Previous RCN research conferences

The RCN is committed to growing the nursing knowledge base by proactively collecting, storing and preserving physical and digital content.

The annual international nursing research conference has been a longstanding event on the RCN calendar, aiming to:

• bring together researchers from diverse clinical and academic settings from around the world to participate in critical debate
• promote and advance a body of knowledge with relevance to nursing
• facilitate sharing and collaboration between health care researchers.

This webpage is a repository of programmes and book of abstracts from previous research conferences. Where available, we also provide a link to keynote videos.

6-8 April 2016, Edinburgh, Scotland

• Nursing @ the extremes: navigating the emotions of care. Professor Pam Smith, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
• More poetry is needed: values, scholarship and nursing research. Gary Rolfe, Emeritus Professor, Swansea University, Wales, UK
• Applying for and conducting a large EU research grant: the case of RN4CAST. Professor Walter Sermeus, Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy KU, Belgium

20 - 22 April 2015, Nottingham, England, UK

• Reform of care or care of reform? Revitalising, being alongside and nursing practices. Professor Joanna Latimer, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
• Invisible care in 'soulless factories'? The challenges of humanising healthcare for patients and nurses. Professor Jill Maben, King's College London, England, UK
• Research excellence framework: from a 2014 curate's egg to a 2020 golden egg! Professor Hugh McKenna, Ulster University, Northern Ireland, UK
• Hoist on our own petard: the false dichotomy between technical and holistic care in nursing. Professor Sioban Nelson, University of Toronto, Canada

20 - 22 March 2013, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• The future of nursing
  Professor Jessica Corner, University of Southampton, England, UK
• Developing a centre of nursing research excellence
  Professor Wendy Chaboyer, Griffith University, Australia
• Nurse, care assistant and medical staffing: the relationship with mortality in English acute hospitals in the RN4Cast study
  Professor Peter Griffiths, University of Southampton, England, UK
• Research in the hidden places - the challenges and opportunities for nurses
  Professor Vari Drennan, Kingston University and St. George's, University of London, England, UK

23 - 25 April 2012, London, England, UK

• Nursing work environments and workforce issues: current challenges
  Professor Linda McGillis Hall, University of Toronto, Canada
• Randomised controlled trials: still going for gold in 2012?
  Professor Vivien Coates, University of Ulster and Western Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland, UK
• Research and nursing: the natural history of an ideal
  Professor Daniel Kelly, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

24 - 27 March 2009, Cardiff, Wales, UK

• Nursing excellence through evidence
  Mr David C Benton, International Council of Nurses, Switzerland
• Looking back, moving forward: pursuing the science of nursing interventions
  Professor Dame Jill Macleod Clark, University of Southampton, England, UK
• Nursing research in the trenches: continuity during transitions for individuals with chronic conditions
  Professor Margaret B Harrison, Queen's University, Canada

8 - 11 April 2008, Liverpool, England, UK

• 'Dancing with Stones': transformational practice development and research and the potential for human flourishing
  Professor Brendan McCormack, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK
• Working with consumers to undertake health research: progress, problems and possibilities
  Professor Ruth Northway, University of Glamorgan, Wales, UK
• Better data, better decisions: the power of information
  Andrea Baumann, McMaster University, Canada
• The role of patients in patient safety
  Peter Mansell, National Patient Safety Agency, London, UK

1 - 4 May 2007, Dundee, Scotland, UK

• Educating nurses
  Professor Patricia E Benner, University of California, USA
• Is caring a lost art in nursing?
  Professor Juliet Corbin, San Jose State University, USA
• Work stress, staff well-being and patient safety: models and mechanisms in the healthcare setting
  Dr Martyn Jones, Universities of Dundee and St Andrews, Scotland, UK
• Disability as behaviour: using psychological theory to explain activity limitations in stroke and osteoarthritis
  Professor Marie Johnston, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
• A history of nursing knowledge
  Professor Anne-Marie Rafferty, King's College London, England, UK