Fringe programme

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Creating an online nursing community via Twitter hash tags

Presenters: Calvin Moorley, Teresa Chinn

Time: 13.20 - 14.20

The aim of this fringe is to look at how nurses engage with social media (in this instance Twitter), and expose nurses to how they can get support from an online community of nurses from various backgrounds and branches of nursing. The fringe will focus on how to set up a Twitter account, using hash tags, the NMC and Social Networking Code of Conduct, and support and sharing knowledge via Twitter. We believe that as more and more nurses use social networking sites for professional development (or smart use as it’s referred to), there will be a need to support such nurses and help them to gain the most from the activity. Running a fringe on this topic can enable nurses to connect with an online community that would help to develop the profession and practice of nurses that is in line with learning technologies. We also aim to look at how academic staff can incorporate Twitter in their curriculum to support student and post registration nurses. Using Twitter to create an online nursing community has shown growth in the number of nurses participating in WeNurses and benefits in terms of personal and professional development. If incorporated into the nursing curriculum there can also be potential benefits.

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The viva voce examination under the microscope

Presenters: Annie Topping, Julie Taylor

Time: 13.20 - 14.20

Successful doctoral supervision and examination is a key requirement for progression along an academic career trajectory. It is also crucially important in preparing early career researchers and the supervisors of tomorrow. However it tends to be an activity that is shrouded not unlike a black art – mysterious and unknown. A series of linked events throughout the conference will put the spotlight on the doctoral process and discuss and debate issues, national differences and concerns raised by the doctoral process and illuminate techniques that experienced supervisors and examiners have found useful studies. Professors Hugh McKenna and Julie Taylor will convene a viva voce examination for doctoral candidate Annie Topping. Participants will view segments of the viva voce: pre-panel discussion; initial questions; exit questions; post-panel discussion; confirmation of result.

Thursday 21 March 2013

Capitalising on the contribution of nurses in clinical research

Presenters: Caroline Gunnell

Time: 12.25 - 13.25

This important RCN Research Society project has been sponsored by the RCN Research & Development Governance Group. The aim of the project is to identify clinical research nurses and HCA/Clinical Trials Officers working in the UK, and identify the ‘added value’ contribution of the nurse/HCA to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and other research recruitment processes and workforce development models to support this professional area. Work to date includes:

Competency framework for HCAs working in clinical research
Listening exercise throughout the UK
Development of a survey

Target audience:

All those delegates who are involved in clinical research, both in the UK and internationally

Intended outcomes:

Provide those present with an update on work to date
Engage in a general discussion regarding the work
Learn how to engage with the project

Presentation: Capitalising on the contribution of nurses in clinical research (PDF, 255KB)

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The Global Research Nurses' Network

Presenters: Nicola McHugh

Time: 12.25 - 13.25

Global Research Nurses' network is part of The Global Health Network. The goal of Global Research Nurses’ network is to improve the skills, knowledge and understanding of research by nurses, predominantly in low and middle income countries, so that they can extend their role in research. To achieve this, the network provides support, guidance, resources, information and peer support for nurses and links to individuals and organisations. By taking part in the network, more experienced research nurses can support and develop capacity amongst peers. Nurses are essential to the day-to-day management of clinical research, but still face barriers to role development and research implementation. The Global Research Nurses network aims to give nurses a voice.

The aims of this fringe session are:

to introduce The Global Health Network and Global Research Nurses network
to encourage registration with the network
to demonstrate resources and tools available
to discuss barriers faced by nurses working in research
to discuss learning needs and gaps in provision for research nurses
to collect suggestions to improve the resources and tools provided

Target audience:

all nurses working in research or using research findings

Intended outcomes are:

increased awareness of the network
increased membership of the network to facilitate network goals of collaboration and sharing of resources
information from the discussions will guide development of network

Presentation: The Global Research Nurses' Network (PDF, 2.6MB)

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Quality indicators for doctoral education in nursing: how are they measured and assessed?

Presenters: Sonja McIlfatrick, Hugh McKenna

Time: 12.25 - 13.25

Kim et al (2005) highlighted some global quality criteria for doctoral programmes in nursing. More recently key quality standards have been developed for doctoral education in Europe (ORPHEUS, 2011). These criteria and standards are focused on key elements: research environment; quality of PhD programme; quality of supervision and quality of thesis examination. Despite this, various questions still exist around the quality of doctoral education and there is great diversity both nationally and internationally. The purpose of this fringe is to examine approaches and consider quality indicators for doctoral education in nursing. There will be presentations from Professor McKenna and Dr S McIlfatrick on quality indicators and the work and role of INDEN (International Network of Doctoral Education in Nursing)

Target Audience:

PhD supervisors and students

Intended outcomes:

Engagement in general discussion on these overall quality indicators
Seeking consensus on these elements
Recognising challenges and seeking actions on overcoming this

Questions to consider:

How do we measure and assess quality of research environment?
How we measure and assess quality of doctoral supervision?
How we measure and assess quality of doctoral thesis and examination?

Presentation: Quality indicators for doctoral education in nursing (PDF, 996KB)

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Ask the examiner?

Chair: Annie Topping
Presenters: Julie Taylor and others TBC

Time: 17.00 - 18.00

A facilitated panel "Question Time" event where the audience can quiz experienced supervisors and examiners on all those questions they previously had wanted to ask but had not felt able or had not until now had the opportunity to ask. The panel will include four international expert supervisors so the national differences and similarities of doctoral education and examination can be explored.