr Kelly will be presented with their Awards during the Autumn and Winter conferring ceremonies.

Education and Learning

NUI Galway Sign MOU with New York College of Podiatric Medicine

The Discipline of Podiatry at NUI Galway has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding with New York College of Podiatric Medicine (NYCPM), one of the leading institutes in podiatric medical education in the USA. Speaking at the signing, Dr Caroline McIntosh, Head of Discipline of Podiatry at NUI Galway, said: “This agreement facilitates the establishment of student and staff exchanges, research collaborations and the co-development of innovative developments in podiatric education which may have academic, clinical and commercial implications.”

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Research

The Discipline of Speech and Language partner International Collaborative Project on CAPD

The Discipline of Speech and Language Therapy is currently part of a collaborative, international, and interdisciplinary project with Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street (SLT and Audiology teams) and Prof Teri Bellis, University of South Dakota, US. The study will establish normative data for tests of Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD) on Irish children. The two-year study has been funded by Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street (€250,000).

The Health Promotion Research Centre (HPRC) begin research projects with Inspire Ireland Foundation

The Health Promotion Research Centre (HPRC) has recently signed a contract for a three programme of research with the Inspire Ireland Foundation regarding “Bridging the ‘digital disconnect’ - using technology to support young people’s mental health needs”.  This research forms part of a larger programme of work by the Inspire Foundation in Australia in developing an Inspire International Research Institute on ‘Cooperative Research Centre on Young People, Technology and Wellbeing’. Professor Margaret Barry will serve as Principal Investigator on the Irish research study.

PRINCE Research findings Symposium

The School of Nursing and Midwifery will host a Symposium on Respiratory care which will include the national launch of the findings from the PRINCE research study.  The PRINCE study (Pulmonary Rehabilitation In Nurse led Community Environments), is funded by the HRB ((€639,000).  Led by Professor Kathy Murphy and Dr. Dympna Casey, this study is one of the largest randomised controlled trials conducted to date examining the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD patients in primary care.   The findings reveal that participants allocated to the intervention group had a statistically significant improvement on the dysponea and physical scores of the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire than those allocated to the control group.  This symposium which is also supported by Pfizer Ireland, will be held in Aras Moyola on Saturday 21st January 2012. Lecture room 2.  It will be of interest to general practitioners, physiotherapists, practice nurses, service users and other health care professionals working in the area of Respiratory Care and COPD.   Continuous medical education points may also be available to attendees.

HPRC and ECDC Report Series Launches

As part of the Translating Health Communications Project Consortium funded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the HPRC are producing a technical report series which is is being published online by the ECDC. Contributing authors include Dr Jane Sixsmith, Maureen D’Eath and Prof Margaret Barry.

The Weight Care Research project Symposium

The Weight Care project is an all-Ireland multi-disciplinary research project between the University of Ulster (UU) and the National University of Ireland, Galway. The project, led by Dr. Anne Moorehead (UU) aims to assess the attitudes, current practices/behaviours and knowledge of key health professional groups in assessing body weight status. This Symposium will provide an overview of the project’s findings and provide an opportunity to discuss the Impact of the findings on clinical practice in managing obesity and how the findings can best inform service development.  This symposium will be held on Friday 25th November 2011 10am-1pm in Áras Moyola, Lecture room 2.

New Findings on How the Brain’s Own Marijuana-Like Chemicals Suppress Pain

New findings about how the brain functions to suppress pain have been published in the leading journal Pain, by NUI Galway researchers. For the first time, it has been shown that the hippocampus of the brain, which is usually associated with memory, has an active role to play in suppressing pain during times of stress. The work was carried out by researchers in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and the Centre for Pain Research at the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, NUI Galway.

