The Institute of Nursing Research

Dr Sonja McIlfatrick

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Biography

Sonja is Reader in Nursing Research & Development and Head of Research at the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) . She is the lead for the Palliative Care Strand for Chronic Illness Centre and is Postgraduate Tutor for Institute of Nursing Research, University of Ulster.  Having qualified as a registered nurse and graduated with a nursing degree from the University of Ulster in 1991, Sonja has extensive clinical experience in a variety of settings, specialising in community nursing in 1996.   She began her research career completing her MSc in 1999 and her PhD from University of Ulster in 2003.

Research Interests

Sonja’s research work focuses on cancer nursing, cancer prevention, palliative and end of life care and practice development.

Current Research Projects

  • Exploring the role of the GP and Practice Nurse in Cancer Prevention
  • Evaluating a carer support program for palliative care
  • Breast cancer awareness for women with learning disability

External Relationships

  • Head of Research at the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC)
  • Member of Regional Palliative and Supportive Care Group of NICaN
  • Member of the Cancer Special Interest Group, Translational Research Group, Research and Development Office, Northern Ireland
  • Member of Central Nursing Advisory committee (DHSSPS)
  • Expert member OREC
  • Honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Ad Eddendum)
  • External examiner University of Galway

Teaching Areas

  • Research and evidence based practice
  • Palliative and end of life care
  • Community nursing
  • Practice development
Number of items: 31.

McCaughan, Eilis, Prue, Gillian, Parahoo, Kader, McIlfatrick, Sonja and McKenna, Hugh (2012) Exploring and comparing the experience and coping behaviour of men and women with colorectal cancer after chemotherapy treatment: a qualitative longitudinal study. Psycho-oncology, 21. pp. 64-71.

McCaughan, Eilis, Prue, Gillian, Parahoo, Kader, McIlfatrick, Sonja and McKenna, Hugh (2011) Exploring and comparing the experience and coping behaviour of men and women with colorectal cancer at diagnosis and during surgery. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 67 (7). pp. 1591-1600.

McCaughan, Eilis, Prue, Gillian, Parahoo, Kader, McSorley, Oonagh, O'Sullivan, Joe, McKenna, Hugh, McIlfatrick, Sonja and Bunting, Brendan (2011) Exploring and comparing the experience, and coping behaviour, of men and women with colorectal cancer; a qualitative longitudinal study. Ulster Cancer Foundation. 108 pp.

Keeney, Sinead, McKenna, Hugh, Fleming, Paul and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2011) An exploration of public knowledge of warning signs for cancer. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY NURSING, 15 (1). pp. 31-37.

Taggart, Laurence, Truesdale-Kennedy, Maria and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2011) The role of community nurses and residential staff in supporting women with intellectual disability to access breast screening services.. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55 (1). pp. 41-52.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Taggart, Laurence and Truesdale-Kennedy, Maria (2011) Supporting women with intellectual disabilities to access breast cancer screening: a health care professional perspective. European Journal of Cancer Care, 20. pp. 412-420.

Truesdale-Kennedy, Maria, Taggart, Laurence and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2011) Breast cancer knowledge among women with intellectual disabilities and their experiences of receiving breast mammography. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 67 (6). pp. 1294-1304.

logan, L and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2011) Exploring women's knowledge, experiences and perceptions of cervical cancer screening in an area of social deprivation. European Journal of Cancer Care, 12.

Keeney, Sinead, McKenna, Hugh, Fleming, Paul and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2010) Attitudes to cancer and cancer prevention: what do people aged 35–54 years think?. European Journal of Cancer Care, 19 (6). pp. 769-777.

Devlin, Margaret and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2010) Providing palliative and end of life care in the community: the role of the home care worker. international journal of Palliative Nursing, 16 (4). pp. 195-203.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Gilmour , F and Mawhinney, A (2010) Assessing the educational needs of palliative care link nurses. . International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 16 (11). pp. 555-559.

