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Rhona is a lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and currently co-ordinates the Higher Diploma in Midwifery, MSc Midwifery and CPD modules related to midwifery and neonatal care in collaboration with the maternity services.  She is a member of the Midwifery Recruitment Exploratory Working Group and the Maternity Services Group South/South West.  Rhona is chairperson of the Midwives Section of the INMO; delegate to both the Central European Region of the International Confederation of Midwives and European Midwives Association.  Following 2 years’ experience in general nursing overseas, she spent 6 years in midwifery practice including neonatology.    When she took up her post as Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery she was charged with developing midwifery education programmes, including the National Requirement and Standards of Midwifery Education with the NMBI.  She led the curriculum for undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery programmes within the School. Rhona’s engagement with national and international agencies are instrumental in influencing midwifery standards of practice. She has been a member of the Midwives Committee of the NMBI, the Midwifery Committee of the Department of Health; and founder member of the Midwives Association of Ireland.  Her research area of expertise is specific to midwives’ ways of working and on Maternal and Child Health from preconceptual to postnatal care for women, infants and families. Her research commitments include the supervision of PhD, DN and MSc Research students to successful completion. She has received research funding from national agencies including the HRB, HSE, DOH and the NMBI.  She is an Associate Editor for BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth and is a peer reviewer for a number of nursing and midwifery journals.  Rhona has published widely on nursing and midwifery education and practice issues.

For many years Rhona has promoted the role of the midwife and its potential for greater contribution to maternity care for women in Ireland.  

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Research Interests

My research interests centre on midwifery practice, neonatology and maternity care.  I am instrumental in developing a midwifery research agenda within the School which involves ongoing collaboration with the maternity services.  I am involved in the Midwifery Research Forum in the Cork University Maternity Hospital which has the remit of stimulating a research agenda.  

My research interests focus on midwifery practice, the development of women centred care, midwifery led services, normal birth, models of midwifery care, home birth and exploring the experiences and needs of childbearing women.  I am also interested in supporting research among neonatal nurses; my research interests in this area include exploring the needs of parents and developmental care issues for newborn babies. 

I completed my PhD with the University of Central Lancashire which involved investigating midwives’ perception and experience of birth in Ireland. 

Research Grants

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Book Chapters

Peer Reviewed Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2016)	'Midwifery education in Ireland - The quest for modernity' O'Connell, R;Bradshaw, C (2016) 'Midwifery education in Ireland - The quest for modernity'. Midwifery, 33 :34-36 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'An agenda for midwifery education: Advancing the state of the world's midwifery' Bharj, KK,Luyben, A,Avery, MD,Johnson, PG,O'Connell, R,Barger, MK,Bick, D (2016) 'An agenda for midwifery education: Advancing the state of the world's midwifery'. Midwifery, 33 :3-6 [DOI] [Details]
	(2016)	'Nurses', midwives' and key stakeholders' experiences and perceptions on requirements to demonstrate the maintenance of professional competence' Casey M;Cooney A;O' Connell R;Hegarty J;Brady AM;O'Reilly P;Kennedy C;Heffernan E;Fealy G;Mcnamara M;O' Connor L; (2016) 'Nurses', midwives' and key stakeholders' experiences and perceptions on requirements to demonstrate the maintenance of professional competence'. Journal of Advanced Nursing, [DOI] [CORA Link] [Details]
	(2015)	'Systematic qualitative literature review of health care workers' compliance with hand hygiene guidelines (2015). Smiddy, M. O’Connell, R. Creedon, S. American Journal of Infection Control 03/2015; 43(3):269-74' Smiddy, M. O’Connell, R. Creedon, S (2015) 'Systematic qualitative literature review of health care workers' compliance with hand hygiene guidelines (2015). Smiddy, M. O’Connell, R. Creedon, S. American Journal of Infection Control 03/2015; 43(3):269-74'. American Journal of Infection Control, 43 (3) [DOI] [Details]
	(2015)	'‘Puts the magic back into life': Fathers' experience of planned home birth' Sweeney, S, O’Connell R (2015) '‘Puts the magic back into life': Fathers' experience of planned home birth'. Women and Birth, 28 (2):148-153 [DOI] [Details]
	(2014)	'A descriptive survey of the educational preparation and practices of antenatal educators in Ireland' O’Sullivan, C., O’Connell R., Devane D. (2014) 'A descriptive survey of the educational preparation and practices of antenatal educators in Ireland'. The Journal of perinatal education, 23 (1):33-40 [DOI] [Details]
	(2014)	'A contextual clinical assessment for student midwives in Ireland' Phelan, A; O'Connell, R; Murphy, M; McLoughlin, G; Long, O (2014) 'A contextual clinical assessment for student midwives in Ireland'. Nurse Education Today, 34 (3):292-294 [DOI] [Details]
	(2011)	'Essential leadership skills for motivating and developing staff' Curtis, E and O'Connell, R.; (2011) 'Essential leadership skills for motivating and developing staff'. Nursing management (Harrow, London, England : 1994), 18 (5):32-35 [Details]
	(2011)	'Secondary prevention and learning needs post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI): perspectives of both patients and nurses' Kilonzo, B,O'Connell, R; (2011) 'Secondary prevention and learning needs post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI): perspectives of both patients and nurses'. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 20 :1160-1167 [DOI] [Details]
	(2011)	'Health Literacy and coronary heart disease: Implications for nurses' Kilonzo, B., Hughes, M., O'Connell, R.; (2011) 'Health Literacy and coronary heart disease: Implications for nurses'. British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, 6 (1):29-34 [Details]
	(2010)	'A systematic review evaluating the impact of post-registration nursing and midwifery education on practice. Nurse Education in Practice' Gijbels, Harry; O'Connell, Rhona; Dalton-O'Connor, Caroline; O'Donovan, Moira; (2010) 'A systematic review evaluating the impact of post-registration nursing and midwifery education on practice. Nurse Education in Practice'. Nurse Education In Practice, 10 (2):64-69 [Details]
	(2009)	'A metasynthesis of midwives' experience of hospital practice in publicly funded settings: compliance, resistance and authenticity' O'Connell, R,Downe, S; (2009) 'A metasynthesis of midwives' experience of hospital practice in publicly funded settings: compliance, resistance and authenticity'. Health, 13 :589-609 [DOI] [Details]
	(2009)	'Obstetric surgery for perioperative staff and midwives. Journal of Perioperative Practice' O'Connell, R; (2009) 'Obstetric surgery for perioperative staff and midwives. Journal of Perioperative Practice'. Journal of Perioperative Practice, 19 (6):188-191 [CORA Link] [Details]
	(2009)	'A metasynthesis of midwives' experience of hospital practice in publicly funded settings: compliance, resistance and authenticity' O'Connell, R;Downe, S (2009) 'A metasynthesis of midwives' experience of hospital practice in publicly funded settings: compliance, resistance and authenticity'. Health, 13 :589-609 [DOI] [Details]
	(2002)	'Home Birth in Ireland 1993 - 1997 A review of Community Midwifery Practice' O’Connell, R., Cronin M.; (2002) 'Home Birth in Ireland 1993 - 1997 A review of Community Midwifery Practice'. All Ireland Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 2 ((2)):41-46 [CORA Link] [Details]
	(2002)	'Midwives and Maternity Care in Ireland: Opportunities to move ahead? ' O’Connell, R; (2002) 'Midwives and Maternity Care in Ireland: Opportunities to move ahead? '. Midwifery Matters, 92 (*):9-10 [Details]
	(1999)	'Neonatal Surgery, are operating theatres always necessary?' O’Connell, R., Bradfield, L.; (1999) 'Neonatal Surgery, are operating theatres always necessary?'. Journal of Neonatal Nursing, 5 ((2)):8-12 [Details]