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Undergraduate Research in the School of Medicine

A formalised summer research program for undergraduate medical students was established in the School of Medicine in 2011. There was strong interest from the medical student body with over 60 candidates who partook in a summer research project. In addition, 40 medical and scientific faculty from both within the School of Medicine and Science, NUI Galway and the affiliated hospitals provided supervision for these projects. Students applied for external funding from grant agencies such as the HRB and Welcome Trust. In 2011, 18 students within the programme secured funding from sources external to NUIG. In addition, internal funding in the form of Curriculum Innovation Fund and Research Support Fund stipends (13 in total) were offered to students.  Students will present on their research at the Annual NUI Galway Medical Undergraduate Research Day on October 21st, with many anticipating presentations at both national and international meetings.

The Health Promotion Centre(HRPC) link with Inspire Ireland on topic research areas

The Health Promotion Research Centre (HPRC) has recently signed a contract for a three programme of research with the Inspire Ireland Foundation regarding “Bridging the ‘digital disconnect’ - using technology to support young people’s mental health needs”.  This research forms part of a larger programme of work by the Inspire Foundation in Australia in developing an Inspire International Research Institute on ‘Cooperative Research Centre on Young People, Technology and Wellbeing’. Professor Margaret Barry will serve as Principal Investigator on the Irish research study.

Cochrane Systematic Review

Bernard McCarthy and Dr. Dympna Casey have recently commenced an update of a Cochrane Systematic review on pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Bernard and Dympna will be working with the authors of the original review, including Professor Yves Lacasse, Director of the Respiratory Division, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Université Laval, Quebec. The 2010 impact factor for the Cochrane Databse of Systematic Reviews was 6.186 and this is one of 14 Cochrane Systematic Reviews the School are now involved with.

Translating Health Communications

As part of the Translating Health Communications Project Consortium funded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the HPRC are producing a technical report series which is is being published online by the ECDC. Contributing authors include Dr Jane Sixsmith, Maureen D’Eath and Prof Margaret Barry.

Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) Research Study

The mental health research cluster within the School of Nursing and Midwifery has recently been awarded a research grant to undertake an evaluation of the Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service. This service provides a fast track priority referral and assessment system for individuals experiencing a suicidal crisis and the research will seek the views of service users’, primary care practitioners’, support service providers and local community mental health teams’. The PI is Dr Steven Bradley.

International Insights

Dr Jeanette Rosetti, Visiting Lecturer from Northern Illinois University

Dr Jeanette Rossetti an Associate Professor Northern Illinois University will be spending semester two at the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Dr. Rossetti is a mental health Lecturer and has been an Associate Professor, Northern Illinois University since 2009. In 2006 she received the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award from Northern Illinois University School of Nursing, in 2007 she was awarded the College of Health and Human Sciences Lankford Award for Teaching Excellence, in 2009, was the recipient of Northern Illinois University’s Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching award and most recently in 2011 she was awarded the Illinois Board of Higher Education Nurse Educator Fellowship.  Dr. Rossetti’s doctoral study research was titled “Factors That Make Outstanding Professors Successful: A Connection to Inspiration in which she completed a qualitative analysis of the Northern Illinois University’ s Presidential Teaching Professors teaching philosophies.  Current research areas of interest include examining the patient rights of those hospitalized in a locked psychiatric facility and in animal assisted therapy.

School of Nursing and Midwifery links with Sant Joan de Deu, Adscrita al Universitate De Barcelona

The School of Nursing and Midwifery recently set up an ERASMUS exchange opportunity for Nursing and Midwifery students to attend Sant Joan de Deu, Adscrita  al Universitat de Barcelona. The first student exchange programme will commence in September 2012.

News and Achievements

Staff news and achievements

Dr Thomas Kropmans has been appointed as Professor of Medical Technologies at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences in Holland (Haarlem).  He starts in September and will commute between Galway and Haarlem on a 2-weekly basis. He will be in Galway every second half of each month. A press release was sent to the Information Office.

The Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis (NBSCF) project commenced in July 2011. Initially recommended in 1999, implementation has been a lengthy process. Professor Loftus has served on 4 National Committees advocating NBSCF, and was Chairman of the final Implementation Working Group June 2009-date. NBSCF has functioned well in the initial 3 months, and in time, will change the pattern of CF morbidity- improving care, quality of life and longevity.

