Scholarly Impact Report 2023

CATHERINE MCAULEY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY, UCC

Page | 1

FOREWORD

In 2023, the School of Nursing and Midwifery made significant contributions to our health services and impacted on patient outcomes through evidence based education of student nurses and midwives and leadership in engaged research. We are delighted to present this report, which provides exemplars of scholarly activities across teaching and learning, research and contribution to profession/community. We are very proud of the fact that UCC’s School of Nursing and Midwifery has attained a top 50 place in the QS subject rankings for a 4th consecutive year and is the highest ranked subject in UCC. Our strategic goal is to be recognised as one of the top Schools of Nursing and Midwifery in the World. The prestigious ranking of 32nd place, up one from 2022, is a testament to the dedication and hard work of staff in the School, and our clinical partners who strive for excellence in teaching, clinical practice and research. Being consistently ranked in the top 50 is reflective of the reputation that our graduates hold as current and future leaders in healthcare and education. It is also an acknowledgement that the School is leading research which is tackling global challenges and shaping evidence-based practice. In terms of research impact, UCC’s School of Nursing and Midwifery is ranked number one in Ireland for H-index citations (score 86.9), meaning that published works of staff in the School are among the most highly cited worldwide. This impact metric reflects the breadth of research activity, where 2023 saw the highest number of funded research projects led by staff in the School. Among the 33 active research projects in the School, we secured a prestigious €7.5 million Horizon Europe grant as Coordinators aimed at improving the lives

of people with advanced dementia in Nursing Homes and a €2.5 million HRB Applied Programme Grant to improve national supports for breastfeeding. The policy and practice impact from the evidence produced and translated by staff in the School is nationally and internationally recognized. In 2023, the School welcomed over 60 international students and engaged in teaching and learning activities with almost 1200 undergraduate and postgraduate students. 2023 also saw one of the highest numbers of MSc (taught/research) and PhD students pursing studies at this level in the School, with just over 200 registered across these courses. This report showcases student graduations and successes, with some receiving Quercus Scholarships, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) awards and student achievement awards across multiple categories. We are glad to be able to recognise and celebrate the wonderful work of these inspiring students. Our student cohort comprises of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and genders which is enriching for all. Reflecting our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), we have consistently prioritised fostering, recruiting, and advancing equitable practices. We are proud that our graduates have gone on to assume senior leadership roles, underscoring our dedication to creating inclusive opportunities. This year we have commenced work on the application for the renewal of our Athena Swan Bronze award. We look forward to submitting this in 2024 and implementing the actions which focus on underrepresented groups and which will enable us to maximise our efforts to diversify our school staff and

students. I welcome the establishment of an Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB) committee at School level which will support the Athena Swan principles. While acknowledging these significant achievements, we believe there is much more that can be done and, in this regard, we have developed an implementation plan for UCC’s Strategic Plan 2023-2028. The School of Nursing and Midwifery’s strategic implementation plan provides a framework for us to pursue our ambitions in relation to each strategic goal inclusive of; leading innovation and ensuring quality in teaching & learning; impactful research which informs policy and practice at local, national and global level; fulfilment of student and staff potential and sustainment of genuine clinical and social partnerships in order to inspire and enable our students and staff to contribute to the care, empowerment, health and wellbeing of the population We hope that you enjoy reading about the many successes and achievements of our staff and students during the reporting period January 2023 to December 2023 and finally we wish to thank all our stakeholders and clinical partners for collaborating with us to ensure we remain one of the top providers of nursing and midwifery education in Ireland and producers of applied research, internationally.

Patricia Leahy-Warren, Professor of Nursing and Chair of Health Services Research | Dean of School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork

Yours Sincerely, Patricia Leahy-Warren,

PhD, MSc (research), Hdip PHN, BSc, RPHN, RM, RGN Professor of Nursing and Chair of Health Services Research | Dean of School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork