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4. Maura Smiddy

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Biography

Maura has a background in nursing and midwifery. Her most recent clinical experience is as an Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Nurse Manager. She completed a Master of Public Health in 2009 and was awarded a PhD (Medicine and Health) in 2019. She recently developed and co-ordinated the online postgraduate certificate in infection prevention and control and is the developer and Director of the MSc in Infection Prevention and Control. She lectures on Health Protection and Infection Prevention and Control at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She is the current Ireland Branch Coordinator of the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) and the Communications Officer for the IPS Research and Development Group. Her research interests focuses on the prevention of infection and provision of safe patient care.‍

Research Interests

Maura's research interests are infection prevention and control with a focus on patient safety, infection prevention and teaching.

Research Interests:

• Infection Prevention and Control
• Hand Hygiene
• Patient Safety
• Sepsis Identification and Prevention
• Research methods
• Implementation science

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Publications

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Book Chapters

	Year	Publication
	(2013)	'Principles of Infection Prevention and Control' Creedon, SA and Smiddy, MP (2013) 'Principles of Infection Prevention and Control' In: Fundamentals of Medical-Surgical Nursing: A systems approach. United Kingdom: John Wiley and Sons.   [Details]

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Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2020)	'Impact of improved observed hand hygiene on bloodstream infection rates in Ireland. A prospective segmented regression analysis, 2009-2016' Smiddy M.P.;Murphy O.M.;Savage E.;Fitzgerald A.P.;Fitzgerald S.;Browne J. (2020) 'Impact of improved observed hand hygiene on bloodstream infection rates in Ireland. A prospective segmented regression analysis, 2009-2016'. Epidemiology And Infection, [DOI] [Details]
	(2019)	'The influence of observational hand hygiene auditing on consultant doctors' hand hygiene behaviors. A qualitative study' Smiddy, MP;Murphy, OM;Savage, E;Browne, JP (2019) 'The influence of observational hand hygiene auditing on consultant doctors' hand hygiene behaviors. A qualitative study'. American Journal of Infection Control, 47 [DOI] [Details]
	(2019)	'Leadership perspective on the implementation of guidelines on healthcare-associated infections' Josephine Hegarty, Siobhan Murphy, Sile Creedon, Teresa Wills, Eileen Savage, Fiona Barry, Maura Smiddy, Alice Coffey, Aileen Burton, Deirdre O'Brien, Sinead Horgan, Cliodhna Nibhuachalla, Cathal Brennan, Heloise Agreli, Jonathan Drennan (2019) 'Leadership perspective on the implementation of guidelines on healthcare-associated infections'. Bmj, 3 :43-51   [Details]
	(2019)	'Efficacy of observational hand hygiene audit with targeted feedback on doctors’ hand hygiene compliance: A retrospective time series analysis' Smiddy MP, Murphy OM, Savage E, O’Sullivan B, Murphy C, Bernard M, Browne J (2019) 'Efficacy of observational hand hygiene audit with targeted feedback on doctors’ hand hygiene compliance: A retrospective time series analysis'. Journal Of Infection Prevention, 20 (4):164-170   [Details]
	(2019)	'Patient involvement in the implementation of infection prevention and control guidelines and associated interventions: a scoping review' Fernandes Agreli H;Murphy M;Creedon S;Ni Bhuachalla C;O'Brien D;Gould D;Savage E;Barry F;Drennan J;Smiddy MP;Condell S;Horgan S;Murphy S;Wills T;Burton A;Hegarty J; (2019) 'Patient involvement in the implementation of infection prevention and control guidelines and associated interventions: a scoping review'. Bmj Open, 9 (3) [DOI] [Details]
	(2019)	'Ethnographic study using Normalization Process Theory to understand the implementation process of infection prevention and control guidelines in Ireland' Agreli H, Barry F, Burton A, Creedon S, Drennan J, Gould D, May CR, Smiddy MP, Murphy M, Murphy S, Savage E, Wills T, Hegarty J (2019) 'Ethnographic study using Normalization Process Theory to understand the implementation process of infection prevention and control guidelines in Ireland'. Bmj Open, 9 (8)   [Full Text] [Details]
	(2017)	'Factors that influence hand hygiene practice amongst occupational therapy students' OM Wall, MP Smiddy (2017) 'Factors that influence hand hygiene practice amongst occupational therapy students'. Irish Journal of Occupational Therapy, 45 (2):112-122   [DOI] [Details]
	(2015)	'A systematic qualitative literature review of healthcare workers’ compliance with hand hygiene guidelines' Smiddy MP, O Connell R, Creedon SA. (2015) 'A systematic qualitative literature review of healthcare workers’ compliance with hand hygiene guidelines'. American Journal of Infection Control, 43 (3):269-274 [Details]
	(2013)	'The use of point prevalence surveys of healthcare-associated infection to identify risk factors and facilitate infection prevention and control planning' Smiddy, MP., Murphy, OM. (2013) 'The use of point prevalence surveys of healthcare-associated infection to identify risk factors and facilitate infection prevention and control planning'. Healthcare Infection, 18 (4):162-167   [DOI] [Details]

