Researcher in Focus: Professor Josephine Hegarty

Josephine trained as a general nurse in Cork University Hospital and attained her BSc, MSc in nurse education and PhD in University College Cork (UCC). During her clinical career, Josephine has worked in Cork University Hospital; Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan; Central Middlesex Hospital, London and the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork. Thereafter she worked as a lecturer and researcher and she is currently the Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC. This is a busy role given the School has over 1300 registered undergraduate and postgraduate students and over 30 students studying for their doctorate.

She supervises PhD and MSc students for their research dissertation and she has been awarded the University College Cork title of “Research Supervisor of the Year”. Josephine has also published extensively in the international literature and  has attained funding and managed grants from the following agencies:  Health Service Executive, European Oncology Nursing Society, Irish Cancer Society, Health Research Board (HRB), Department of Health, National Academy for the Integration of Research and Teaching and Learning, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland and the University College Cork Strategic Research Fund.

Notably, Josephine leads the Enhancing Cancer Awareness and Survivorship (ECASP) research group and she is passionate about oncology related matters, in particular supporting individuals and their families on the cancer survivorship trajectory. The ECASP group through the conduction of over 15 studies has highlighted the life-altering symptoms experienced by individuals undergoing cancer treatment, and developed two targeted interventions:

1. Educational Intervention focused on Sexuality in Women with Gynaecological Cancer and
2. Virtual Reality intervention for Testicular Cancer awareness.

ECASP members have worked with the Irish Cancer Society to better understand the impact of health literacy on men’s access to cancer prevention information and have evaluated the impact of their Night Nursing Service.

ECASP members have also worked with the Irish National Cancer Control Programme to scope out National Cancer Survivorship Services and to explore lung cancer awareness. Nine doctorate students associated with ECASP group have graduated thus building research capacity. 

Josephine is currently working on two projects with the Irish Cancer Society:  

1. Cancer Genetic Services in an Irish context: perspectives of healthcare professionals, patients and members of the public and  
2. The Womens’ Health Initiative:  Women’s Cancer Survivorship: Supporting and Innovating for Change at Cork University Hospital.

For survivors of cancer, the pathway for managing and overcoming the often challenging symptoms arising from their initial treatment can be unclear. This ground-breaking new initiative funded in partnership by the Irish Cancer Society aims to address a long-standing gap in the identification and management of symptoms for women which have resulted from their courses of treatment by providing dedicated clinics for female cancer survivors in both the Mater and Cork University Hospital.

Josephine has noted that the Covid 19 pandemic has reaffirmed the importance of research and evidence in informing both policy and clinical practice in a transformed post-digital era.