Review Report
School of Nursing and Midwifery, NUI Galway
10/02/2015
Reviewers
Dr Mary Kerr, Dean of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University,
Cleveland, Ohio, USA. (Chair); Prof Karen Luker, Head of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social
Work, the University of Manchester, UK.; Dr Michael Shannon, Director of Nursing & Midwifery
Services & Assistant National Director, Clinical Strategy & Programmes Division, Health Service
Executive, Ireland; Dr Kieran Conboy, Dean of the College of Business, Public Policy and Law, NUI
Galway; Mr Gerry McAleavey, Athrú Consultancy, Dublin (Coordinator)
Key Strengths of School of Nursing and Midwifery:
The School:
1. Is recognised as making a significant contribution across many aspects of the University’s
strategic objectives.
2. Has a very well managed academic team with a strong sense of collegiality and collaborative
spirit underpinned by an excellent work ethic.
3. Is strongly student centred and pioneers innovative teaching strategies and practices e.g. first to
develop a blended learning MSc. at NUI Galway.
4. Has an excellent partnership with the Health Service Executive – is making a contribution to both
local and national healthcare services.
5. Has an exemplary unitary administrative team that is a model for the rest of the University to
follow – very well led and highly flexible.
6. Is developing a platform of research as evidenced by recent awards.
7. Is committed to ongoing development of staff to meet the new challenges of clinical practice,
education and research.
8. Is very well regarded within the University
9. Has an energetic and unified leadership team underpinned by a culture of open and honest
relationships between the School staff at all levels.
Key Recommendations:
1. Refine the School Strategy in a manner which establishes a clear and focused direction for the
future:
a. Clarify the vision, mission and strategic alignment within the context of emerging
national healthcare policy and future direction;
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b. Identify School priorities within the broad range of existing activities;
c. Highlight the critical differentiating themes of the School; identify leading Schools in
these thematic areas and benchmark accordingly against international standards e.g. UK
REF and New Zealand PBRF;
d. Fully utilise College Executive meetings to further deliver the goals of the School;
2. Develop an economic model to enhance School income:
a. Design an entrepreneurial strategy to generate additional income e.g. identify
opportunities with the Health Service Executive, other agencies and commercial entities
e.g. Medtronic;
b. Review the benefits and costs of current and future international activities and
initiatives;
c. Work with the College Office to secure resources to carry out an economic cost benefit /
analysis of postgraduate taught provision within the School;
3. Fully exploit the Research and Educational synergies across the School, College and University:
a. Enhance the existing research portfolio in the School by leveraging and drawing on the
significant research expertise, mind-set and approach within the College e.g. linking with
Institutes or Centres (Life Course Institute, Diabetes Centre and Business School etc.)
4. Work in partnership with the Health Service Executive, Dept. of Health and other agencies to
forge strategic alliances and increase shared clinical / academic appointments and other joint
initiatives.
5. Provide career development initiatives and interventions to increase the likelihood of success in
promotion which will address the discrepancy in the balance of senior to junior level positions.
6. Strengthen senior leadership capacity for the future:
a. Senior staff in the school should seek external mentorship;
b. Initiate a succession management plan and provide leadership development to support
the School strategy;
7. Increase the administrative resource available to the School to strengthen the research
infrastructure and capacity by fully engaging with the College – this can be achieved by a School
and / or College resource.
8. The University and College should urgently provide an infrastructure to support the School in
integrating St Angela’s College so as to mitigate risks and ensure successful implementation of
the project.
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Other Recommendations:
•
Review Human Resources support for the hiring of research staff and administrators to increase
the School’s effectiveness in soliciting, receipt and administration of research proposals.
•
Pursue the sourcing of a new IT system to address the additional workload and risks associated
with the necessary current “workarounds”.
•
It is confusing to the international audience to award a PhD to both a research intensive and
clinical doctorate - consider re-designating the latter as a “Professional Doctorate”.
