DrVerna McKenna is an Assistant ProfessorLecturer in the Discipline of Health Promotion, School of Health Sciences and a Principal Investigator (PI) with the Health Promotion Research Centre (HPRC) at University of Galway.Vernas main researchinterestsare in health literacy at the community and organisationallevels; health literacy and the patient experience Patient Public - No restriction Involvement; and health service access Currently, Verna is the Principal Investigator on the HRB Applied Partnership Award with Galway University Hospitals, on an Experience Based Co-Design project:Strengthening communications during patient discharge processes: Improving patient experienced quality of care and patient safety (December 2023-March 2026). She is also the Principal Investigator on a HSE Collaborative project:Realist Evaluation of HSE Funded Social Prescribing Services(December 2023-Augist 2025).She is also the PI for a programme of work on health literacy with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Promotion at the HPRC. Previouslyshe wastheco-investigator(with Dr Jane Sixsmith) on the EU ERASMUS+ KA2 capacity building project,HEALCARe (Health literacy competencies to improve respectful and compassionate care in Tanzania).The overallaim of this projectis to improve the qualityof care in the healthservices in Tanzaniaby increasingand strengthening the capacity of nurses andmidwives in delivering respectful and compassionate care with a focus on healthliteracy. She was thePI for the Athena Swan fudded Engagingpeople with limited literacyskills in health service research(2021-22) She also worked asco-investigator(with Dr Jane Sixsmith)ona pan European, Erasmus +funded project :IMprovingPAtientCentredCommunication CompetenciesTodevelop professional capacity regarding health literacy in medical and nursing undergraduate education (IMPACCT) (2017-2020). She has also undertaken research on progressing action on effective ways of developing health literate organisationsas part of a work package for WHO Geneva through the HPRC designated WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Promotion Research programme of work (2017-2021) Verna is an active member of the Galway University Hospital Health Literacy committee (since 20I6) ad an elected member of the Practice Standards Committee within the International Health Literacy Association Jan. 2022-24) She is also a member of the Global Working Group on Health Literacy within the International Union of Health Promotion and Education (since 2023). Verna was the Programme Director for the BA Social Care Programme (June 2022-24) and the Programme Director of the SpecialistCertificate and Post Graduate Diploma programmes in Health Promotion.(June 2020-Septermber 2021). At undergraduate level, Verna is the year 2 Coordinator BA Social Care programme. She is also themodule lead and delivers all teaching and assessment for:SC2111 Health Promotion: Models and Frameworks SC2109 Psychology Across the Lifespan: An Introduction She supervises students on the SC4123 Research Strategy module. In collaboration with colleagues in Schools of Health Sciences and Nursingshe has also developed and delivered Interprofessional Learning (IPL) for health science students (years 2 and 4) since AY 2022-23 She also contributes to teaching on the undergraduate medical curriculum:MD202 Medical ProfessionalismAt postgraduate level she teaches, assesses and is the module coordinator for HP1104 Evidence Based Health Promotion Practice (10 ECTs) HP1109 Promoting Healthy Behaviors (10 ECTs) (this includes students taking micro-credential option) She also supervises research students on the HP504 dissertation module. She also contributes to teaching on the following postgraduate level modules.SP585 Health Promotion and Families (MA in Family Support) HP846 Foundations of Health PromotionMSc Preventive Cardiology (dissertation supervisor 2023) Teaching methods: Large and small group teaching; Problem based learning (PBL); Enquiry based learning; Blended learning; Online teaching Verna worked asa project manager and researcher on several Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects in Boston, Massachusetts between 1997 and 2003. She holds a BA (Psychology) from University College Dublin an MA and PhD (Health Promotion) from National University of Ireland, Galway.In 2023-24 she completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning at the University of Galway.

Vernas research interests are health literacy at both the community and organsiational level and access tohealth services.

Postgraduate:Foundations of Health Promotion Health Promotion Practice module (Module coordinator)Evaluation in Health promotion (EBL)Promoting Healthy Behaviours (PBL) (Module coordinator)Determinants of Health Postgraduate supervision of Masters in Health PromotionPG Certificate and Outreach SpecialistCertificates: Programme Director AY 2020-21 Undergraduate:Health amp; Society strand of Professionalism module on year 2 medical curriculum.Social Care: Year Coordinator 2BAS1;Teaches-Health Promotion in Social Care (2BAS1) and Psychology across the lifespan (2BAS1)and supervision of 4BAS1 Research Project module