Search

Introduction The clinical application of the arts among military personnel and veterans has been well documented, particularly in relation to service-related mental health difficulties. However, the impacts of engaging recreationally with art activities on general well-being remain underexplored and even more so among those living with visual impairment (VI). This pilot explored the artistic experiences of veterans with VI participating in a remotely delivered art and craft project during continued COVID-19 restrictions in Spring/Summer 2021.\ud \ud Methods Six participants received a mystery arts box (MAB) containing a selection of materials, collated to encourage experimentation with unfamiliar techniques. Participants were asked to journal their process as they developed a final piece/pieces. They were invited to join group video calls to share work and ideas and seek guidance. Semistructured interviews were run with participants at the end of the project. Journal and interview data were thematically analysed.\ud \ud Results Analysis identified 11 themes relating to initial and ongoing responses to the MAB and creative and journalling process. Several benefits were identified, including artistic learning, trying something new, and social, cognitive and emotional experiences. The value of the activity to participants’ lives within the context of the ongoing pandemic was also considered. Challenges were associated with the use of unfamiliar materials, impacts of sight loss and the limitations of remote delivery.\ud \ud Conclusion This pilot brings to the fore the everyday artistic experience of veterans living with VI and considers the benefits, challenges and well-being implications of a remotely delivered arts activity. Findings illustrate the importance of ensuring accessibility of artistic activities to those for whom disability might limit participation and highlight the ongoing role that remotely delivered arts activities might play in meeting the social and recreational needs of individuals beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is an abstract for my contribution to the 2022 BELMAS Annual Conference, 8-10 July 2022 in Liverpool.

Presentation delivered at the 2022 BELAS Annual Conference, Liverpool, 8-10 July 2022.

On the 9th of July 2021, the Rethinking Military Spouses: Critical Research Group hosted a webinar titled ‘Bringing the Homefront to the Forefront: UK Perspectives on Critical Research with Military Spouses’. This report provides some information about the event and includes an overview of the main points of discussion.

On the 9th of July 2021, the Rethinking Military Spouses: Critical Research Group hosted a webinar titled ‘Bringing the Homefront to the Forefront: UK Perspectives on Critical Research with Military Spouses’. This report provides some information about the event and includes an overview of the main points of discussion focused on four key themes – access, methodologies, impact, and criticality. When conducting critical research with military spouses, researchers must consider a wide range of issues particular to this specific group. These include: • Challenges around gaining access and the implications that recruitment strategies might have on the voices that are heard. • Choosing a methodological approach and associated methods which enable rich perspectives and experiences to be heard – balancing the needs of research objectives whilst also considering possible benefits to the participants. • Balancing research objectives and activities with expectations of academic institutions, funders, and identified beneficiaries –considering what impact might be and how it can be achieved and accounted for. • Navigating how the dynamics of criticality must be balanced against the need to attract funding, articulate impact, and gain ethics approval from the MOD – with there sometimes being tensions between these factors. Research which centres military spouses is needed in order to understand the impact of military life, power, and processes beyond more obviously militarised phenomena.

This practitioner-led research explores the lived subjective experience of undergraduate distance learning (DL). This research is distinct to understanding DL because consideration is given to person-centred understandings as opposed to a technologically driven focus. The emphasis of individual impact is timely and necessary as the academic and professional literature questions the ability of distance learning to develop deep and transformational learning. Using data from qualitative Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, 5 practice-based tenets are proposed to develop transformational learning: attention, acceptance, accompaniment, adaptation and action. Together, the tenets show the process of transformation beginning as the participants turn their gaze inwards then embracing new ways of thinking and acting, with the accompaniment of others – especially tutors – providing stability whilst encouraging intellectual risk-taking. This focus on self-discovery presents opportunities to promote and integrate a curiosity-based curricular, content design and assessment that shifts the acceptance of knowledge as authored by others, to learners self-authoring their own understanding; thereby creating a future-facing approach for learning autonomy and more confident dissemination of ideas. The paper concludes by suggesting that new practice-world conversations about the integration of humanistic educational ideals can go hand-in-hand with advancements in technology.

