The appointment of a specialist paediatric nurse will improve outcomes for children across Morecambe Bay.
The Research and Development Team at University Hospitals Morecambe Bay Trust has been successful in gaining funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to employ a full-time nurse to work exclusively on building a portfolio of paediatric research studies.
Katie McGuire, who covers the whole of Morecambe Bay, has been working in research as an Adult Research Nurse since 2021. Prior to that, she worked within Oncology and Cardiology and jumped at the chance to apply for the Paediatric role.
Katie is excited about the challenge of creating a Paediatric Research Portfolio from scratch. She has already opened three research studies and has another three very close to opening. Previously, UHMBT had not had an active Paediatric Research Nurse for several years.
Katie said: “I feel I have worked hard over the last few months to get to this point, although it has been a gradual process.
“I have visited specialist paediatric hospitals such as Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, attended conferences to learn and network, and completed multiple training courses to gain as much knowledge as I can before opening studies.
“I feel proud to have played such a big part in giving children in our area the chance to participate in research as I believe this is a chance everyone should have. We cannot improve treatment and outcomes without Paediatric Research.
“I love my job as a Paediatric Research Nurse because there is so much variation in the studies that I have set up and the studies I am in the process of setting up. It feels extremely satisfying to know I will be making a difference in Paediatric Medicine, helping children both now and in the future.
“I also like the freedom within my role as there hasn't been a Paediatric Research Portfolio within the Trust for a few years, so it was as if I had a blank canvas and was free to go out and look for suitable studies that we could run here at the Trust. I am also learning a lot about different Paediatric conditions along the way. I have loved meeting the children in the clinics I have attended, and they tend to be pretty cute!”
One of the research studies that Katie is currently working on relates to epilepsy and the aim is to see if researchers can find the cause of this condition to enable them to develop more effective treatments in the future.
There are several other studies in the process of being set up which include Diabetic studies, Asthma studies, Neonatal studies and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) studies.
Benefits for patients and families taking part in research include the following:
- Having access to new treatments that they wouldn't otherwise had.
- Satisfaction of knowing they are helping future patients and future generations.
- Gaining further knowledge and understanding of their condition.
Many clinical research studies provide extra visits and monitoring, so this can also give patients peace of mind and potential problems can be identified sooner. Research helps to improve services, diagnosis, processes, and treatments.
According to NHS England: “The past few years have shown how vital research is in terms of meeting the health challenges facing our society. Research is the foundation to transformational changes in healthcare, and, fundamental to the continued advancement of patient care and successful treatments.”
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