Scholarly Impact Report 2023

CATHERINE MCAULEY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY, UCC

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PART A: TEACHING, CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY AND PRACTICE, AWARDS

Professor Josephine Hegarty leaves the Role of Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Josephine Hegarty left the role of University College Cork’s Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery in April 2023 after serving a total of seven years as Head of School. Professor Hegarty said that she was “pleased to hand over to Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren” who has been appointed to the role. She noted that “Professor Leahy-Warren will do an excellent job in in the role; we are very lucky to have a leader of Patricia’s calibre leading the School to the future”. She also took the opportunity to say “a huge thank you to all the students and staff of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, clinical partners and collaborators locally and nationally” for all their “support over the last few years” noting that they “are all truly an amazing team”. Professor Hegarty has returned to her substantive role of Professor of Nursing in UCC’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren Appointed Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren was appointed Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, in April 2023. Professor Leahy-Warren holds registrations for general nursing, midwifery and public health nursing and degrees at undergraduate, postgraduate, masters and PhD level. In her early career she was the first Masters and PhD graduate from the School of Nursing and Midwifery. She has both a national and international profile in the areas of community nursing and public health nursing as well as maternity care. Patricia has been instrumental in producing a number of key national reports that have had significant impact on clinical practice and policy at Government level, from the blueprint of the Commission on Nursing in 1998 to informing the Community Nursing and Midwifery Strategy in the recent Sláintecare programme. Patricia has made exceptional contributions to teaching and learning through programme development within the school and, more broadly, building doctoral attribute capacity across the university. Her leadership capabilities contributed to the increasing QS rankings of the School of Nursing and Midwifery over the years to reach number one in Ireland and in the top 40 worldwide. Professor Leahy-Warren said:

“I am excited to take up this pivotal leadership position with a dynamic and visionary team.”

Retirement of Dr Rhona O’Connell In October 2023, we were sad to say goodbye to Dr Rhona O’Connell, who retires from the School of Nursing and Midwifery and embarks on the next stage of her life. Dr Rhona O’Connell has been in the school since, more or less, its inception. The whole school, in particular the Midwifery team and students, will miss Rhona’s very rich experience and her generous kindness. Many colleagues exchanged stories and anecdotes of how Rhona had helped them over the years with a range of different issues. For example, a Midwifery colleague stated

“You proudly represented midwifery regionally, nationally, and internationally through your works Chairing INMO Midwives Committee, and representing Ireland on European Midwives Committee, and International Confederation of Midwives. Throughout, you advocated for the contribution that midwives can make to health and wellbeing of not just women and infants but of entire population health. You worked collaboratively and closely with clinical colleagues in the South-Southwest Hospital

Dr Sile Creedon presents a bouquet of flowers to the outgoing Head of School, Professor Josephine Hegarty.