UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems Project Awarded AHSS Grant for 2023-2024

The UCD Health Affairs Academic Health Science System (AHSS) Grant for 2023-2024 has been awarded to several high-impact projects aimed at advancing healthcare education and innovation. The grant, which is designed to strengthen the partnership between the UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences and it’s healthcare partners, saw 22 exceptional submissions, four of which were confirmed winners. Among the awardees, the Evaluation and Co-design of Nursing Capabilities Framework for the Acute Virtual Ward Implementation, led by Dr. Freda Browne of the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, stands out for its focus on reshaping the role of nursing in virtual healthcare settings.

Transforming Nursing for Virtual Healthcare 

As healthcare systems worldwide increasingly adopt digital technologies, virtual care is becoming an integral part of how hospitals manage acute patient needs. Dr. Freda Browne and her multidisciplinary team are at the forefront of this shift. Their project focuses on evaluating and co-designing a nursing capabilities framework that will prepare nurses to deliver high-quality care within an Acute Virtual Ward model.

This initiative aims to ensure that nurses are equipped with the right skills, tools, and competencies to work effectively in virtual settings, enhancing both patient care and the integration of healthcare technologies. By developing this framework, the project addresses the need for structured support, ensuring nurses can confidently transition to virtual wards and uphold the same standard of care as in traditional, in-person settings.

Dr. Browne’s leadership, in collaboration with colleagues Dr. Carmel Davies, Dr. Deirdre O'Donnell, Assoc. Prof. Mary Ryder, Dr. Andrew Darley, Dr. John Gilmore, and Dr. Jonathan Drennan from the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, alongside partners from St. Vincent’s University Hospital and the Ireland East Hospital Group, is vital to the project's success. Their combined expertise is focused on refining how nursing teams operate in virtual environments, ensuring patients continue to receive personalized, compassionate care, even from a distance.

Looking to the Future

As healthcare evolves, projects like this are crucial to ensuring that nursing staff remain at the heart of patient care, even as technologies transform how that care is delivered. By building a framework for virtual wards, this initiative is poised to make a significant impact on the future of nursing and patient outcomes in Ireland and beyond.

For more information on this project and other AHSS Grant awardees, please visit the UCD Health Affairs website.

The UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems continues to lead innovation in nursing education and practice, preparing its professionals for the challenges and opportunities of modern healthcare delivery.