Research Congress: It's the craic!

By Janice E. Hawkins, PhD, RN, lecturer at Old Dominion University School of Nursing in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. Master adviser certified, Hawkins also serves as the school’s chief academic adviser.

When I learned that the annual International Nursing Research Congress, sponsored by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, would be held in Ireland this year, I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of it. This is my first congress, but not my first trip to Ireland. My first visit was earlier this year as faculty leader of a short-term, study-abroad experience. I lived with a host family for nine days and fell in love with the people and the country.

The author at Trinity College.

As part of my Irish immersion, my hosts enthusiastically educated me on the proper use of the term “craic.” I learned that craic is where it’s happening, it’s the scoop, the place to be. For the next five days, the 28th International Nursing Research Congress is where it’s happening, where I’ll learn the scoop on evidence-based practices, and the place I want to be.

I’m very happy with my decision to return to Ireland for this conference, but I’m not counting on the luck of the Irish to make the most of it. To have a better idea of what to expect, I’ve watched the video for first-time attendees. I’ve reviewed the conference schedule and mapped out plans to attend presentations most relevant to my practice. For networking opportunities, I’ve confirmed my reservation for the Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy (NFLA) Meet and Greet. I also plan to attend the Welcome Reception. I should be able to find my way around the convention centre with assistance from the app I’ve downloaded for the congress.

Earlier this year, in “Stand at ease, then forward, march!,” I shared with RNL readers my goal to increase my scholarly productivity. My presentation at congress is partial fulfillment of that promise I made to myself. On Friday, I’ll be presenting on educational strategies to improve graduation rates of RN-BSN students from disadvantaged backgrounds. We’ve had tremendous success with this population at our institution, and I’m anxious to share our model with other educators.

My presentation is part of a larger symposium, Innovative Evidence-Based Strategies for BSN Education. I’ll be presenting with colleagues from Old Dominion University. This is the first time I’ve been part of a symposium presentation. Getting ready for the presentation has been hard work. Coordinating a group presentation is definitely more challenging and time-consuming than an individual one, but the payoff is bigger, too. Without stepping foot into the convention centre, I’ve already learned a lot from my peers at home about educational strategies as well as tips for presenting to an international audience. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is that we have something valuable to share that helps advance best practices in nursing education.

Hawkins at Glenveagh Castle
during March visit to Ireland.

A side benefit of presenting with my colleagues is the shared excitement for this conference and the opportunity to travel together. We’ve scheduled extra time in Ireland to tour the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. We also plan to visit Cork and Blarney where, donned in our personal protective equipment (PPE), we’ll kiss the Blarney Stone.

In Dublin, I’m thrilled with our accommodations at Trinity College. This historic university and popular tourist destination will be our home for the week. We’ve purchased our tickets to see the Book of Kells, a treasured biblical manuscript housed on campus in the Trinity College Library. And, of course, we’ll stop by Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction, the Guinness Storehouse.

I toured this museum on my previous visit to Dublin. Since this will be my second visit, I already know that Arthur Guinness had 21 kids with his wife Olivia Whitmore. Olivia Whitmore Guinness had 21 kids! No blarney! This bit of trivia had my internal labor-and-delivery-nurse alarm buzzing with postpartum hemorrhage risk alerts.

I’m excited and ready for Research Congress 2017. Tá súil agam go bhfeicfidh mé thú (I hope to see you) in Dublin.

To access information about Hawkins’ presentation, including slides, click here.