This report presents findings of research into how veterans with limb loss, and their families, live with limb loss. Using Grounded Theory, data has been collected from 72 veterans and family members using unstructured interviews, structured questionnaires and closed question telephone interviews. Findings indicate, firstly, that the central concern of veterans with limb loss, and families, is coping during living with limb loss, and that the veteran with limb loss and their carer/s may experience differing levels of coping (low, mid, high) during any specific time period. Each coping level is characterised by behaviours/characteristics to which appropriate support can be aligned; secondly, there are distinct time periods where certain types of Blesma/organisational support are more likely to effectively support coping ability. This report presents these findings, which are developed into a practical Living with Limb Loss Support Model (LLSM). The LLSM identifies specific periods where timely support is more likely to be relevant and effective in supporting individual needs and coping levels, as further explained in the ‘Practical Application of Findings’ (see pages 14-20). Conclusions suggest recommendations for support and practices Blesma and other support organisations could develop, suggestions for future research, and development of an evidence base, that will underpin policy making and service delivery, to enable sustained and positive change for veterans and their families. Furthermore, although this research was carried out with veterans and their family members, the recommendations are intended to be transferable to other persons with limb loss (PWLL) and their families. This is a collaborative study between Blesma and The Veterans & Families Institute for Military Social Research (VFI), at Anglia Ruskin University, and is funded by the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT).

Background: The doctoral viva voce is an under-researched field, particularly from the point of view of doctoral candidates. With increasing numbers of health care professionals undertaking doctoral study, we can develop practice by listening to their ‘living voices’. \ud Objective: To explore doctoral candidates’ experiences of their viva. Design and methods: Using exploratory research and purposive sampling, eighteen participants who had undergone examination of their doctorate within the last five years were identified. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore these participants’ experiences of their viva. \ud Results: Thematic analysis of the data demonstrated that: Candidates wanted to engage in academic argument but were not always provided the opportunity to do so; The viva voce examination was frequently an emotional experience, even for candidates who did not regard themselves as subject to such emotions, examiners were sometimes able to moderate the effect of these emotions; Practical aspects of the examination were not always considered; Issues of fairness were raised, both by successful candidates and by those who were required to resubmit. \ud Conclusions: The viva voce examination, as experienced by candidates, is not always a fair one. We recommend engagement of the academic community to promote best practice in the ‘living voice’ examination.

Background: Registered nurses are ‘critical’ to population health, international responses to emergencies, epidemics and disasters. Retention of registered nurses is an international nursing priority. In England, registered nurses are encouraged to be involved in improving healthcare services. This benefits quality of care, operational and financial performance. However, registered nurse involvement in improvement may reduce registered nurse retention. It is important to understand this relationship when developing effective registered nurse retention strategies. \ud Aim: The purpose of this research is to describe possible relationships between registered nurse involvement in improving healthcare services and registered nurse retention, using published 2018 data for National Health Service trusts in England.\ud Methods: The relationship between registered nurse involvement in improving healthcare services and registered nurse retention was explored using a correlational design, involving secondary data from the annual National Health Service staff survey and Model Hospital.\ud Results: In mental health National Health Service trusts in England, a statistically significant, positive correlation of 0.24 was found between registered nurse ‘ab(ility) to make suggestions for improvement’ and registered nurse retention. In mental health NHS trusts a statistically significant correlation of 0.278 was found between registered nurses ‘making improvements happen’ and registered nurse retention. In acute National Health Service trusts in England, a statistically significant, negative correlation of -0.15 was identified between registered nurses ‘mak(ing) improvements happen’ and registered nurse retention. \ud Conclusions: The findings suggest that registered nurse retention factors in mental health and acute National Health Service trusts differ from community and specialist National Health Service trusts in England. This is an important consideration for national registered nurse retention programmes as a single approach to registered nurse retention may not be effective across all healthcare settings.