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IRNN NEWSLETTER
SPRING 2015
EDITORS: Ms. Valerie Trimble & Ms Deirdre
Hyland
IRNN 7TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE REPORT
Dr Mary Clarke Moloney
The 7th Annual Irish Research Nurses Network (IRNN) Conference was held on the
12th November in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin. The theme for
this year’s conference was “The Power of Data”. As the theme suggests the focus
for the conference was on the huge potential well-designed and conducted clinical
research has in improving healthcare outcomes which may dramatically improve the
lives of patients.
This year’s conference was subscribed to capacity with over 100 delegates registering to attend. Delegates were welcomed to the conference by current IRNN Chair Dr
Mary Clarke Moloney, who spoke about how clinical research has evolved since the
first reported clinical trial in 1747 when James Lind addressed the knowledge gap
into effective treatments for scurvy. Clinical research has become a much more advanced and complex process since the time of Lind, however the underlying necessity for research to improving knowledge in order to address an unmet healthcare
need remains the same.
Professor Raymond Stalling, Director of Research in RCSI, delivered the official
PICTURED AT IRNN CONFERENCE: MR PAUL
GALLAGHER, DIECECTOR OF NURSING, ST
JAMES’S HOSPITAL , AND PRESIDENT OF
NMBI
opening address. As part of that address he emphasised the important role research
nurses play in the conduct of clinical research. The morning session was ably
chaired by Ms Eibhlin Mulroe, from IPPOSI, a good friend of IRNN
Eibhlin introduced the guest speakers, Caroline Heffernan, Patient Advocate with Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, Dr Fionnuala Keane,
Development Lead, Irish Clinical Trials Research Network and Tracy O’Carroll, from the Health Information and Quality Authority.
Caroline delivered a very informative presentation on the patient’s perspective of clinical trials emphasising the importance of
patients’ access to clinical trials and also their involvement at the trial design stage to ensure relevance of the trial to patients and
to plan for the implementation of study outcomes.
Dr Fionnuala Keane updated the delegates on the progress of the proposed Irish Clinical Trials Research Network which is being
established to develop a national integrated clinical research network, intended to enhance Ireland’s capacity for conducting innovative high quality academic and industry initiated clinical research. Tracy O’Carroll, from HIQA, gave a very interesting
presentation on Health Research Governance ,focusing particularly on information governance and data quality.
The afternoon session comprised of the increasingly popular Nurses Forum, chaired by the RCSI Director of Nursing
and Midwifery Research, Dr Declan Patton. This year’s nurse presenters were Caroline Hurley, Katie Power, Amanda Drury and Frieda Clinton. Caroline and Katie, both involved in the Thyroid Hormone Replacement for Subclinical
Hypo-Thyroidism Trial (TRUST) delivered complimentary presentations on the challenges of GP engagement in clinical trials and recruitment procedures across various sites in the EU respectively. Amanda presented her personal
research journey thus far into investigating colorectal cancer survivors quality of life. Frieda (Our Lady’s Children’s
Hospital, Crumlin) gave a very comprehensive presentation on the development of a screening tool for children who
ve developed chemotherapy induced neuropathy.
CONFERENCE REPORT (CONTINUED)
Poster presentations were on display during lunch in the historic RCSI boardroom. We were delighted to receive so many
high quality poster presentations this year, with a total of 18
submissions. There were two poster prizes awarded; in first
place was Jane Gunn from Temple Street Children’s University
Hospital with her poster titled “Analgesia use post-operative
primary cleft palate repair”. Second poster prize was awarded
to Dee Hughes, from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin for
her poster, "Assessing the Reliability and Validity of the COMFORT-Behaviour Scale in Children Years of Age and Over".
The conference closed with the presentation of Post Graduate
Certificates in Nursing Clinical Research, by Prof Zena Moore.
This course is the only nurse specific post graduate clinical research course in Ireland and is delivered through the RCSI under the expert guidance of programme director Deirdre Hyland.
