Pictured: Prof Eilish Burke, Bernard Gloster, Prof Damien Brennan and Eileen Whelan.
Over 300 delegates from across Ireland and all around the world participated in the conference which saw cutting-edge research explored across child and family health, healthy ageing and intellectual disability, maternity care, mental health and recovery, older persons health and wellbeing and practice and healthcare innovation.
The conference commenced on Tuesday with a peer-led student colloquium, which saw MSc research and PhD students present their ‘work in progress’ research in a supportive environment. The winner of the student colloquium poster competition was Sarah Jane Weissenbach for her poster on a systematic review of the ‘Utliisation and Benefits of Nurse-Initiated Analgesia Protocols at Triage in Emergency Care Settings.’ Mary Dunnion was awarded best oral presentation at the student colloquium for her presentation on ‘Older Person’s Health and Wellbeing – Exploring the out of hours discharge from the emergency environment.’
On Wednesday, following an opening address from Prof Brian O’Connell, Dean of the Faculty of Health Science, keynote addresses were delivered at the conference by leaders in the field of healthcare including Bernard Gloster, CEO, HSE and Eileen Whelan, Regional Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Dublin Midlands Region.
Prof Damien Brennan, Head of the School of Nursing & Midwifery facilitated a conversation between Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health Northern Ireland, and Rachel Kenna, Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health Ireland.
Prof Mary J Renfrew, OBE, Professor Emerita, University of Dundee, attended the conference as the Maternal Health plenary speaker and Dr Tim Holt, Clinical Research Fellow, University of Oxford, was the Healthy Ageing & Intellectual Disability plenary speaker.
The School of Nursing and Midwifery Research Impact Competition awards ceremony also took place on Wednesday, and Dr Sunita Panda was announced as the winner for her research into the prevalence of Caesarean Section in Ireland as part of the Maternal health And Maternal Morbidity in Ireland (MAMMI) study.
Delegates gathered later that evening in Trinity College’s historic dining hall for the conference banquet and enjoyed a gala dinner followed by musical entertainment from the Trinitones.
On Thursday, the final day of the conference, Prof Jonathan Drennan, Professor of Nursing, University College Dublin, gave a keynote address on 'Translating evidence into policy and practice: research as a catalyst for health system innovation.'
A panel discussion followed with Clinical Skills colleagues Freda Neill, Dr Sinéad Impey, Karen McTague, Paulo Melo and Cathy Roets on ‘Hybrid practice placements: benefits, challenges and opportunities.'
The final keynote speaker at the conference was Vivien Lusted, Health Program Manager, International Committee of the Red Cross, who spoke about her experiences of healthcare delivery in the context of international crises.
Prizes were awarded for posters under the following categories:
Best Poster Prize - Healthy Ageing and Intellectual Disability
Developing and assigning level of support needs to older adults with intellectual disability aged 40 years and older
Ashleigh Gorman: Trinity Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability
Best Poster Prize - Mental Health and Recovery
Barriers and facilitators to implementing capacity-building initiatives for patient and public involvement in mental health research: a scoping review
Shaakya Anand-Vembar: TCD School of Nursing and Midwifery
Best Poster Prize – Practice and Health Innovation
Methods of teaching nurses intravenous anti-cancer therapy administration: a scoping review
Michelle O'Dowd: ATU St Angelas
Best Poster Prize – Child and Family Health
Impact of social media on young LGBTQI+ people in Ireland
Karin O'Sullivan: TCD School of Nursing and Midwifery
Best Poster Prize – Maternal Health
Women’s experiences of Dilapan insertion for induction of labour in an outpatient setting
Vikkneshwari Rajendren: The Coombe Hospital
Best Poster Prize – Older Persons Health and Wellbeing
Exploring the prevalence and characteristics of interventions for adults with alcohol dependence receiving palliative care in the community: a scoping review
Nana Oye Oko-Adjei: Ulster University
Prof Eilish Burke, Director of Research and Chair of the THEConf2025, said:
“As I reflect on the inspiring discussions and groundbreaking insights shared across the three days of the conference it was a privilege for me to hear from such remarkable speakers who have not only deepened our understanding of innovative driven healthcare but have also demonstrated the resilience and adaptability required to navigate healthcare in times of challenge.
I am truly grateful to all contributors for making the conference such a memorable event and I encourage all contributors to continue pushing the boundaries of knowledge, to remain inquisitive, and to seek opportunities to translate your research into meaningful change.
The standard seen across the conference gives me great confidence in the future of healthcare research.”
Prof Damien Brennan, Head of School, said:
“I am delighted that the hosting of this annual conference by the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Trinity College provides a wonderful social milieu and networking opportunity for the senior leadership of health care and health care education in Ireland.
It brings together senior leaders and researchers to explore the latest research advances which are positively impacting on people’s experiences of birth, death, health, disability and illness.
There was an exceptionally strong programme of keynote addresses, plenary papers and posters on display at the conference this year.
I was also delighted to attend our Student Colloquium which supported early career researchers to present their ongoing PhD and MSc research projects.
We look forward to further strengthening our close links and collaboration with health care leadership, clinical partners and research colleagues into the future.”
