Safe staffing project that became national policy for Ireland wins 2023 UCD Research Impact Competition
Posted 24 January 2024
A project promoting safe staffing in the Irish healthcare system has won the 2023 UCD Research Impact Competition.
This year’s winner, ’Right nurse, right place, right time: promoting safe staffing in the healthcare system’ was led by (opens in a new window)Professor Jonathan Drennan, UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems.
Professor Drennan’s team implemented and tested safe nurse staffing frameworks for wards and emergency departments in Ireland, significant improving patient care and staff wellbeing.
The work has now become the national policy, and is currently being implemented in every hospital across the country to ensure that many thousands of patients every year will experience superior care and better health outcomes.
Professor Drennan’s project was among ten named as finalists for this year’s UCD Research Impact Competition – which encourages researchers of all disciplines to showcase how their work has made a positive difference on wider society.
“This year’s finalists are working in key research areas improving health systems, supports and outcomes, working to build societal trust, increasing all-island research collaboration, influencing policy, enriching lives and inspiring the next generation,” said (opens in a new window)Professor Helen Roche, UCD Interim Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact.
“I congratulate them and thank them for their commitment to ensuring that people benefit from their research and helping to steer Ireland and the world towards a sustainable, inclusive, prosperous future.”
The 2023 UCD Research Impact Case Study Competition runners-up are:
- Dr Mark Coen, UCD School of Law & Professor Katherine O’Donnell, UCD School of Philosophy - 'Correcting state narratives on the Magdalene Laundries'
- Christina Seery, Professor Jessica Bramham, Ken Kilbride, Fiona O’Riordan & Margo Wrigley, UCD School of Psychology - 'The Adult ADHD App: helping people understand and manage their ADHD'
- Professor Maria Baghramian, UCD School of Philosophy - 'PERITIA: understanding and fostering trust in experts and expertise'
- Professor Alastair Nichol, UCD School of Medicine, on behalf of the Irish Critical Care-Clinical Trials Network - 'Improving outcomes of critically-ill patients with acquired brain injury'
- Professor William Gallagher, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science - 'OncoMark: avoiding unnecessary chemotherapy in breast cancer patients'
- Professor Dympna Devine & Dr Seaneen Sloan, UCD School of Education - 'Safe Learning: improving girls’ literacy and wellbeing in the Global South'
- Dr Orla Kelly, UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice - 'The 4-day week: making work healthier and more sustainable'
- Dr Victoria Durrer, UCD School of Art History and Cultural Policy - 'Building cross-island capacity in theatre and dance'
- Professor Ronan McNulty, Associate Professor Luis Leon-Vintro, Dr Sean Cournane, and Bill Kamtchou, UCD School of Physics - 'Redeploying particle physics detectors for health and medicine'
A new Engaged Research impact prize for the case study that most strongly demonstrated meaningful collaboration with the public and stakeholders was also awarded to Dr Mark Coen and his runner-up project ‘Correcting state narratives on the Magdalene Laundries’.
“I encourage UCD researchers from every College to explore the UCD Impact Toolkit and apply for this year’s Research Impact Competition when it opens in Spring,” added Professor Roche.
“These tools provide great support for academics who wish to explore, articulate and share how their work is making a positive difference to people's lives. There is so much important research taking place across the university, we are delighted to acknowledge the depth and breadth of its impact in this way.”
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations (with materials from Emma Loughney, UCD Research and Innovation)
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