Year 3 of the B.Sc. in Podiatry was successfully accredited in June 2011 and this accreditation came without any recommendations.

Congratuations to Professor Declan Devane on his appointment of Professor of Midwifiery within the School of Nursing and Midwifery.  This is the first appointment in Ireland of a Professor of Midwifery.

A Wounds UK Award for Innovations in Leg Ulcers was awarded to Dr. Caroline McIntosh on behalf of her research team (Breen, PP. McIntosh, C., O’Laighin, G., Dinneen, S., Serrador, J.M. (2010). Peripheral Neural Function Improved Using Subsensory Electrical Stimulation).

Publications and Presentations

Chockalingam, M. (2011). Inpatient occupational therapists hand-splinting practice for clients with stroke: A cross-sectional survey from Ireland. Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Ireland, 2 (2).

Logue-Kennedy, M., Lyons, R., Carroll, C., Dignan, E., O'Hagan, L. & Byrne, M. (2011). Service for children with (Central) Auditory Processing Disorders in the Republic of Ireland: current and future service provision. American Journal of Audiology, Vol. 20, 9-18.

Power, M., & Lavelle, M-J. (2011). Qualifications of non-nursing residential care staff in the Republic of Ireland. Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 12(3), (in press).

Student news and achievements

Congratulations to the following students for their recent achievements and successes:

School of Health Sciences Undergradauate Awards Success
Three NUIG students were shortlisted for undergraduate awards in the Medical Sciences category and all three are students in the School of Health Sciences.  Congratulations to Joanne Fahy, 2011

Brennan, Shane
Completed summer research in Medical Informatics on “The Assessor being assessed; Quality Assurance Report of OSCE within NUI Galway  School of Medicine”.  He is recommended to present his findings at the Faculty Research Day 2012, at the ISCOMS Conference in Groningen (INMED) 2012, and to collaborate on an international workshop at NVMO Conference (Dutch INMED) 2012.

Harrington, Desmond
Completed his Minor Thesis on completing his BSc in Medical Science exit degree entitled “Music Intervention and its Effects on the Physiological Markers of Anxiety in Hospital Patients: A review of the evidence from recent systematic review”.  He will continue his educational career as a musician/music therapist.

Lydon, Katie (3MB3)
She will give an Oral Presentation at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) conference in Lisbon next month.  Her presentation is titled: “Atlantic DIP: Diabetes in Pregnancy; a comparative study of stress and wellbeing in women with established diabetes, gestational diabetes, and those without diabetes”.

O’Connor, Catherine (5MB3)
She will give a Poster Presentation at the EASD conference, titled: “Establishing trimester specific reference ranges for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) in pregnancy”.

Ryan, Siobhan (3MB3)
Presented a research poster at Collagen Gordon Conference in New London, New Hampshire, USA, in July this year on “Integrin signaling in collagen deposition in experimental scars”.   Her supervisor was Dr Fabio Quondamatteo.

Yvonne McDonagh (4NG1)
Has recently had her work from her final year research project published in Nursing in General Practice which is the Journal of Irish Practice Nurse Association.  Her article is entitled “Caring for a person with Cystic Fybrosis”

Colleran, Dr Gabrielle (2005 graduate)
2011/2012 winner of the Agfa-Gevaert Travelling Scholarship in Radiology.  She is a 2nd Year SpR on the National Training Scheme based at the Mater Hospital.

School of Health Sciences Undergradauate Awards Success
Three NUIG students were shortlisted for undergraduate awards in the Medical Sciences category and all three are students in the School of Health Sciences.  Congratulations to Joanne Fahy, 2011

Aisling Walls ( 4NG1)
She will give an Oral Presentation at the 12th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference in Trinity College Dublin next month. Her presentation is entitled “  Particicpants evaluation of participating in the PRINCE structured education pulmonary rehabilitation programmes.