RSS 1.0Journal articles & published research
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Wellbeing and Health in Ireland’s over 50s 2009-2016(The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, 2018-11-28)
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Child & Adolescent Emergency Mental Health Crisis: A Neglected Cohort(Irish Medical Journal, 2018-11)
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Caring for the caregivers: Evaluation of the effect of an eight-week pilot mindful self-compassion (MSC) training program on nurses' compassion fatigue and resilience.(Plos One, 2018-01-01)Nurses vicariously exposed to the suffering of those in their care are at risk of compassion fatigue. Emerging research suggests that self-compassion interventions may provide protective factors and enhance resilience. This pilot study examined the effect of an eight-week Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) training intervention on nurses' compassion fatigue and resilience and participants' lived experience of the effect of the training. This observational mixed research pilot study adopted an evaluation design framework. It comprised of a single group and evaluated the effects of a pilot MSC intervention by analyzing the pre- and post-change scores in self-compassion, mindfulness, secondary trauma, burnout, compassion satisfaction, and resilience. The sample of the nurses' (N = 13) written responses to the question, "How did you experience the effect of this pilot MSC training?" were also analyzed. The Pre- to Post- scores of secondary trauma and burnout declined significantly and were negatively associated with self-compassion (r = -.62, p = .02) (r = -.55, p = .05) and mindfulness (r = -.54, p = .05). (r = -.60, p = .03), respectively. Resilience and compassion satisfaction scores increased. All variables demonstrated a large effect size: Mean (M) Cohen's d = 1.23. The qualitative emergent themes corroborated the quantitative findings and expanded the understanding about how MSC on the job practices enhanced nurses' coping. This is the first study to examine the effect of a pilot (MSC) training program on nurses' compassion fatigue and resilience in this new area of research. It provides some preliminary empirical evidence in support of the theorized benefits of self-compassion training for nurses. However, further research, such as a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) with a larger sample size and a longitudinal study, is required to see if the benefits of self-compassion training are sustainable.
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Irish Hip Fracture Database National Report 2017(National Office of Clinical Audit, 2018-11-29)
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National Audit of Hospital Mortality Annual Report 2017(National Office of Clinical Audit, 2018-12)
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Self-management needs of Irish adolescents with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA): how can a Canadian web-based programme meet these needs?(Pediatric Rheumatology, 2018-11-08)Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) affects over 1000 children and adolescents in Ireland, potentially impacting health-related quality-of-life. Accessible self-management strategies, including Internet-based interventions, can support adolescents in Ireland where specialist rheumatology care is geographically-centralised within the capital city. This study interviewed adolescents with JIA, their parents, and healthcare professionals to (i) explore the self-management needs of Irish adolescents; and (ii) evaluate the acceptability of an adapted version of a Canadian JIA self-management programme (Teens Taking Charge: Managing Arthritis Online, or TTC) for Irish users. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with Irish adolescents with JIA (N = 16), their parents (N = 13), and Irish paediatric healthcare professionals (HCPs; N = 22). Adolescents were aged 12-18 (M Five themes emerged: independent self-management; acquiring skills and knowledge to manage JIA; unique challenges of JIA in Ireland; views on web-based interventions; and understanding through social support. Adolescents acknowledged the need for independent self-management and gradually took additional responsibilities to achieve this goal. However, they felt they lacked information to manage their condition independently. Parents and adolescents emphasised the need for social support and felt a peer-support scheme could provide additional benefit to adolescents if integrated within the TTC programme. All participants endorsed the TTC programme to gain knowledge about JIA and offered suggestions to make the programme relevant to Irish users. There is scope for providing easily-accessible, accurate information to Irish families with JIA. The acceptability of adapting an existing JIA self-management intervention for Irish users was confirmed.
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The Composition of Human Milk and Infant Faecal Microbiota Over the First Three Months of Life: A Pilot Study.(Scientific Reports, 2017-01-17)Human milk contains a diverse array of bioactives and is also a source of bacteria for the developing infant gut. The aim of this study was to characterize the bacterial communities in human milk and infant faeces over the first 3 months of life, in 10 mother-infant pairs. The presence of viable Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in human milk was also evaluated. MiSeq sequencing revealed a large diversity of the human milk microbiota, identifying over 207 bacterial genera in milk samples. The phyla Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and the genera Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus were the predominant bacterial groups. A core of 12 genera represented 81% of the microbiota relative abundance in milk samples at week 1, 3 and 6, decreasing to 73% at week 12. Genera shared between infant faeces and human milk samples accounted for 70-88% of the total relative abundance in infant faecal samples, supporting the hypothesis of vertical transfer of bacteria from milk to the infant gut. In addition, identical strains of Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus plantarum were isolated from the milk and faeces of one mother-infant pair. Vertical transfer of bacteria via breastfeeding may contribute to the initial establishment of the microbiota in the developing infant intestine.
