The 2022 University College Cork, PhD Scholarships Programme for Nurses and Midwives.

25 May 2022

Deadline for applications extended to Thursday, 9th of June 2022, 5pm Irish Time

The 2022 University College Cork, PhD Scholarships programme for Nurses and Midwives.

Applications Close Thursday, 9th of June 2022 at 17.00 hours Irish time

The School of Nursing and Midwifery is offering funded scholarships to support the fees for full-time and part-time entry into the PhD programme in September 2022.

Option 1. PhD Scholarships offer full EU academic fees funding for three years

Option 2. Part-time PhD Scholarships offer EU academic fees for six years on a part-time basis

A dissemination bursary for an open access publication of up to €2,500 is available. In addition, there is an option of up to 120 hours of part-time teaching per annum, which is paid separately on a part-time hourly basis.

The scholarships are open to registered nurses and midwives, who are excited by research, have a strong desire to enhance clinical practice and contribute to evidence-based approaches to care. The School of Nursing and Midwifery PhD Scholarship offers a pathway to nurses and midwives to conduct research. There are two options:

• Submit your own research proposal which is visionary in addressing emerging societal needs and global grand challenges and aligns with one of the six research clusters within the School of Nursing and Midwifery.
• OR
• Submit your research proposal on one of the titles from the six research clusters within the School as outlined below:

1. Centre for Safer Staffing and Healthcare Systems Research

(The CATALYST Centre)

Title: The long-term impact of an intentional change to nurse staffing and skill-mix on patient, nurse and organisational outcomes in medical and surgical settings. 

Aim: To measure the long-term impact on patient, nurse and organisational outcomes following the introduction of the nursing hours per patient day approach to determining staffing levels in medical and surgical settings.

2. Ageing Integrated Research

Title: Living and dying with advanced frailty in your home: what are the experiences and needs of older people and families?

Aim: To explore the lived experience, challenges and key factors that shape the lives of severely frail older people and families living in the community to inform social gerontological perspectives and community care.

OR

Title: Young onset dementia: co-producing a post-diagnostic model of care, or guidance for the provision of post-diagnostic pathways. (using ICT/app solutions)

Aim: Using a co-design approach to develop and test the development of an ICT assisted post diagnostic pathway for people with young onset dementia.

OR

Title: Systematising the implementation of the Frailty Care Bundle in acute care across a health care region.

Aim: To design and evaluate a regional model to scale the implementation of the Frailty Care Bundle in acute care wards across six regional hospitals in the SSWHG.

3. Enhancing Cancer Awareness & Survivorship Programmes (ECASP)

Title: Development and feasibility testing of an intervention to address chemotherapy-related changes in cognitive function in adult patients with cancer.

Aim: To develop and pilot test an intervention to address chemotherapy related changes in cognitive function underpinned by the Medical Research Council framework for complex intervention design and testing.

4. Mental Health and Wellbeing for the 21^st Century: People, Organisations, and Places

Title: Improving care pathways for young people transitioning between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS): exploring the lived experience of service users, families and staff.

Aim: Explore the lived experience and service needs of young people and their families when transitioning between CAMHS and AMHS. Explore CAMHS and AMHS staff experiences of working with young people transitioning between services.

5. J.U.S.T.I.C.E in Healthcare: Just, Universal, Sustainable, Trusted, Inclusive, Caring & Ethical Healthcare in Life and Death

Title: Strategic nursing leadership – leaning in, influencing and shaping our future healthcare policies and services.

Aim: What are the enablers and blockers to nurses' participation in the development of health care policy at a national level in Ireland? Furthermore, how can the professions of nursing and midwifery be encouraged, enabled, and prepared to be involved in decision making, to be seen as having a voice in public discourse, so as to lead and shape health and social policies that are more equitable, just and accessible?

6. Maternity, Families and Primary Care

Title: Women’s empowerment in the perinatal period: A European study

Aim: The objective of this research is to explore and examine the mechanisms of empowerment in the perinatal period among women in Europe and to determine maternal and infant health outcomes associated with women’s empowerment.

OR

Title: Identifying empowerment needs of marginalised parents to enhance the health and well-being of families and infants

Aim: The objective of this research is to systematically analyse and synthesise the literature to inform and test the feasibility of an appropriate evidence-based intervention to determine maternal and infant health outcomes associated with women’s empowerment.

Application Process

Potential applicants are asked to choose one of the above titles or develop their own research proposal aligned to one of the six clusters which is visionary in its approach. Please submit your CV and the 3-page proposal to Ms Laura Leahy via email l.leahy@ucc.ie by 9th of June 2022 at 17.00 hours Irish time. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for Interview on the 14th of June via MS Teams and the commencement date for registration is September 1st, 2022.

The proposal will be evaluated based on the clarity, coherence and feasibility of the project with marks assigned on the two categories above.