Dr. Mary Hughes

Mary is an Associate Professor in Children's Nursing and researcher in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. She is a Registered Children's Nurse and Registered General Nurse with extensive clinical, managerial, teaching and research experience. She is an active researcher with a special interest in Health and Wellbeing in Chronic Illness; child and adolescent health, and digital health innovation. From February 2020-June 2023, Mary was Director of Teaching and Learning Postgraduate in the Trinity School of Nursing and Midwifery, the largest school in Trinity College Dublin. Her remit included the management of the post graduate suite of programmes for 20 taught MSc Programmes, two Higher Diploma Programmes, three Professional Certificate Programmes and seven Microcredentials, in addition to the PG Research offerings of Structured Doctoral and MSc Research. She lead on the development of the strategic plan for PG Education in the school, which informed the new school strategy in 2023.During her term, she was the school lead for the HCI Microcredentials Pilot Project; the school was the most successful school in the pilot in TCD. Mary is currently engaged in research projects centred on child health and wellbeing in community care, in the development of innovative digital health services in Advanced Nursing Practice in Children's Healthcare in Ireland, Digital Information Provision for Medication Safety, and Digital Health Provision in the new Regional Health Areas. She is also supervising PhD students on programmes of research related to child health. Mary is a recognised national academic leader in Children's Health, Advanced Practice and Digital Health. She has strong interprofessional networks nationally and internationally, and is a member of key committees and groups in relation to these fields. She is an influential contributor to the national discourse on developments in Nursing and Midwifery, representing the school, college and IUA Heads on these matters.

     ASTHMA   CHILDHOOD ASTHMA   Children's and Young Peoples Nursing   Childrens health care   children's rights   childrens views   CHRONICALLY ILL CHILDREN   Digital Health   International children's research

Mary's research interests are centred on Health and Wellbeing in Childhood, Childhood Chronic Illness, Advanced Practice in Nursing and Midwifery, and in Digital Health Innovation. Her work is aligned with the research centres TRICC, TCPHI and TCMCR, and associated with collaborators in ADAPT. Mary has recognised expertise in Classic Grounded Theory, qualitative research methodologies, and quantitative methods. She is currently working on 5 funded research projects, which she currently manages with the team of 3 Post-doc fellows and a research assistant. Recruitment of research students is central to the development of children's research, and the children's team. Acting as a supervisor for undergraduate and post graduate research students, supports the development of future academics and researchers in child health, advanced practice, and digital innovation. Mary's current programme of research involves collaborative, interprofessional, and PPI projects that affect the lives of children and their families, and in the design of digital health systems for the new national Children's Hospital and the Regional Health Areas. Her extensive research networks, and established relationships with key stakeholders result in her recognition as a leader in children's nursing research and digital health innovation. Mary has been the lead PI and co-applicant in successful applications for local, national and European research funding. This development of local, national and European partnerships, evidenced in her publications and research programme, highlights her importance in advancing the development of new knowledge in her areas of interest. Mary is committed to expanding her collaboration on projects affecting the lives of children and young people,Advanced Practice, and digital health in the years ahead. Her engagement in these extensive networks increases the potential for further successes in the awarding of funding, ensuring my contribution to the school and it's leading edge in this research space globally.