Sarah Donnelly | University College Dublin (original) (raw)
Papers by Sarah Donnelly
European Journal of Social Work, 2018
Academic research can be criticised for its lack of social impact in the ‘real world’. Study find... more Academic research can be criticised for its lack of social impact in the ‘real world’. Study findings are often not well understood nor used effectively to shape policy making and practice. These issues are pertinent for practising social workers who often find it difficult to utilise research knowledge to influence the public realm and engage service users in social change. This paper presents two community based participatory research (CBPR) case studies reflecting on learning achieved from carrying out the research: Study 1 relates to refugees and Study 2 relates to older people. It reflects on how CBPR partnership approaches were used to influence social policy and affect social change in organisational and practice environments in the Irish context and also reflects on the challenges and benefits of working with peer researchers and civil society organisations. The case studies suggest there are considerable advantages to adopting a collective advocacy approach using CBPR, including: creating meaningful impact that has relevance for policy and practice; facilitating the engagement of universities with civic society; and providing a mechanism whereby social workers can engage in the pursuit of social justice for vulnerable communities with whom they work.
Background Recent studies suggest that simulation training for geriatric medicine is useful and p... more Background Recent studies suggest that simulation training for geriatric medicine is useful and potentially very effective to improve teamwork, coordination of care and the patient experience. [1] This project aimed to design a ward-based, sustainable simulation training programme for multidisciplinary healthcare staff in an older persons’ unit. Methods To ensure the training was appropriate to the ward context, we conducted semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with staff from the multi-disciplinary team (n=27). Interview topics included; staff views on quality of care, the current service, team work, communication and how care could be improved. Staff were asked what the programme might include to enhance multi-disciplinary care on the ward and what they would like to learn from participation. Results The majority of staff believe patients have a largely positive experience on the ward despite staff shortages. Good elderly care was associated with: a holistic approach to care, ...
Formal training evaluation, using a Kirkpatrick framework, of end-of-life (EOL) care for resident... more Formal training evaluation, using a Kirkpatrick framework, of end-of-life (EOL) care for residential care settings would help in improving education approaches. Study aim: To identify if workshop training made a difference over time to participants' values, practice & sense of job satisfaction. Design etc. A mixed-method design was used; 4 community hospitals were purposefully sampled - in each at least 20 participants attended training in 2012/13, & settings were rural & urban. The following data was collected: (i) same-day evaluation sheets examined 'Participant Reactions' (ii) Questionnaires assessed 'Learning & On-the-Job Behaviour' 3-12 months post-workshop (iii) Focus-group discussions (fgds) assessed 'Learning & On-the-Job Behaviour' 3-12 months post-workshop (iv) Interviews with Nursing managers assessed ' Results/ Impact and Challenges' 4-16 months post-workshop. Descriptive statistics & themed analysis of interview/fgd data were performe...
Alcohol and Alcoholism
To evaluate the effect on recurrent admission for alcohol-induced pancreatitis (that can be up to... more To evaluate the effect on recurrent admission for alcohol-induced pancreatitis (that can be up to 48%) of a brief social work intervention for alcohol dependence in a single center in Ireland METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of patients admitted with acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis to a tertiary hospital in Ireland from January 2009 to December 2012. The relapse rate in the cohort of 160 patients with alcohol-induced pancreatitis was 28.1%. There was no difference in the relapse rate of those patients who received a social work intervention compared with those who did not (ANOVA, P = 0.229). The employment status was a significant risk factor for relapse (ANOVA, P = 0.027), but did not differ between those who did, and did not, receive the intervention. Although the cohort size did not allow great statistical power, it appears that our hospital's current social work intervention for alcohol-induced pancreatitis is ineffective in preventing relapse. Long-term prospective st...
Background Care Planning Meetings (CPM’s) are an increasingly common decision-making forum in the... more Background Care Planning Meetings (CPM’s) are an increasingly common decision-making forum in the hospital aged care setting yet limited research has been published on the process and experience of such meetings. The effective use and at times misuse of communication strategies within CPM’s will have far reaching consequences for all participants. Methods A 3 stage action research design was adopted: Cycle I included a convenience sample of ten CPM’s, as did Cycle 2 with inpatients assessed as having a cognitive/communication difficulties. Cycle 3 involved the development of a training manual for healthcare professionals. Members of the MDT became ‘co-researchers’ and a multiple method study design utilised which included participant observations of CPM’s, interviews and staff focus groups. Results Fundamental differences in MDT opinions about the process and experience of CPM’s emerged. Patients particularly those with a cognitive impairment were found to have low levels of partici...