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Published Reports

	Year	Publication
	(2015)	Guidelines for hand hygiene in Irish healthcare settings Update of 2005 guidelines. Hand Hygiene guideline development group (2015) Guidelines for hand hygiene in Irish healthcare settings Update of 2005 guidelines. RCPI / HSE, Dubmin.   [Details]
	(2011)	Health Service Executive - Hand Hygiene Observational Audit Standard Operating Procedure. Mulhern, M., Bergin, M., Donlon, S., Fitzgerald, S., Fitzpatrick, F., Flynn, M. Jackson, A., Khan, A., Oza, A., Reilly, M.F., Smiddy, M. (2011) Health Service Executive - Hand Hygiene Observational Audit Standard Operating Procedure. Health Service Executive, Dublin, Ireland.   [Details]

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Invited papers

	Year	Publication
	(2020)	Challenges and solutions in studying the impact of interventions in the analysis of longitudinal health service data. Smiddy MP, Fitzgerald AP, Lynch B. (2020) Challenges and solutions in studying the impact of interventions in the analysis of longitudinal health service data. London: Invited papers   [DOI] [Details]

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Professional Activities

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Honours and Awards

	Year	Title	Awarding Body
	2022	Current Leaders Level 1 Leadership Development Programme	University College Cork
	2021	Teaching and Learning Award Nominee	University College Cork
	2019	Aspiring Leaders Level 2 Leadership Development Programme	University College Cork
	2017	UCC Aurora Leadership Programme	University College Cork
	2019	PhD (Medicine and Health)	University College Cork
	2009	Graduated first in class - Masters in Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork.	University College Cork
	2008	Student of the Year on the Diploma in Quality Management (Part 2)	Excellence Ireland Quality Association and Cork Institute of Technology

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Professional Associations

	Association	Function	From / To
	Infection Prevention Society (IPS) Ireland	Branch Coordinator	01-FEB-19 / 01-JUN-22
	An Bord Altranais - Irish Nursing Regulatory Body	Member	01-JUN-95 /
	Infection Prevention Society Research and Development Group	Communications Officer	01-MAY-21 / 01-JUN-22
	Infection Prevention Society	Member	30-MAY-01 /
	Infection Prevention Control Ireland (IPCI)	Member	31-MAY-16 /

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Conference Contributions

	Year	Publication
	(2022)	CoMH Teaching and Learning Conference, Smiddy MP, Barry F, O'Neill S, O'Reilly E, McHugh S. (2022) A mixed methods study to explore university teachers’ perceptions and experiences of moving to remote teaching during the university shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [Poster Presentation], CoMH Teaching and Learning Conference, University College Cork , 17-JUN-22 - 17-JUN-22. [Details]
	(2017)	Federation of Infection Societies Conference, Smiddy MP, Murphy OM, Savage E, Browne JP (2017) The impact of observational hand hygiene auditing on consultant doctors hand hygiene behaviours. A qualitative study. [Oral Presentation], Federation of Infection Societies Conference, Birmingham , 01-NOV-17 - 01-NOV-17. [Details]
	(2016)	Infection Prevention 2016, Smiddy MP, Murphy OM, Savage E, O’Sullivan B, Murphy C, Bernard M, Browne J (2016) Use of a multimodal intervention incorporating audit and targeted feedback to improve hand hygiene compliance and reduce orthopaedic surgical site infections. [Poster Presentation], Infection Prevention 2016, Harrogate, Leeds, England , 26-SEP-16 - 28-SEP-16. [Details]
	(2015)	Healthcare Infection Society Conference, Smiddy MP, Murphy OM, Savage E, O’Sullivan B, Murphy C, Bernard M, Browne J (2015) Use of a multimodal intervention incorporating audit and targeted feedback to improve hand hygiene compliance and reduce orthopaedic surgical site infections. [Oral Presentation], Healthcare Infection Society Conference, Glasgow . [Details]
	(2014)	Healthcare Infection Society Conference, Smiddy MP, Kabir Z, Cunningham C, Perry IJ (2014) Experiences of a wholly online Postgraduate Certificate in Health Protection (infection prevention and control) in University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. Lessons learnt. [Poster Presentation], Healthcare Infection Society Conference, Lyon, France . [Details]
	(2013)	Federation of Infection Societies Conference, Smiddy, MP, O' Connell, R., Creedon, SA. (2013) Healthcare workers' compliance with hand hygiene guidelines: A metasynthesis. [Poster Presentation], Federation of Infection Societies Conference, Bermingham, England , 11-NOV-13 - 13-NOV-13. [Details]
	(2014)	Healthcare Infection Society Conference, Smiddy MP, Murphy OM, Savage E, Browne J (2014) Does observational hand hygiene auditing reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated infection? A retrospective interrupted time series analysis 2009 – 2013. [Poster Presentation], Healthcare Infection Society Conference, Lyon, France . [Details]
	(2012)	8th International Conference of the Healthcare Infection Society and Federation of Infection Societies Annual Conference, Smiddy, M. P., Bernard, M. A, Murphy, C., O’ Sullivan, B. C., Murphy, O. M. (2012) An Evaluation of the Time Requirements of Different Surveillance Methodologies. [Poster Presentation], 8th International Conference of the Healthcare Infection Society and Federation of Infection Societies Annual Conference, Liverpool , 19-NOV-12 - 21-NOV-12. [Details]
	(2012)	8th International Conference of the Healthcare Infection Society and Federation of Infection Societies Annual Conference, Smiddy, M. P., Bernard, M. A., Murphy, C., O’ Sullivan, B. C., Murphy, O. M. (2012) The Use of Point Prevalence Surveys of Healthcare-associated Infections to Identify Risk Factors and Facilitate Infection Prevention and Control Planning. [Poster Presentation], 8th International Conference of the Healthcare Infection Society and Federation of Infection Societies Annual Conference, Liverpool , 19-NOV-12 - 21-NOV-12. [Details]

