I am an Associate Professor in Midwifery at the School of Nursing and Midwifery and currently the Head of Discipline, Midwifery. Ihave practised midwifery in London, Australia and Ireland in rural and urban settings, within obstetric-led and midwife-led models of maternity care. From December 2011 - August 2013, Ipracticed as a Self Employed Community Midwife (SECM) amp;supported other SECMs providing care to women during pregnancy and childbirth at home.

I have an in-depth knowledge of midwifery education and vast experience in facilitating learning across midwifery, nursing and other health care professional programmes (undergraduate amp; postgraduate) and liaising with colleagues in midwifery practice to support learning in the maternity care environment. I supervise and examine students for academic achievement at undergraduate, masters and doctorate level.

I am a qualitative researcher by training. My research focuses largely in the fields of maternity care; my methodological expertise extends to Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES), the application of qualitative methodologies to inform trials amp; trial methodology and core outcome set development.

I contribute extensive experience and leadership in evidence-based healthcare as a member of the Centre for Health Research Methodology (CHRM). I am the Deputy Director of Evidence Synthesis Ireland (ESI) and Cochrane Ireland. I sit on the Executive Management Committees of Evidence Synthesis Ireland and Cochrane Ireland,and the HRB-Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN). I am the Co-Lead of the QES Strand of ESI and a Teaching Faculty Member of ESI and Cochrane Ireland. I am also a Research Advisor with the Qualitative Research in Trials Centre (QUESTS) and a Research Associate with the HRB-Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN).

My research portfolio spans both ESI and the HRB-TMRN where I am engaged in providing qualitative expertise and support to several programmes of research. While passionate about all my CHRM initiatives, I have a particular grá for public engagement activities including understanding how we support people, especially children, in evaluating health claims, and comprehending clinical trials and evidence synthesis.

Exploring Models of Maternity Care

Home Birth

The Culture of Birth

Breastfeeding

Diabetes and Pregnancy

The Education of Midwifery Students

Qualitative Research informing Trials and Trial Methodology

Qualitative Research Methodologies and Methods (in particular Ethnography)

Evidence Synthesis (qualitative and quantitative)

Core Outcome Set Development

I have an in-depth knowledge of midwifery education and vast experience of teaching midwifery and facilitating learning at undergraduate and postgraduate level across all midwifery programmes in the classroom, skills lab and clinical setting, using a variety of strategies.

I participate have participated in the teaching of nursing students, neonatal nurses, public health nurses,medical students, obstetric and paediatric doctors, GPs, maternity care assistances, peer supporters and ambulance personnel.

I currently lead a number of modules at the school, am Year 4 Lead for the undergraduate midwifery programme.

I have apassion and enthusiasm for teaching all aspects of midwifery; however, I havea special interest in breastfeeding, postnatal care, intrapartum care, place of birth and research including qualitative research methodologies and methods.

I am also a Teaching Faculty Member of ESI and Cochrane Ireland, and a core member of the curricular development and teaching team for the recently commenced MSc in Evidence Based Future Health Care.