With thanks to JPUH NMAHP-RES and NICHE for the scholarship programme and associated funding. 

​I have spent my entire professional life giving my heart and soul to my work, believing that anything less than 100% effort and commitment was a insufficient. The perpetual balancing act of work and home meant that doing anything to improve myself professionally felt nothing short of self-indulgent. However, having spent the last 2 years studying to get my CV in order, I dared to dream and took a project idea to the NMAHP scholarship team.

​Through the programme there was an opportunity to evaluate the possibility of helping develop services and realise my long-held ambition to work towards becoming a Surgical Care Practitioner...what I did not expect was the Pandora’s box that opened: out of it spilt issues of organisational readiness, competing agendas, professional silos, disjointed networks and most importantly facing challenges of how to navigate it all while seeking to remain a positive force for change.
My registered profession of Operating Department Practice is a rather ninja like – always in the shadows, executing compassionate patient care with precision and little fanfare: away from the public eye in the depths of theatre, poorly understood or often completely unknown. Not everyone wants to step away from this underworld that we know so well and nor should anyone be forced to, but there are those among us who feel frustration at the disparity of professional opportunity we face knowing that our skills, experience and commitment have the potential to add value to wider communities of practice.
The real question for my scholarship project became how to help make such voices heard and how my own development and project work may assist in making the invisible, visible.
Under the Jedi Master like influence of the facilitation team and my mentor, within the safe space created by fellow scholars and some of the inspiring people I have met, something was re-awakened within me. Alongside learning opportunities and tasks, I was given ‘permission’ to take the time needed for self-reflection and evaluation: what am I good at? What do I actually want?

Inadvertently, the scholarship process has acted as a catalyst to bring about the confluence of many aspects of myself and in so doing enabled me to edge closer to my professional Ikigai: my reason for being. 

​My passion and profession have overlapped for many years, making me content and comfortable (in short, I love my job!), however, my project has really challenged me to allow myself to be inspired and consider what ‘the world’ needs from me.
I have come to realise that there is a profound brilliance in the difference that can be made by any individual connecting with others, truly reflecting on and sharing experiences, being open to possibilities and challenges and most importantly having the self-belief and confidence to seek new knowledge.

My scholarship journey has taught me that with empowerment and bravery, even a humble ODP can make an impression that has the potential to open minds, which when approached correctly, can align with wider agendas and create a positive environment for change.

Further reading available at: https://www.calm.com/blog/ikigai

This has been written for nurses by a nurse but could be transferable to all those involved in clinical research.
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Siobhan Parslow-Williams @PWSiobhan
Bsc Hons RGN,
Sustainability in Quality Improvement Lead at Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, Oxford, UK.
Former Senior clinical research nurse,
NIHR ALP graduate 2018-19, 
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My name is Siobhan Egan and I work as a clinical research nurse at the Clinical Research Unit (CRU), University of Limerick Hospital Group, Ireland. The CRU is a subunit of the Clinical Research Support Unit (CRSU), Health Research Institute, University of Limerick. The CRSU endeavours to conduct and support outstanding transformative research in order to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and populations. The role of the clinical research nurse is pivitol in supporting various research projects including industry, pharmaceutical and academic led clinical trials.
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​I really enjoy the diversity of my work which includes clinical, research, leadership and educational responsibilities. I am passionate about student nurse education, and as a clinical nurse I always enjoyed mentoring students. Recently, I gave a tutorial to 4th year student nurses which focused on a piece of research I undertook as part of my Masters in Nursing. Surprisingly I received many questions about my current role as a nurse in clinical research. These queries centred on the duties of a research nurse, what qualifications are necessary, and career advancement. 
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​Unfortunately, many student nurses internationally don’t have the opportunity to undertake a placement in clinical research and there is little emphasis on clinical research in the undergraduate nursing curriculum. I believe that if we are to ignite the spark of research inquiry among our graduate nurses then the opportunity to undertake a placement in clinical research is necessary. Personally I have always learned from the lived experience and can honestly say I never truly understood research methodology until I began working as a research nurse
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​I completed my MSc in Nursing in 2014, and I have to admit that at times I found it a challenging process! Upon reflection, the experience and knowledge I have gained from working as a nurse in clinical research would undoubtedly have supported me in obtaining this academic award. I want students to know that there is a growing body of clinical research and nurses are at the forefront of this exciting career option. I enthusiastically promote and encourage clinical research nursing.

https://www.ul.ie/hri/

Through time, mankind always was looking to advance as a species. Humans, being a cerebral creature, always wanted to further progress their understanding of everything. It is how we have separated ourselves as a species, rising from the dust to seize control of the planet and nature. As a species, we have moved far, and progressed further than any other creature ever before in the history of this planet we call home. This was only possible through research.

Research is what made us who we are. We are research, but what is it?