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Older Patients’ Views of Health Care Interactions in Ireland(HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice, 2018-10)
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What are the physical and psychological health effects of suicide bereavement on family members? An observational and interview mixed-methods study in Ireland.(BMJ Open, 2018-01-13)Research focussing on the impact of suicide bereavement on family members' physical and psychological health is scarce. The aim of this study was to examine how family members have been physically and psychologically affected following suicide bereavement. A secondary objective of the study was to describe the needs of family members bereaved by suicide. A mixed-methods study was conducted, using qualitative semistructured interviews and additional quantitative self-report measures of depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21). Consecutive suicide cases and next-of-kin were identified by examining coroner's records in Cork City and County, Ireland from October 2014 to May 2016. Eighteen family members bereaved by suicide took part in a qualitative interview. They were recruited from the Suicide Support and Information System: A Case-Control Study (SSIS-ACE), where family members bereaved by suicide (n=33) completed structured measures of their well-being.
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Voices that matter: end-of-life care in two acute hospitals from the perspective of bereaved relatives.(BMC Palliative Care, 2018-10-19)End-of-life care (EoLC) is an experience that touches the lives of everyone. Dying in an acute hospital is a common occurrence in developed countries across the world. Previous studies have shown that there is wide variation in EoLC and at times is experienced as being of poor quality. Assessing and measuring the quality of care provided is a key component of all healthcare systems. This paper reports on the qualitative analysis of open-ended free text questions that were asked as part of a post-bereavement survey conducted in two adult acute hospitals in Ireland. This was a quantitative descriptive post-bereavement postal survey, gathering data retrospectively from relatives or friends of patients who died, utilising an adapted version of the VOICES (Views of Informal Carers - Evaluation of Services) questionnaire. VOICES MaJam has 29 core questions, seven questions requesting personal demographic information and four open-ended questions gathering descriptive data about the care experience during the patient's last admission to hospital. A total of 356 valid questionnaires were returned. Qualitative data were managed, coded and analysed with NVivo 10, using a template analysis framework approach. Three quarters (75%: n = 268) responded to at least one of the open-ended questions. Several key themes emerged, indicating areas that require particular attention in EoLC. Two themes relate to how care needs are met and how the hospital environment has a critical influence on EoLC experiences. The remaining three themes relate more to the interpersonal context including whether patients are treated with dignity and respect, the psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their family members and communication. Acute hospitals need to ensure that patients and their relatives receive high quality EoLC. Seeking the views of bereaved relatives should be considered by all hospitals and healthcare settings to ascertain the quality of care at end of life. This study contributes to our understanding and knowledge of what good EoLC looks like and where care can be improved, thus enabling hospitals to direct and inform quality improvement.
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Technology, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Ireland(ReachOut.com, 2015)
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Health Literacy, Health Service Delivery and Health Outcomes: Current Understanding and Future Directions(Irish Medical Journal, 2018-10)
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An Evaluation of The Role of The Traveller Mental Health Liaison Nurse in Carlow and Kilkenny(School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, 2018-10)
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Exercise Rehabilitation Services Provided by Physiotherapy Departments in Cancer Care in Ireland(Irish Medical Journal, 2018-10)
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An Evaluation of the MindOut Programme in Disadvantaged Post-Primary Schools (Executive Summary)(Health Service Executive, 2018-10-01)
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The knowledge and attitudes of general practitioners to the assessment and management of pain in people with dementia(BMC Family Practice, 2018-10)
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Air embolism following bronchoscopy with fine needle aspiration: An unexpected complication.(Respiratory Medicine Case Reports, 2018-01-01)Flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy with fine needle aspiration is a common procedure, useful in the diagnosis and assessment of lung disease. There are known complications associated with such a procedure that are well documented in the literature. However, there are only four cases of air embolus following fine needle aspiration during bronchoscopy described in the literature. Due to the varying clinical manifestations of the complication, it remains underrecognized by the clinical community and was not described at all by the most recent British Thoracic society 2013 statement on bronchoscopy. The following two case reports describe incidences where air emboli ensued following bronchoscopy with fine needle aspiration. They examine four notable, and arguably avoidable, risk factors that can exacerbate an air embolus and offer guidance on both imaging and treatment for any physician faced with a corresponding clinical picture.
