Research Profile

BIOGRAPHY

Michèle Hughes qualified as a Registered General Nurse (RGN) in the Mater Infirmorum Hospital, Belfast after which she successfully completed a three year Diploma in Nursing at Queens University, Belfast (QUB), (the first ever Nursing programme to commence in QUB). During this period Michèle nursed in the area of Cardiac Medicine progressing to Senior staff nurse ('E' Grade) working in the Cardiac Monitoring Unit (CMU).

Michèle resigned her post as Action Senior Sister ('G' grade) in a  Cardiac Medical ward in order to take up full time studies at the Coleraine Campus of the University of Ulster where she successfully completed an Honours Degree in Professional Development (Nursing). She then successfully completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Education Studies for Nursing at the Jordanstown Campus of the University of Ulster.

Despite being accepted onto the second year of the Master¿s in Education Michèle took up the post of College Lecturer at a College of Brunel University (Buckinghamshire and Chiltern University College). During this period Michèle successfully completed a Masters in Health Sciences and progressed to Senior Lecturer.

Michèle resigned this post in order to take up a post of Nurse Tutor in the School of Nursing in Cork University Hospital. Within a year Michèle accepted a post of College Lecturer in University College Cork where she still works.

Research Interests

My research interests largely focus on the educational needs of cardiovascular patients. I have also been involved in exploring the recruitment of students into Nursing and Midwifery and I remain interested in this area. However during my current research project, my interests have expanded to include the exploration of health literacy and its impact on the education of patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). I am therefore also interested in exploring the role of the health professional when dealing with health literacy in clinical practice. This will involve interdisciplinary research and the collaboration of both academic and clinical practitioners involved in direct care of patients with CVD.



As part of my MSc Health Sciences and my undergraduate Hons Degree I engaged in research exploring the educational needs of patients following their first Myocardial Infarction. Both studies identified topics that were important to patients, and that at times nurses were not aware of, and this concurred with other study findings. These findings were presented at a World Congress and published in a peer reviewed journal. They have since been presented at conferences nationally. Since this period, mortality and morbidity figures for myocardial infarction have improved. The same can not be said of Heart Failure which is currently the only CVD where the incidence and morbidity figures continue to worsen.

My current study explores the level of knowledge that patients, with Heart failure, have of their condition and its self-management. I am Chief Investigator and am exploring the effect of education and counselling on these patients¿ knowledge. Data collection has been completed and preliminary findings have been very positive towards the effectiveness of the clinical staff in improving patients¿ knowledge of both their condition and self-management. The psychological and emotional benefits reported by patients attending the service also appear very positive. Once the current study is completed I hoped to both publish and present the findings in collaboration with my clinical colleagues who also became involved in this project.

Following both the collaboration of academic colleagues to explore the issue of poor health literacy and my study¿s preliminary findings, my research interests have changed slightly. I am currently interested in exploring the impact of poor health literacy on patients¿ self-management and the effectiveness of current literature used to educate patients regarding their condition and its self-management.  

Publications

Book Chapters

 YearPublication
(2007)'Catherine McAuley School of Nursing & Midwifery, UCC'
Hughes, M. Kelleher, S. McCarthy, G.; (2007) 'Catherine McAuley School of Nursing & Midwifery, UCC' In: O’Kane, B. & Walker, F (eds). Nursing worldwide, Ireland: A nurses and midwives guide. [Details]
(1999)'Common chronic problems and their management'
Turner, D & Hughes, M (1999); (1999) 'Common chronic problems and their management' In: Heath, H & Schofield, I (Ed’s) (eds). Healthy Ageing: Nursing Older People. [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

 YearPublication
(2001)'The Professional Status and Power of Nursing in Ireland'
Hughes, M.; (2001) 'The Professional Status and Power of Nursing in Ireland' [Details]
(2000)'An Instrument to Assist Nurses Identify Patient's Self-perceived Informational Needs Post-myocardial Infarction'
Hughes, M; (2000) 'An Instrument to Assist Nurses Identify Patient's Self-perceived Informational Needs Post-myocardial Infarction' [Details]

Other Journals

 YearPublication
(2010)'Tackling health illiteracy'
O'Connell, R; Hughes M; Kilonzo B; (2010) 'Tackling health illiteracy' World of Irish Nursing, 18 (2) :40-41.   [Details]