Modern research originated in Ancient Greece.. When the ancient Greeks travelled the world they encountered an array of different cultures and people. From this, philosophy was born. Society was faced with new questions, in part due to the plethora of cultures they became exposed to. The answers to these new questions posed was what led to the works of the likes of Socrates and Aristotle.[i] When the human species was faced with profound questions about life, philosophy was born. Through philosophy, more questions started to be asked, which in turn led to answers. Sometimes the answers led to more questions, other times they simply led to us knowing and understanding more.

With every year we are becoming more and more advanced as a species; we have achieved feats once considered impossible. Man has walked on the moon, our genome has been edited, we are on the verge of creating artificial intelligence ex nihilo.

Research is the pillar upon which modern medicine stands. Every drug, every procedure in medicine has been subject to extensive research. All of it was done to make things better, every question that can be asked was asked. We do research to make things better, asking questions, probing for the truth.

There is no one true answer to why we do research, the answer to this question is akin to asking, “why are we human?” Humans are a curious species, constantly asking questions, constantly seeking answers; constantly doing research.
Doing research is one of the best ways to be able to contribute to a greater goal and finding meaning in life. A life of research is not one that leads to money, one does not find fame and glory in doing research, often it involves blood sweat and many tears. However, nothing that is easy is worth fighting for, knowing that as an individual one is able to be an agent of change, leading to the world becoming a slightly better place. Research is in itself a noble goal, one worth fighting for. We do research because it is what makes us human.

[i] Peterson, J. B. (2018). 12 Rules for Life. Random House USA. Forward page “xxii”
 

People living with and beyond cancer (PLWBC) face many challenges, including failure of communications with their clinical team and sub optimal support for early detection of symptoms and adverse events that can have a detrimental effect on their ongoing care.
With the increased use of oral anti-cancer agents, patients are often at home when they experience a side effect and therefore need support in deciding how to self-manage and/or report it to their healthcare professional. This decision is often time-sensitive as a delay in reporting some side effects can lead to long term complications, life threatening events and an interruption to their cancer treatment. Involving and supporting patients in managing their condition is empowering and provides them with some of the control they often lose during the cancer journey.

The use of technology to support communications and early detection of problems is well documented in the literature with some studies evaluating their use in cancer care. Technology has the potential to offer a complementary supportive function by being available 24/7 to provide advice and guidance while monitoring patient reported outcomes (PROs) whenever the need arises for information in regards to their own therapy thus offering alternative processes for all to have equal access. However, despite this positive evidence, new technologies have proven slow to become accepted, integrated and implemented in practice resulting in innovations remaining within the realm of research and not within the reach of everyday practice. This could be partially due to a lack of an implementation strategy.

At Kingston University, I am a member of a multidisciplinary team of pharmacists and mobile health experts that has designed and developed a holistic platform that offers such support to cancer patients. CanAdvice is an award winning platform that follows a patient-centred design supported by an in depth needs assessment of cancer patients. CanAdvice supports users with self-management and reporting of adverse events. Following successful validation and usability studies, CanAdvice is now in clinical trial at the Royal Marsden Foundation Trust. Preliminary results show high acceptability among users, and fantastic feedback.

​I’m involved in this research to study and support how technology can improve the patient journey.
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Recent interview on the topic with myself at British Oncology Pharmacy Association annual conference https://www.vjoncology.com/video/ahh-9e604um-smart-app-to-allow-patients-to-manage-their-side-effects-independently/
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Hi! I’m Emma and I’m a Clinical Research Practitioner for my local NHS Hospital.
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By background, I am an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) who specialises in anaesthetics for general, orthopaedic and vascular surgery for a number of years. I also spent a great deal of time in A&E and ICU responding to emergencies and was also a mentor for student ODPs. 

​My daily job involved working closely with anaesthetists to keep patients safe during their surgery and being the patients advocate. I made the big move to research in 2017 and work with a wonderful team made up of AHPs, Nurses and Clinical Research Assistants. Being an ODP starting out in the world of research was a big jump and somewhat unheard of for my profession, however it has allowed me to transfer niche skills learnt from the perioperative environment and weave them into the world of clinical research with continuing success. Whilst what goes on behind theatre doors remains a mystery for many, for an ODP, carrying out research in this specialist area allows me to implement trials safely and effectively due to the niche understanding of how and why surgical care pathways work in such a way.  This in turn has seen patient and colleague involvement increase dramatically and trials running very smoothly. 

​My day to day research job involves recruiting patients to a number of clinical trials I work on, however this can vary on whether it is a planned or an emergency admission. The majority of my trials are surgical, breast and critical care lead and I’ve recently branched out into the world of cardiology, which is a scary but exciting new avenue!

