Current Research
Each year, the philanthropic funds raised through GRF activites and donations are disbursed to support medical research projects, typically with a neonatal focus, to enhance the wellbeing of babies and their families in the local region.
The Awards Committee consists of noted medical academics, practitioners and Grace volunteers, who come together annually to review funding applications.
The last Committee meeting was in May and members were thrilled with the number and quality of research funding applications. They have decided to support three exciting research projects with funding of over £40,000 over the next two years and details of these new projects will be posted here very soon.
THANK YOU to all those who have given their time or donations to ensure we can raise the funds necessary to commission this exciting research, which will have a real impact on the lives of premature babies in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Past Research
The Grace Research Fund is very proud to have supported a number of research projects historically.An example of these projects includes:
Understanding Parental Involvement in Neonatal Services
Public involvement has now become a cornerstone of The NHS. Recently this has moved beyond the individual level to include greater involvement of both patients and the public in governance. However, there is relatively little literature which explores the nature and outcomes of long-term patient involvement initiatives, particularly at the level of corporate decision making.
A comparative study to determine nursing staff attitudes towards daily allocation of quiet time before and after implementation
A study was undertaken to establish nursing staff attitudes towards quiet time, both before and after implementation of a daily programme consisting of 2h quiet time a day on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Quiet time was defined as a 2h period of time each day where lights were dimmed and incubators covered, noise reduced and routine procedures postponed. Questionnaires were given to all members of the nursing team, namely qualified nurses, midwives and nursery nurses all with permanent positions on the NICU. Following the first data collection from initial questionnaires, the intervention of a daily allocation of a 2h quiet time was implemented for 6 weeks. During the intervention staff were given letters and posters were put up around the unit explaining the concept of quiet time and what measures staff should be employing during this time. Questionnaires were repeated following this intervention. The results were analysed using SPSS and found that some statements had differences in attitude prior to and following implementation. From anecdotal conversations it was found that staff were compliant with and welcomed implementing quiet time and that parents were interested in aiding the implementation.