Other Journals

	Year	Publication
	(2016)	'Strategic approach to antenatal education' O'Sullivan C., O'Connell R (2016) 'Strategic approach to antenatal education' Win Journal, 24 (3) :26-27. [Details]
	(2015)	'Childbirth: Myths of Medicalization' O'Connell R and Phelan A (2015) 'Childbirth: Myths of Medicalization' Entre Nous, :18-19. [Details]
	(2014)	'The Challenges of FGM' O'Connell R. (2014) 'The Challenges of FGM' World of Irish Nursing and Midwifery, 22 (6) . [DOI] [Details]
	(2012)	'Midwifery Matters - Domestic abuse in pregnancy' Aher, A., O'Connell R. (2012) 'Midwifery Matters - Domestic abuse in pregnancy' World of Irish Nursing and Midwifery, 20 (7) . [Details]
	(2010)	'Teaching teachers' O'Sullivan, C; O'Connell, R; (2010) 'Teaching teachers' World of Irish Nursing, 18 (6) :46-47. [Details]
	(2010)	'Tackling health illiteracy' O'Connell, R; Hughes M; Kilonzo B; (2010) 'Tackling health illiteracy' World of Irish Nursing, 18 (2) :40-41. [Details]
	(2007)	'Natural Benefits: Making Breastfeeding Easier' O'Donnell, C., O'Connell, R.; (2007) 'Natural Benefits: Making Breastfeeding Easier' World of Irish Nursing, 15 (7) :18-19. [Details]
	(2002)	'Midwives and maternity care in Ireland: opportunities to move ahead?' O'Connell, R; (2002) 'Midwives and maternity care in Ireland: opportunities to move ahead?' Midwifery Matters, 92 :9-10. [Details]
	(1999)	'Midwifery in Ireland: Recent Trends' O'Connell, R .; (1999) 'Midwifery in Ireland: Recent Trends' Midwifery Matters, 80 (1) . [Details]
	(1999)	'Midwifery in Ireland: Recent Trends. Midwifery Matters' O'Connell, Rhona ; (1999) 'Midwifery in Ireland: Recent Trends. Midwifery Matters' Midwifery Matters, 80 (1) . [Details]
	(1999)	'International Confederation of Midwives Report' O'Connell, R .; (1999) 'International Confederation of Midwives Report' MAI Newsletter, 3 (2) . [Details]
	(1999)	'For the Millennium A Scope of Practice for Midwives' O'Connell, R .; (1999) 'For the Millennium A Scope of Practice for Midwives' MAI Newsletter, 3 (1) . [Details]
	(1998)	'Report on the Commission of Nursing' O'Connell, R .; (1998) 'Report on the Commission of Nursing' MAI Newsletter, 2 (2) . [Details]
	(1998)	'Keeping Birth Normal Midwifery Today Conference Report' O'Connell, R .; (1998) 'Keeping Birth Normal Midwifery Today Conference Report' MAI Newsletter, 2 (2) . [Details]

Conference Publications

Published Reports

Abstract

Book Reviews

Other

Presentation

Unpublished Reports

Technical Publication

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Honours and Awards

Professional Associations

Journal Activities

Conference Contributions

Employment

Education

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Teaching Interests

Midwifery
Research supervision and support 

Modules Taught