​A typical day for me involves screening patients, answering queries, attending clinic appointments, seeing patients for various trial needs, taking blood, preparing and giving IV’s. I also attend MDT’s, meet with various colleagues on a daily basis and educate staff on current clinical trials being carried out in order for them to be implemented and delivered effectively and efficiently. Whilst the majority of my day is planned, it can all go out of the window if I’m rung to recruit a patient who has been admitted for emergency surgery or has been admitted to A&E after having a cardiac event. Sometimes I’m only giving minutes to have an in-depth conversation with a patient about whether they’d like to be involved in an emergency based research trial and I absolutely applaud these patients for taking the time to participate in research when they’re feeling at their absolute low or have been giving a potentially life changing diagnosis, but still want to help make a difference. 

​My absolute favourite part of the job is working as part of a multidisciplinary team across the hospital and as a result, I have the absolute pleasure of working with some of the most wonderful Doctors and Nurses pictured within this blog that I never would have come across if it wasn’t for research. We all bring something different to a clinical trial to make it succeed for ourselves and our patients. 

​I am involved in research because the future of our healthcare and its advancement relies on good quality research being carried out today. It takes a multidisciplinary team approach from all backgrounds to come together and deliver exceptional results and I’m thrilled I can offer something a little different into the world of research by being an ODP!

​AHPs can really help blaze the way in this field! So much so, I won an award for my contributions towards research at my local hospital. If an ODP can do it, anyone can. Research within the NHS is an extremely rewarding job and it’s humbling to see patients eager to be a part of helping to make a difference. 

​I can be found on Twitter, so if you want to know more, please do get in touch! https://twitter.com/EmmaMarshall981

​And yes…that is a picture of with me an inflatable flamingo! I won it as part of an anaesthetic trial I work on. Blame the anaesthetist…! 

I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to host two Twitterfest chats for the #WhyWeDoResearch community with my colleague’s @trifidNebula73 and @mazp74 highlighting paediatric research.
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We held the first twitter chat in 2017 and the second one in 2018 during the #WhyWeDoResearch Twitterfest week. We consciously hosted the chats at the same time one year apart midweek at 12pm.
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Give trial participants a chance to be active participants, ask them about their experience, what could improve the process and whether they would like to be involved in identifying follow on research questions.
 
My #WhyWeDoResearch: Because it matters, it can be  the difference between life and death, living or existing. It gives me hope and makes me feel I still have something to contribute despite ill health. Partnership and collaboration improve all research outcomes.
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Hello, my name is Leigh Boxall and I’m a Site and Resource Manager for a global Commercial Research Organisation (CRO). I know that the world of commercial research can sometimes be perceived as “the dark side” and having only recently moved into Industry, I wanted to share my experience and perceptions to date.
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First; a bit of history about me and how my reason for doing research has changed during my research career to date.
I started out as a Research Physiotherapist, getting involved in local small-scale research projects because my manager told me I “asked too many questions” about why we did the things we did! It was a fantastic opportunity to help shape a protocol, collect data and analyse the results. I really appreciate now why research takes so long to develop and how hard it is to disseminate and embed in practice.

I guess my very first #WhyWeDoResearch was “to better understand Physiotherapy treatments and promote evidence based practice”. 

My #WhyWeDoResearch at this stage was “to ensure research is everyone’s business”.

The opportunity to move into a commercial role came about last year and whist I had not considered this avenue before; I knew it would broaden my horizons and provide a new clinical research experience. I was nervous about making the transition. I worried that I’d be surrounded by people who thought differently to me and I’d feel torn between my clinical background and a corporate, profit driven environment.

I won’t pretend it hasn’t been a massive adjustment. Working for a CRO does feel very different to the NHS and I have had to adapt my management style as I find myself leading a team of Clinical Research Associates (CRAs), some of whom I only see face to face a couple of times a year. The global nature of the company means that I liaise with Project Leads from all over the world and overcoming time-zones and language barriers is a must. As a CRO we are trying to meet our customers (the Sponsors) expectations whilst relying on and working with the Investigators and site teams to ensure patient safety and data quality. We have a multitude of metrics and timelines that we are measured against and of course as a business, revenue is an important factor.

However; the thing that has really struck me is that whenever I talk to my colleagues about why they do research; fundamentally their reasons are the same as mine. Patient care and driving improvements in diagnosis and treatment really is at the core of why they do what they do. I’ve seen it at every level of the company. I’m astounded by how many people I’m surrounded by with a clinical background; my manager is a Medic, above her a Nurse, above him a Dentist and above him a Nurse. They all have their stories and experiences of where there are still unanswered questions in their field of expertise and they are all driven by a desire to continue improving healthcare outcomes.

I think there is a lot to be gained from sharing lessons and experiences across healthcare delivery and commercial research organisations. The more we understand about each other’s environments, our strengths and our limits, the more collaborative and effective we become in delivering better patient outcomes.

​I’ll end on my current #WhyWeDoResearch which is to “offer new treatment opportunities to patients and ensure their wellbeing and safety is at the heart of what we do”.