Chief Nurse Research Interns complete research programme at Local Trust

The Chief Nurse Research Internship programme is aimed at nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (NMAHPs) at the Trust who demonstrate a strong interest in clinical research and may aspire to explore this field further.

The internship aims to develop those without much experience in research by providing training and mentorship opportunities in combination with protected time to facilitate the development of a research project relevant to their speciality and research interests.

The five Chief Nurse Interns completed their six-month research internship last month, which concluded with a celebration event where colleagues who had supported them during their internship, gathered to highlight their achievements and listen to their research findings.

This year's cohort represented various healthcare professions including midwifery, orthodontics, nursing and sonography. Each intern was given one day per week, over six months, to undertake training and a research project which was agreed upon beforehand with their managers and mentors. These projects were chosen on the basis that the findings would benefit the intern's specialist area and patients.

Andrea Johnson, a programme participant, shared her experience: “It has equipped me with fundamental research skills and knowledge, igniting a strong passion to further leverage research for enhancing my field.

“The support provided throughout is exceptional. Even if research isn't your career path, it equips you to engage with, comprehend, and identify potential research endeavours in your professional domain. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire team behind this internship, and especially to our Chief Nurse, Karen Jessop, for this incredible opportunity.”

This internship offered the candidates the opportunity to ‘dip their toe’ into the world of clinical research and was especially valuable to those to possibly pursue a clinical academic career in the future, such as applying for a pre-doctoral, doctoral, or post-doctoral fellowship.

Karen Jessop, Chief Nurse at DBTH, said: “It was amazing to support and witness the growth of the fantastic interns on this year's programme. It’s important that we provide opportunities such as these to our colleagues to promote the importance of research in providing evidence-based care for our patients.

“This year's cohort were trailblazers for this programme at DBTH and due to the fantastic outcomes and achievements we hope to extend the programme to a new group later in the year. We wish all the best to our recent cohort and wish them luck in their future research endeavours.”

To find out more about Research at DBTH please visit the dedicated page: https://www.dbth.nhs.uk/research-and-development/