•
Review and align annual performance expectations with promotion criteria.
•
Investigate establishing a panel of appropriate experts, external to the School, to review grant
bids / proposals prior to submission
Comments on Review Process:
• The Self-Assessment Report was comprehensive, clear and metric-supported.
• All School staff and others participating in the process were extremely open, willing to engage
and accommodating.
• The profile and range of those engaging with the Review Team ensured a high level of
representation of the key stakeholders.
• The Review meeting programme was well organised and structured while remaining flexible
and responsive to the requirements of the Review Team.
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Action Plan
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Action Plan Meeting held on 18th May in AM215, Arts Millennium Building
Present
From the Unit: A Cooney, G Gethin, B McCarthy, S McDonagh, K Murphy, D Devaney
From the Review Team: G Mc Aleavey, K Conboy
From University Management: P Ó Dochartaigh, C Loughnane, D O’Sullivan, M Ni Chúlain, I Mac
Labhrainn, N Walsh In attendance: M Linnane
This Action Plan has been agreed by Reviewers, the School and University Management in response
to the Review Report for the above named review. Further details on some actions are available in
the Review Report. This Action Plan together with the Review Report is available on the University’s
public website.
Actions for the School and University Management
9. The School will refine the School Strategy to establish a clear and focused direction for the
future and will
a. clarify the vision, mission and strategic alignment within the context of emerging
national healthcare policy and future direction;
b. identify School priorities within the broad range of existing activities;
c. highlight the critical differentiating themes of the School, identify leading Schools in
these thematic areas and benchmark accordingly against international standards
d. fully utilise College Executive meetings to further deliver the goals of the School.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
10. The School will develop an economic model to enhance School income and will
a. design an entrepreneurial strategy to generate additional income
b. review benefits and costs of current and future international activities and initiatives;
c. work with the College Office to secure resources to carry out an economic cost benefit
analysis of postgraduate taught provision within the School.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
11. The School will fully exploit Research and Educational synergies across the School, College and
University to enhance the existing research portfolio in the School by leveraging and drawing on
the significant research expertise, mind-set and approach within the College e.g. linking with
Research Institutes or Centres
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: Ongoing]
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12. The School will continue to work in partnership with the Health Service Executive, the
Department of Health and other agencies to forge strategic alliances and increase shared
clinical/academic appointments and other joint initiatives.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: Ongoing]
13. The School will continue to provide career development initiatives and interventions to increase
the likelihood of success in promotion which will address the discrepancy in the balance of
senior to junior level positions.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: Ongoing]
14. The School will strengthen senior leadership capacity for the future where senior staff will seek
external mentorship with a Succession Management Plan agreed, to provide and develop
leadership that supports the School strategy.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: Ongoing]
15. The School will fully engage with the College and bring a proposal for an increase in
administrative resources to further strengthen the research infrastructure of the School.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/05/2016]
16. The University and College will urgently provide an infrastructure that supports the School in
integrating St Angela’s College, to mitigate risks and ensure successful implementation of the
project.
[Responsible: Registrar and Deputy President/Dean; Due: 01/05/2016]
Other Recommendations
17. The University will review Human Resources support for the hiring of research staff and
administrators, to increase the School’s effectiveness in soliciting, receipt and administration of
research proposals.
[Responsible: Registrar and Deputy President/HR/Dean; Due: 01/06/2017]
18. The School will pursue the sourcing of a new IT system to address the additional workload and
risks associated with the necessary current “workarounds”.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/05/2016]
19. The School will consider re-designating the clinical doctorate as a “Professional Doctorate”.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/05/2016]
20. The School will investigate ways of establishing a panel of external experts who will review grant
bids and proposals prior to submission.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/05/2016]
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Approved by:
Head of School, Dr Adeline Cooney
Dean, Professor Tim O’Brien
Registrar and Deputy President, Professor Pól Ó Dochartaigh
Director of Quality, Professor David O’Sullivan
Date:
3 July 2015
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