Planning for next years conference has already
started, so if you have any suggestions on what you
would like to see included or ideas on potential conference themes please do let us know
Thanks to new working group member Hazel Smith, the IRNN has joined twitter! Follow @Irish_RNN for all the updates on clinical research, including study days and latest guidelines relevant to research nurses. If you have any
publications or study days that you feel other research nurses would like to know about please get in touch with [email protected] and we can tweet to all our followers! Our twitter account is also featured on the home page of our website, www.irnn.ie, along with all the latest job vacancies and information on study days and conferences.
CLINICAL RESEARCH EDUCATION &TRAINING
Good Clinical Practice
Postgraduate Certificate (Clinical Research)
As reported in the last newsletter GCP training is now offered regionally. For details of upcoming courses please
visit the MMI website: http://
www.molecularmedicineireland.ie/education/courses
These programmes have been approved by Transcelerate, which allows for mutual recognition of training by
pharmaceutical sponsors. Some of the programmes have
also received accreditation by NMBI. These CPD credits
are applicable to all disciplines.
The postgraduate programme in clinical research, running through the School of Nursing & Midwifery, RCSI,
is almost finished for another academic year. A record
number of students are completing the programme this
year. Details of next year’s programme will be available
soon, but in the meantime informal enquiries can be
sent to Deirdre Hyland ([email protected] )
Save the Date!
Upcoming Events: For more information about these and
other events visit: https://www.hrb-tmrn.ie/upcomingevents/
In association with the Clinical Research Facility Galway
(CRFG), the HRB-TMRN will host an Introduction to the
Design and Conduct of Randomised Trials study day
on April 17th. This event is targeted at individuals involved
or interested in the area of clinical trials and wish to learn
more about the basics of trial design and conduct. Invited
speakers include representatives from the Clinical Research Facilties / Centres and the Irish Clinical Research
Trial Network (ICTRN). Attendance fee €100 full price |
€50 for students.
Please register on-line @ http://bit.ly/1BCKvCa
Cochrane UK & Ireland Symposium 2015
Come and be part of an annual evidence-based event and
become a #CochraneAdvocate. Throughout the two days
there will be fantastic speakers, workshops, networking
opportunities and a chance to relax and have fun at our
Gala Dinner! The theme of this year’s symposium, is
‘advocating for evidence’ which is a key part of Cochrane’s
Strategy to 2020:
“To make Cochrane the home of evidence to inform health
decision making, build greater recognition of our work, and
become the leading advocate for evidence-informed health
care.”
Registration details: This year’s symposium will be held at
Dublin Convention Centre, Dublin. We will also be hosting
a Gala Dinner on the 23rd April at the Royal College of
Physicians of Ireland. You can register for the event at:
dublin2015.cochrane.org Full details on TMRN Website.
The 8th Annual IRNN AGM and Conference takes
place on 12th November 2015.
Conference Theme: Changing Times in Healthcare
Research
Conference Venue: Centre for Learning & Development, St James’s Hospital, Dublin 8
Call for Abstracts
The Research Nurses Forum is a popular component
of the annual conference that gives research nurses
and associated research staff an opportunity to present their team or personal research.
The IRNN Conference Planning Group invites you to
submit an abstract for the 8th Annual Conference
ORAL PRESENTATION
You are invited to submit an abstract for an oral
presentation of clinical research in which you were
involved, or carried out independently for an academic award. The time allocated for each presentation
will be 15 minutes inclusive of time for questions.
Oral submissions must be received by 31/07/2015.
Limited number of slots available.
Send to Deirdre Hyland [email protected]
POSTER PRESENTATION
Posters must be original research or report of a topic
that reflects the conference theme and/or the interests of the target audience. Size: A1 or less in Landscape or A0 or less in Portrait style. Poster submissions must be received by 31/08/2014; Send to:
[email protected]
Further details can be found on the IRNN Website:
www.irnn.ie