McLaughlin, Dorry, Barr, Owen and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2009) Delivering palliative care to those with learning disabilities. European Journal of Palliative Care, 16 (6). pp. 302-305.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Fitzsimons, Donna, Johnston, Gail, McConkey, Roy, Cupples, Margaret, Barr, Owen and Hasson, Felicity (2009) Reform and modernisation: developing a new service model for palliative care. European Journal of Palliative Care, 16 (3). pp. 131-135.

Keeney, Sinead, McKenna, Hugh, Fleming, Paul and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2009) Attitudes, knowledge and behaviours with regard to skin cancer: a literature review. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 13 (1). pp. 29-35.

Devlin, Margaret and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2009) The role of the home-care worker in palliative and end-of-life care in the community setting: a literature review. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 15 (11). pp. 526-532.

McIlfatrick, Sonja (2008) Observation as a Research Method . In: Researching Nursing Practice,. (Eds: WATSON, RP, McKenna, H, Cowman, S and Keady, J), Elsevier, pp. 309-320. ISBN 978-0-443-10277-6

McIlfatrick, Sonja (2008) Phenomenology as a research method. In: Researching Nursing Practice. Elsevier, pp. 231-242. ISBN 978-0-443-10277-6

McIlfatrick, Sonja (2007) Assessing palliative care needs: views of patients, informal carers and healthcare professionals. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 57 (1). pp. 77-86.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Sullivan, Kate, McKenna, Hugh and Parahoo, Kader (2007) Patients' experiences of having chemotherapy in a day hospital setting.. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 59 (3). pp. 264-73.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Hasson, Felicity, McKenna, Hugh, Keeney, Sinead, Sinclair, Marlene and Poulton, Brenda (2007) Managing chronic disease: a case study of an innovative role in respiratory nursing practice. Primary Health Care Research and Development, 8. pp. 251-263.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Sullivan, K. and McKenna, Hugh (2006) What about the carers?: Exploring the experience of caregivers in a chemotherapy day hospital setting. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 10 (4). pp. 294-303.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Sullivan, Kate and McKenna, Hugh (2006) Nursing the clinic vs. nursing the patient: nurses' experience of a day hospital chemotherapy service. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 15 (9). pp. 1170-1178.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Sullivan, K. and McKenna, Hugh (2006) Exploring the ethical issues of the research interview in the cancer context. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 10 (1). pp. 39-47.

McIlfatrick, Sonja (2004) The future of nurse education: characterised by paradoxes. Nurse Education Today, 24 (2). pp. 79-83.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, Sullivan, Kate and McKenna, Hugh (2003) Exploring the patient's experience of a day hospital chemotherapy service: preliminary fieldwork. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 7 (3). pp. 197-199.

McIlfatrick, Sonja and Keeney, Sinead (2003) Cancer Nursing Priorities: A Delphi Approach. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 42 (6). pp. 629-636.

McIlfatrick, Sonja, McKenna, Hugh, Gray, Ann and Hinds, M (2002) Health and social care futures in Ireland: the need for cross-boundary work. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 11 (3). pp. 349-356.

yang , M H and McIlfatrick, Sonja (2001) Intensive care nurse’s experience of caring for dying patients: a phenomenological study. . International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 7 (9). pp. 435-441.

McIlfatrick, Sonja and Curran, Carol (2001) The perceived role of the District Nurse in Palliative Care. . Journal of Community Nursing, 15 (1). pp. 4-8.

McIlfatrick, Sonja and Curran, Carol (2000) District Nurses Perceptions of Palliative Care Services – Part 2 . International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 6 (1). pp. 32-38.

McIlfatrick, Sonja and Curran, Carol (1999) District Nurses Perceptions of Palliative Care Services – Part 1. . International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 5 (5). pp. 215-222.

This list was generated on Mon May 21 18:08:53 2012 BST.
photo: Dr Sonja McIlfatrick