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Committees

	Committee	Function	From / To
	Infection Prevention Society Research and Development Committee	Communications Officer and Board Memer	2021 / 2022
	School of Public Health Teaching and Curriculum Committee	Member	2021 / 2022
	School of Public Health Civic and Community Engagement Committee	Chair	2021 / 2022
	School of Public Health Management Committee	Member	2020 / 2022
	College of Medicine and Health Return to Work Review Group	Member	2020 / 2020
	Infection Prevention Society Management Executive Group	Board Member	2019 / 2022
	Social Research Ethics (Subcommittee School of Public Health)	Committee Member	2016 / 2021
	Royal College of Physicians Advisory Group on Healthcare-associated Infections; Hand Hygiene Sub-Committee	Member	2013 /
	Health Service Executive Steering Group on Hand Hygiene	Member	2011 / 2012

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Employment

	Employer	Position	From / To
	Bon Secours Hospital, Cork	Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Nurse Manager 2	29-JAN-01 / 24-SEP-10
	University College Cork	College Lecturer	05-NOV-12 / 19-JUL-19
	Consultant (Self Employed)	Lecturer in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health	04-OCT-10 / 02-NOV-12

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Education

	Year	Institution	Qualification	Subject
	2009	University College Cork	Master of Public Health	Public Health
	2019	University College Cork	Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education	Teaching and Learning
	2019	University College Cork	PhD (Medicine and Health)	Medicine and Health
	2018	University College Cork	Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education	Teaching and Learning
	2008	Cork Institute of Technology / Excellence Ireland Quality Association	Diploma in Quality Management	Quality Management

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Outreach Activities

	Description
	Public Health Dissemination and Education Engagement with transition year secondary school students in relation to Public Health. Invited engagement with two primary schools to engage students at all levels in relation to infection prevention and hand hygiene.

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Journal Activities

	Journal	Role	To / From
	Journal Of Infection Prevention	Peer Reviewer	20-APR-20 - 05-JUN-22
	Healthcare Infection	Peer Reviewer	31-JUL-19 - 05-JUN-22
	Journal Of Infection Prevention	Peer Reviewer	09-NOV-20 - 05-JUN-22
	Plos One	Peer Reviewer	01-DEC-20 - 05-JUN-22
	Bmc Public Health	Peer Reviewer	01-DEC-20 - 05-JUN-22

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Other Activities

	Description
	She has been the organiser of infection prevention and control education webinars on behalf of and in association with the infection prevention society. Airborne and droplet transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and implications for healthcare practice - 16th March 2022 on behalf of the IPS ROI Branch (Organiser and Chair) How to get started in research  - 15th October 2021 in association with IPS R&D Committee (Co-organiser - Co-chair) Poster design and presentation - 1st December 2021 in association with IPS R&D Committee (Co-organiser - Co-chair) Statistical Process Charts (SPCs): a primer for QI and research projects - 10th February 2022 in association with IPS R&D Committee (Co-organiser - Co-chair) How to undertake a QI project - 7th April 2022 in association with IPS R&D Committee (Co-organiser - Co-chair)
	Maura was a member of the UCC team who set up Contact Tracing of cases of COVID19 in association with the HSE in the Boole Library Basement in 2020. She was responsible for infection prevention and control for the UCC Team, facilitated contact tracing induction education, carried out contact tracing and developed online resources in Canvas to support education related to Contact Tracing of cases.
	Maura has been awarded funding from the Department of Public Health, Health Service Executive South, South-West Group to organise and coordinate the Safe Patient Care Seminar in University College Cork in 2011 - 2019. The aim of this seminar is to address the teaching and learning needs of clinical staff in relation to infection prevention and control.