Abstract Research Aims The purpose of this research was to evaluate, using a Kirkpatrick-based fr... more Abstract Research Aims The purpose of this research was to evaluate, using a Kirkpatrick-based framework, the impact of a training workshop in end-of-life (EOL) care offered by a voluntary organisation to community hospitals across Ireland. The central aim of the study was to satisfy the organisation that the training was making a difference to participants’ values, practice and sense of job satisfaction. Study Population, Design and Methods The fieldwork was carried out in four hospitals in autumn 2013. All four sites had at least 20 participants on end-of-life care training within the 2012/2013 period, and were in the Cork or Dublin areas (where the organisation had concentrated its training effort). A mixed-methods approach was adopted, consisting of: (i) A review of same-day evaluation sheets (151 in total) (ii) A survey via questionnaire (iii) Interviews with Directors of Nursing (iv) Focus-group meetings. Summary of Results and Interpretation - EVALUATION SHEETS (151 participa...
Irish Journal of Medical Science
Practice, 2013
ABSTRACT Care planning meetings (CPMs; sometimes referred to as family meetings) for older patien... more ABSTRACT Care planning meetings (CPMs; sometimes referred to as family meetings) for older patients involve group decision-making between the multidisciplinary team, the older person and their family. However, service user participation is challenged by the inequity of knowledge and power between participants, together with organisational and resource pressures for timely discharge. The effective use and perhaps, potential misuse of communication strategies within CPMs is of ethical concern to all participants. Habermas’ essential critique of participatory communication provides insight as to how older people’s involvement can be either enabled or blocked by healthcare professionals (HCPs) depending on their use of communication strategies. Seven discipline specific mini-focus groups provided an opportunity for HCPs to reflect on the participation of patients over 65 and their families in CPMs. Findings explore HCPs’ understanding of older patients involvement based on key dimensions of communicative participation, namely, mutuality, inclusiveness, patient centredness and clear outcomes. Whilst the benefits of collaborative decision-making were confirmed, legitimate concerns as to the quality of participatory practices, limited attention to group work processes and the exclusion of older patients with cognitive impairment were identified. Keywords: care planning meetings; aged; patient participation
European Journal of Social Work, 2018
Academic research can be criticised for its lack of social impact in the ‘real world’. Study find... more Academic research can be criticised for its lack of social impact in the ‘real world’. Study findings are often not well understood nor used effectively to shape policy making and practice. These issues are pertinent for practising social workers who often find it difficult to utilise research knowledge to influence the public realm and engage service users in social change. This paper presents two community based participatory research (CBPR) case studies reflecting on learning achieved from carrying out the research: Study 1 relates to refugees and Study 2 relates to older people. It reflects on how CBPR partnership approaches were used to influence social policy and affect social change in organisational and practice environments in the Irish context and also reflects on the challenges and benefits of working with peer researchers and civil society organisations. The case studies suggest there are considerable advantages to adopting a collective advocacy approach using CBPR, including: creating meaningful impact that has relevance for policy and practice; facilitating the engagement of universities with civic society; and providing a mechanism whereby social workers can engage in the pursuit of social justice for vulnerable communities with whom they work.
Background Recent studies suggest that simulation training for geriatric medicine is useful and p... more Background Recent studies suggest that simulation training for geriatric medicine is useful and potentially very effective to improve teamwork, coordination of care and the patient experience. [1] This project aimed to design a ward-based, sustainable simulation training programme for multidisciplinary healthcare staff in an older persons’ unit. Methods To ensure the training was appropriate to the ward context, we conducted semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with staff from the multi-disciplinary team (n=27). Interview topics included; staff views on quality of care, the current service, team work, communication and how care could be improved. Staff were asked what the programme might include to enhance multi-disciplinary care on the ward and what they would like to learn from participation. Results The majority of staff believe patients have a largely positive experience on the ward despite staff shortages. Good elderly care was associated with: a holistic approach to care, ...
