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09 Dec 2020
December '20

Establishing a global community for cancer nursing research

  • VCCC Alliance
  • MD Anderson Cancer Center

Professor Meinir Krishnasamy, the lead of VCCC Nurse-led Research Hub (the Hub), co-chaired the GAP2020 conference nursing concurrent session with Patricia Johnston Executive Director, MD Anderson.  Mei spoke about the multi-dimensional approach taken to the development and delivery of the Hub and presented evidence of its success and impact:

  • Five-hundred and twenty-three nurses attended Hub workshops and webinars during 2019-2020
  • Ninety-nine per cent of nurses commented they learned new knowledge, concepts or approaches;
  • Ninety-four per cent plan to use what they learned sometime in the future and agreed the workshops filled a gap in the current training offered at their institution

Nurse-led Research Hub Overview

Why nurse-led research matters

A panel discussion featured senior MD Anderson clinicians, A/Prof Anecita Fadol, Dr Joyce Neumann, Dr Uniqua Smith, and clinical nurses from across the VCCC clinical alliance members, Hayley Beer and Elizabeth Medhurst from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Andrea Cameron from Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research and Wellness Centre, Austin Health and Jake McMahon from St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.

The group shared the benefits and importance of nurse-led research and the MD Anderson nurses provided exemplars of embedding evidence-based practice across all domains of cancer nursing. A desire for international collaboration was highlighted, with this opportunity now made possible through the GAP network.

Partnership post program transforms careers

Prof Krishnasamy highlighted the positive aspects of the 12-week research internship - Partnership Post program. In the past two years, 14 nurses have graduated from the program and have become leaders and advocates for nurse-led research within their organisations. The transformative impact of the program is evident, with all nurses able to provide examples of positive impacts on their careers; securing research and education roles, applying for research funding, and embarking on postgraduate studies. 

“It has consolidated and introduced me to many skills such as data management, how to navigate the ethics application process, how to go about contacting and introducing various stakeholders. It has been a transformative process through which I have gained confidence, been able to progress my ideas and been exposed to talented and friendly individuals who are eager to share their knowledge.”

Nurse-led Research Program Partnership Post Opportunity

 “I feel the partnership post has helped me personally to give me confidence in my ideas and that they have value. I feel I have a greater understanding of the research process and how I could start my own research, [it] has given me a path and a network to guide me, which I didn’t know existed.”

The VCCC Nursing Research Hub has proved its impact on cancer nursing research capability and activity in Victoria. In just a few years, a network of nurse researchers are ready to make a contribution to Victoria as a world leading cancer research community, for the benefit of patients worldwide.

To join the Hub and stay connected: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NRIHmail

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