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Teaching Activities

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Teaching Interests

Maura's teaching interests lie in the area of Infection Prevention and Control and Health Protection, specifically related to the provision of safe quality care to patients. She also lectures in relation to the wider aspects of health protection and the global burden of communicable disease. She teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate levels both within and outside of the School of Public Health.

Maura was the lead developer and the Director of the for first online programme in the School of Public Health, the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Protection Health Protection (Online) PG Cert | University College Cork | UCC | Ireland | Postgraduate Degree | Courses This course is taught in association with the online Master of Public Health Public Health (Online) MPH | University College Cork | UCC | Ireland | Postgraduate Degree | Courses

She was awarded competitive funding support from Skillnet Ireland in July 2020 to develop and facilitate a wholly online Postgraduate Certificate in Infection Prevention and Control Infection Prevention and Control (Online) PG Cert | University College Cork | UCC | Ireland | Postgraduate Degree | Courses. She led on the development, approval and facilitation of this course and the first cohort commenced in September 2020. Further to the success of this programme, she developed and received approval to commence a MSc in Infection Prevention and Control in September 2022 Infection Prevention and Control (Online) MSc | University College Cork | UCC | Ireland | Postgraduate Degrees | Courses.

In 2020 she led a collaboration between the Infection Prevention Society Ireland Branch and Infection Prevention and Control Ireland developing recorded resources to inform clinical staff on the use of Standard Precautions and Environmental Decontamination in the control and management of COVID-19.‍

Recent Postgraduates

	Graduation Year	Student Name	Institution	Degree Type	Thesis Title
	2022	Megan O' Neill	University College Cork	MPH	A quantitative survey investigating the knowledge, attitude and beliefs of third level students regarding Level 5 COVID-19 measures and perceptions of compliance
	2021	Azeez Bakare Adesegun	University College Cork	MPH	Knowledge and perception of measles vaccine among third level undergraduate students of University College Cork.
	2021	Ishoma Uzu	University College Cork	MPH	The Experience of Sex Workers in Accessing Sexual Health Services in High Income Countries- A Systematic Review
	2021	Deborah Oluwatosin Opadiran	University College Cork	MPH	Knowledge and behaviours of undergraduate students related to antimicrobial resistance.
	2022	Andrea King	University College Cork	MPH	Evaluating COVID-19 outbreak outcomes in residential care facilities that care for older persons in wave one and wave three in the Health Service Executive North-East region of Ireland.
	2022	Emma Daly	University College Cork	MPH	The Impact of Surveillance and Antimicrobial Prophylaxis on Trans Rectal Ultrasound (TRUS) Biopsy Infection Rates in an Acute Private Hospital in Ireland
	2020	Sharon Mugo	University College Cork	MPH	THE BURDEN OF INFLUENZA-ASSOCIATED HOSPITALISATIONS IN IRELAND, 2015/16-2017/18
	2022	Gillian Horgan	University College Cork	MPH	Does internet access influence COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake? A systematic scoping review investigating the impact internet access (Social Media use) has on the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine.
	2020	Judith Ogiogwa	University College Cork	MPH	Qualitative evaluation of training and implementation of support provided to Staff at falls assessment clinics
	2020	Ideraoluwa Ajibosin	University College Cork	MPH	Investigation of the impact of severe weather on health system from emergency planning perspective in the HSE South/South West region in Ireland.
	2021	Meghan Kearney	University College Cork	MPH	An investigation into the uptake, knowledge and attitudes towards the influenza vaccine amongst community pharmacy workers
	2022	Yousef O' Donnell	University College Cork	MPH	Hospitalisation, Morbidity and Mortality due to Respiratory Tract Infections Among Adults with Intellectual Disabilities in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Systematic Review.
	2020	Adeyinka Adebiyi	University College Cork	MPH	Risky Sexual Behaviour related to Binge Drinking Habit among Undergraduate Students

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Research Information

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Internal Collaborators

	Name	Institute	Country
	ESPRIT Research Group	University College Cork	IRELAND
	Professor John Wegner	University College Cork	IRELAND
	Dr Aoife Fleming	University College Cork	IRELAND

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External Collaborators

	Name	Organisation / Institute	Country
	HSE GPSEPway Group	Health Service Executive	IRELAND
	Skillnet Ireland	Skillnet Ireland	IRELAND
	Infection Prevention Society Research and Development Group	Infection Prevention Society	UNITED KINGDOM