Formal training evaluation, using a Kirkpatrick framework, of end-of-life (EOL) care for resident... more Formal training evaluation, using a Kirkpatrick framework, of end-of-life (EOL) care for residential care settings would help in improving education approaches. Study aim: To identify if workshop training made a difference over time to participants' values, practice & sense of job satisfaction. Design etc. A mixed-method design was used; 4 community hospitals were purposefully sampled - in each at least 20 participants attended training in 2012/13, & settings were rural & urban. The following data was collected: (i) same-day evaluation sheets examined 'Participant Reactions' (ii) Questionnaires assessed 'Learning & On-the-Job Behaviour' 3-12 months post-workshop (iii) Focus-group discussions (fgds) assessed 'Learning & On-the-Job Behaviour' 3-12 months post-workshop (iv) Interviews with Nursing managers assessed ' Results/ Impact and Challenges' 4-16 months post-workshop. Descriptive statistics & themed analysis of interview/fgd data were performe...
Alcohol and Alcoholism
To evaluate the effect on recurrent admission for alcohol-induced pancreatitis (that can be up to... more To evaluate the effect on recurrent admission for alcohol-induced pancreatitis (that can be up to 48%) of a brief social work intervention for alcohol dependence in a single center in Ireland METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of patients admitted with acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis to a tertiary hospital in Ireland from January 2009 to December 2012. The relapse rate in the cohort of 160 patients with alcohol-induced pancreatitis was 28.1%. There was no difference in the relapse rate of those patients who received a social work intervention compared with those who did not (ANOVA, P = 0.229). The employment status was a significant risk factor for relapse (ANOVA, P = 0.027), but did not differ between those who did, and did not, receive the intervention. Although the cohort size did not allow great statistical power, it appears that our hospital's current social work intervention for alcohol-induced pancreatitis is ineffective in preventing relapse. Long-term prospective st...
Background Care Planning Meetings (CPM’s) are an increasingly common decision-making forum in the... more Background Care Planning Meetings (CPM’s) are an increasingly common decision-making forum in the hospital aged care setting yet limited research has been published on the process and experience of such meetings. The effective use and at times misuse of communication strategies within CPM’s will have far reaching consequences for all participants. Methods A 3 stage action research design was adopted: Cycle I included a convenience sample of ten CPM’s, as did Cycle 2 with inpatients assessed as having a cognitive/communication difficulties. Cycle 3 involved the development of a training manual for healthcare professionals. Members of the MDT became ‘co-researchers’ and a multiple method study design utilised which included participant observations of CPM’s, interviews and staff focus groups. Results Fundamental differences in MDT opinions about the process and experience of CPM’s emerged. Patients particularly those with a cognitive impairment were found to have low levels of partici...
Abstract Research Aims The purpose of this research was to evaluate, using a Kirkpatrick-based fr... more Abstract Research Aims The purpose of this research was to evaluate, using a Kirkpatrick-based framework, the impact of a training workshop in end-of-life (EOL) care offered by a voluntary organisation to community hospitals across Ireland. The central aim of the study was to satisfy the organisation that the training was making a difference to participants’ values, practice and sense of job satisfaction. Study Population, Design and Methods The fieldwork was carried out in four hospitals in autumn 2013. All four sites had at least 20 participants on end-of-life care training within the 2012/2013 period, and were in the Cork or Dublin areas (where the organisation had concentrated its training effort). A mixed-methods approach was adopted, consisting of: (i) A review of same-day evaluation sheets (151 in total) (ii) A survey via questionnaire (iii) Interviews with Directors of Nursing (iv) Focus-group meetings. Summary of Results and Interpretation - EVALUATION SHEETS (151 participa...
Irish Journal of Medical Science
Practice, 2013
ABSTRACT Care planning meetings (CPMs; sometimes referred to as family meetings) for older patien... more ABSTRACT Care planning meetings (CPMs; sometimes referred to as family meetings) for older patients involve group decision-making between the multidisciplinary team, the older person and their family. However, service user participation is challenged by the inequity of knowledge and power between participants, together with organisational and resource pressures for timely discharge. The effective use and perhaps, potential misuse of communication strategies within CPMs is of ethical concern to all participants. Habermas’ essential critique of participatory communication provides insight as to how older people’s involvement can be either enabled or blocked by healthcare professionals (HCPs) depending on their use of communication strategies. Seven discipline specific mini-focus groups provided an opportunity for HCPs to reflect on the participation of patients over 65 and their families in CPMs. Findings explore HCPs’ understanding of older patients involvement based on key dimensions of communicative participation, namely, mutuality, inclusiveness, patient centredness and clear outcomes. Whilst the benefits of collaborative decision-making were confirmed, legitimate concerns as to the quality of participatory practices, limited attention to group work processes and the exclusion of older patients with cognitive impairment were identified. Keywords: care planning meetings; aged; patient participation