More growth in nursing research at Redcliffe
A blooming research culture has helped deliver three of five Metro North Health nursing research internships to Redcliffe Hospital.
Redcliffe Hospital ICU nurses and researchers Kylie Jacobs and Laura Smith.
Launched in 2020, the Metro North-QUT Nursing Research Intern Scholarships are designed to enable nurses and midwives to undertake research under the guidance and direction of QUT nursing researchers.
Dr Amanda Fox from QUT was appointed to Redcliffe Hospital’s nursing and midwifery research professorial position in 2020 and said the appointment of so many Redcliffe nurses this year proves a growing research culture at Redcliffe.
“We see that at the hospital’s Nursing and Midwifery Spotlight, which is now in its third year, and at the workshops we’ve run for nurses to build skills for new researchers in concept development and application writing,” Dr Fox said.
“But mostly, it’s down to the quality and dedication of the nurses themselves and how they support each other.”
The latest round of successful nursing research internships included Redcliffe Hospital nurses Laura Smith, Veronica Regis, and Ella Thompkins. Dr Fox said all three nurses were conducting useful research projects that had implications for the profession and patient care.
Renee McMillan was the first Redcliffe Hospital nurse awarded a nursing research intern scholarship, and she has many good things to say about the program.
“The communication and support were excellent, and my mentor, Dr Fox, was supportive and inspiring,” Renee said.
Renee says her research project achieved its aims and went on to inform nursing care in her ward, improving patient outcomes. That research was eventually presented at the Australasian Rehabilitation Nurses Association Conference.
Kylie Jacobs, a nurse educator in the ICU at Redcliffe Hospital, was another nursing research internship alumnus who is now supporting colleagues in ICU to undertake small projects and inspiring them to apply for the internship.
“As part of the research internship, interns received support from two PhD prepared nursing academics for 12 months, with backfill of their position one day per week to support their research work,” Dr Fox said.
“The goal is for the intern’s project to produce valid, relevant and publishable research outcomes.”
To find out more about how to apply for the next round, visit: Nursing and Midwifery Research Internships – Metro North Health.