Biography
Ruths experience of providing support and care to persons, living with intellectual disability, and their families is predominantly in residential and community services and founded in nurse training and education. As a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) Ruth has further enhanced these qualifications receiving a BSc. in Nursing Studies (University of Limerick; 2000) PG Dip. in Nurse Education (University of Limerick 2002) and a MSc. in Advanced Nursing (University of Ulster 2004). PhD Philosophy completed in 2019 (University of Limerick).Working as an educator, Ruth is passionate about developing students to engage in learning and develop critical and reflective skills. Core teaching relates to 'Intellectual Disability Nursing' and the philosophy and evidence base underpinning care and heath interventions. Supporting students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, supporting learning in practice and
Research Interests
Ruth's research focus is grounded in contributing to the health and wellbeing of persons living with intellectual disabilities and their support networks. Interest in supporting intellectually disabled people in decision making and how pragmatic, legalistic and social visions of support are embedded in daily realities underpins Ruth's doctoral studies supervised by Dr. Barry Coughlan 'Interactional guesstimating': family carers' experiences supporting profoundly intellectually disabled persons in decision-making- a constructivist grounded theory'.Member of the Departments 'Ageing, Mental Health & Intellectual Disability' research group.
Recent projects include:
1) 2018-2021: Manage, enhance, deliver and evaluate a Clinical Leadership Programme to 4 cohorts of Managers from Intellectual Disability Services in the Republic of Ireland.'
2) 2021: Evaluation of the provision of evidence to inform the development of a report that specifies prevalent presenting problems or conditions that result in people with an intellectual disability being admitted to acute hospitals in Ireland'
Professional Activities
Committee
- 2022 NMBI Standards and Requirements Advisory Group - Digital Health Competencies for Undergraduate Education Programmes,
- 2014 Undergraduate Curriculum Development Team,
- 2014 Undergraduate Curriculum DesignTeam 2014-2016,
- 2013 Academic Programme Review Committee (APRC) 2013-2016,
Education
- 2004 University of Ulster - MSc
- 2002 University of Ulster - Postgraduate Diploma
- 2001 University of Limerick - BSc (Honours - 2.1)
- 1995 Daughters of Charity Service - Certificate
Association
- 1995 Member, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)