Carolyn Donohue and delegatesPictured: Dr Eilish Burke, Carolyn Donohue, Dr Rosemarie Derwin and Professor Damien Brennan attend the conference.

Research presented at the conference included:

  • Child and Family Health
  • Healthy Ageing and Intellectual Disability Across the Lifespan
  • Maternal Health
  • Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery
  • Older Persons Health and Wellbeing
  • Practice and Healthcare Innovation

The conference kicked off on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, with a student colloquium opened with a keynote address on ‘Making Evidence Matter in a Changing Healthcare Landscape’ from Dr Kieran Walsh, Deputy Director of Health Technology Assessment, Health Information and Quality Authority. MSc research and PhD students presented their ‘research in progress’ with the support of their peers.

The winner of the student colloquium poster competition was Patricia Robinson (South East Technological University – SETU) for her poster on ‘Touching distance: the emotional consequences of social distancing in Irish nursing homes during the Covid-19 lockdown.’ 

Lucy Hackett (TCD School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences) was awarded best oral presentation at the student colloquium for her presentation on ‘Barriers and facilitators to self-management for mothers who wish to breastfeed but require concurrent pharmacotherapy: A mixed-methods systematic review.’

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 on 'Sláintecare - Past, Present and Future' by Damien McCallion, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer and Deputy CEO, Health Service Executive, and on ‘'Regulation for a New Era – Enabling Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery' by Carolyn Donohue, CEO, Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland.

A panel discussion also saw Professor Catherine Darker, Dr Vivienne Brady, Maria Kane and Gillian Teague discuss the future of person-centred care in a evolving healthcare environment.

Delegates gathered later that evening in Trinity College’s historic dining hall for the conference banquet and enjoyed a gala dinner followed by music and spoken word poetry by Niall Breslin.

On Thursday, the final day of the conference, Professor Sarah H. Kagan, Lucy Walker Honorary Term Professor of Gerontological Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, gave a keynote address entitled 'In the Eye of the Storm: Meeting the Mandate for Wise Nursing and Midwifery?'

The final keynote speaker at the conference was Professor Susanne Benseler, Chief Academic Officer and Head of Paediatric Health Affairs, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) who spoke about 'Transforming child health outcomes – together.'

Prizes were awarded for posters under the following categories: 

Best Poster Prize - Healthy Ageing and Intellectual Disability Across the Lifespan

What are the key barriers, facilitators, and factors relating to the sustainability and scalability for the implementation of a new nursing model of care for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities as perceived by key stakeholders?

Eva Whelan: Stewarts Care

 

Best Poster Prize - Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery

Recovery, choice and medication; enabling mental health nurses to navigate person-centred conversations about psychiatric medications

Roisin Reilly: TCD School of Nursing and Midwifery

Jo Painter: Sheffield Hallam University

 

Best Poster Prize – Practice and Health Innovation

Empowering the frontline: scenario-based sepsis education for nurses

Ajin Ragavan Selvi: St James Hospital

 

Best Poster Prize – Older Persons Health and Wellbeing

Older person simulation: bridging the gap between theory & practice

Cathy Monahan: St James's Hospital

 

Professor Eilish Burke, Director of Research and Chair of the THEConf2026, said:

“This year’s Nursing and Midwifery Research Conference has been a powerful celebration of scholarship, collaboration, and care. The research shared across these days reflects not only academic excellence but the heart and humanity that define our professions. Together, we have shown that nursing, midwifery, and our wider health community are shaping the future of care, leading change with courage, compassion, and creativity. It is a privilege to be part of such a vibrant and forward-looking community.”

 

Professor Damien Brennan, Head of School, said:

“Each year we are proud to open the doors of the School of Nursing & Midwifery to researchers and clinical colleagues who travel from across Ireland and around the world to be part of our international research conference. It is a wonderful opportunity to bring together the best minds in education, research and the clinical space.”