'No better time for nurses and midwives to get involved in research', says Catherine Johnson
Tuesday 11 February marks International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2020, which is a day to promote full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls.
We will be sharing the stories of some of the extraordinary women in science whoo are working within research at the Trust.
Catherine Johnson - Consultant Nurse in the Renal Team
Catherine Johnson is clinically responsible for the follow up care of people who’ve had a kidney transplant. She also works as part of an active, well respected and internationally recognised research group led by Professor Maarten Taal and Dr Nick Selby. In 2019 she received a prestigious National Institute of Health Research 70@70 Research Leadership Award which aims to build the nursing and midwifery research capacity and capability locally and strengthen their voice and influence across the NHS for the benefit of patients.
Catherine is proud to be a nurse. Nurses and midwives make up half of the global workforce and though they are predominantly female, it is her belief that they are underrepresented in research. Catherine thinks that nurses and midwives have an unparalleled contribution to make to science and the discovery of new knowledge and there is no better time for nurses and midwives to get involved in research as 2020 which is the first WHO (World Health Organisation) International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. It is also the 200 year anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, an important woman of science.
Catherine was recently awarded funding from the British Renal Society and Kidney Care UK for a study looking at whether it is possible to conduct a randomised control trial of the impact of a diet low in Advanced Glycation End products (AGE) on skin auto fluorescence levels in kidney transplant recipients. This is a valuable study as heart problems are the leading cause of death and ill health in patients with kidney problems, even after a kidney transplant. It has also been shown that changing what people with kidney problems eat and how they cook can be beneficial for their heart health.
Catherine has also recently been awarded a grant from the Trust’s Research Pump-Priming Scheme that is funded by the Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity for a pilot study to prove the effectiveness of the My Cognition APP in assessing cognitive impairment and in improving cognition function in Kidney Transplant Recipients.
Follow Catherin on Twitter – @c4thjohnson