Research

I have been a clinician for 35 years and have actively engaged in research and writing for publication for 18 years. My main focus has been in tissue viability, but there are many parallels that can be drawn to other nursing topics. I have been lead investigator in several quantitative studies and I have participated in and designed randomized controlled trials and epidemiological studies in the tissue viability field. I have 50 publications in peer reviewed journals, five of which are included in the NICE Pressure Ulcer Guidelines and one in the Cochrane Database. My doctoral work was on colour model image analysis in early pressure ulcers.

I have been the lead investigator for my local hospital when my team participated in the pan-European research trial of Coloplast Silver Contreet Foam versus standard wound care. This was an international comparative, randomized, multi-national evaluation on clinical- and cost-effectiveness of an antibacterial foam dressing. The project aim was to reduce relative ulcer healing time during the treatment period and to study wound bed preparation in terms of reduction in odour and exudate levels as well as tissue composition. Cost-effectiveness was based on the number of dressing changes, and nursing time costs associated with treatment of infection. Health-related quality of life was based on odour, leakage, pain and overall health status.

I therefore can offer:

Preparing contracts for research trials
Construction of research protocols
Assistance with presentation to local research and development committees and COREC
Coordination of the research trial
Analysis of data
Writing and publication
Presentation of findings