Conference Contributions

 YearPublication
(2002)Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology,
Hughes, M; (2002) Individualising Patient’s Needs in Cardiac Rehabilitation. [Poster Presentation], Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology, Trinity College Dublin 4th Annual Research Conference , 13-NOV-02 - 15-NOV-02
(2002)European Society of Cardiology - Cardiovascular Nursing Group Conference,
Hughes, M; (2002) Effectiveness of Patient Education. [Poster Presentation], European Society of Cardiology - Cardiovascular Nursing Group Conference, Dublin , 04-APR-02 - 06-APR-02
(2001)XXIII Congress of the European Society of Cardiology,
Hughes, M.; (2001) The changing of patient’s informational needs, during the early recovery period, following a primary acute myocardial infarction. [Poster Presentation], XXIII Congress of the European Society of Cardiology, Stockholm, Sweden , 01-SEP-01 - 05-SEP-01
(2001)Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology,
Hughes, M; (2001) The changing of patient’s informational needs, during the early recovery period, following a primary acute myocardial infarction. [Oral Presentation], Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology, Trinity College Dublin 3rd Annual Research Conference , 14-NOV-01 - 16-NOV-01
(2001)Nurses Cardiovascular Association (NCA) Annual General Scientific Meeting (conference),
Hughes, M; (2001) Information Needs of Patients following a Primary Myocardial Infarction – the importance of certain topics of information differs with age. [Poster Presentation], Nurses Cardiovascular Association (NCA) Annual General Scientific Meeting (conference), Dublin , 08-OCT-01 - 30-DEC-99
(2000)The New Millennium: A Time for Reflection and Projections on Nursing as a Research Based Profession,
Hughes, M; (2000) An Instrument to Assist Nurses Identify Patient's Self-perceived Informational Needs Post-myocardial Infarction. [Oral Presentation], The New Millennium: A Time for Reflection and Projections on Nursing as a Research Based Profession, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Faculty of Nursing 19th Annual Nursing & Research Conference , 24-JAN-00 - 25-JAN-00
(1999)XXI Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC),
Hughes, M.; (1999) Information Needs of Primary Myocardial Infarction Patients. [Oral Presentation], XXI Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), Barcelona, Spain , 28-AUG-99 - 01-SEP-99

Professional Activities

Associations

 AssocationFunctionFrom / To
Irish Nurses Cardiovascular Association (INCA) Promotion of continuous education, networking and research among Irish cardiovascular nurses to enhance practice.02-JAN-01 / 30-DEC-99
European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Cardiovascular Nursing Working Group Promotion of research, continuous education and networking among European cardiovascular nurses to enhance practice.01-SEP-05 / 30-DEC-99
Irish Nurses Organisation(INO) To provide professional support and education to nurses together with guidance regarding their working conditions.01-SEP-97 / 30-DEC-99
Irish Federation University Teachers (IFUT) The advancement of higher education and research. The promotion and protection of academic freedom. The safeguarding and advancement of professional interests.18-DEC-05 / 30-DEC-99

Committees

 CommitteeFunctionFrom / To
Chair of the Public Relations Committee for the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing and Midwifery Management of resources, services and activities involved in the promotion of Nursing and Midwifery careers and education.2002 / 1899
Hospital community Liaison Committee *2003 / 1899
Postgraduate Studies Committee The committee oversees the administration of postgraduation programmes and any curriculum changes.2009 / 2010
Teaching and Curriculum Committee The committee manages teaching and curriculum issues that arise in the undergraduate programmes2009 / 2010
UCC representative in the Promotion & Marketing National Liaison Group in An Bord Altranais Each of the 13 members, who represented a HEI, shared ideas and their experiences in the marketing and promotion of Nursing and Midwifery.2003 / 2007

Employment

 EmployerPositionFrom / To
University College Cork College Lecturer01-SEP-98 / 30-DEC-99
Southern Health Board (Cork University Hospital) Nurse tutor01-SEP-97 / 28-AUG-98
Buckinghamshire and Chiltern University College Senior Lecturer01-AUG-94 / 29-AUG-97
N.Ireland Eastern Health and Social Services Board Senior Staff Nurse ('E' Grade) & acting Senior Sister ('G' g06-APR-87 / 06-SEP-91

Education

 YearInstituionQualificationSubject
1991Queens University Belfast Diploma in Nursing
1993University of Ulster BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing
1994University of Ulster Advanced Diploma in Education studies for Nurses
1997University of London MSc Health Sciences

Reviews

 JournalRole
European Journal Of Cardiovascular Nursing Referee

Teaching Activities

Teaching Interests

I have studied Health Promotion to Master¿s Level due to my interest in the subject. Consequently I have been module leader for several health promotion modules at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. It is a subject I very much enjoy.

I am a registered Basic Life Support (BLS) instructor so am involved in providing BLS programmes within the College and in the community. Due to my clinical background and research I have a keen interest in teaching cardiovascular nursing at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. I also enjoy supervising undergraduate students¿ research proposals.

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University College Cork

Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh

College Road, Cork T12 K8AF

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