Emma McCall
Emma McCall
Research Theme: Maternal & Child Health
Research Title: The role of the Health Visitor in working towards positive outcomes for neonatal graduates and their families: developing a home-based, early intervention for preterm infants.
Research Interests: My research interests include 1) complex interventions for preterm infants and their families, 2) systematic reviewing, service improvement, benchmarking, evidence-based medicine/implementation science and user engagement, and 3) epidemiology of neonatal outcomes (morbidity and mortality).
Supervisors: Professor Fiona Alderdice, Dr Jenny McNeill, Professor Linda Franck
Email: e.mccall@qub.ac.uk
Personal Bio
I am currently undertaking a part-time PhD as part of my professional development as a member of staff in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, QUB. In my role as project manager I have been working as part of the Neonatal Intensive Care Outcomes Research and Evaluation (NICORE) team since 1999 and subsequently joined the School of Nursing and Midwifery in 2011. I am an integral part of the Neonatal Network Northern Ireland (NNNI) contributing to the improvement of short and long-term outcomes for newborn infants and their families, by participating in an ongoing programme of research and quality improvement.
In 2003, I was awarded a Cochrane Fellowship funded by HSC R&D Division to undertake a systematic review entitled ‘Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birthweight infants’, which has been regularly updated and has had a significant positive impact on clinical care, with the review recommendations included in clinical practice guidelines world-wide.
Prior to joining QUB, I worked within the health care environment both in the UK and abroad, managing service quality improvement within primary and secondary care settings and at the interface of care. During this time I became a Certified Professional in Health Care Quality which is fully accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) in Washington, D.C. My educational qualifications include an MSc in Technology (Information Technology) and a primary degree in Biochemistry which have provided me with a firm foundation throughout my career.
Project Summary
Several features differentiate preterm infants from full-term infants and these can create many challenges for parents, families and health professionals involved in their care during the early years. Current literature suggests there are opportunities to improve the home care and support of preterm infants. My research is centred on the identification of key components for a home-based, early intervention, designed to optimise outcomes for preterm infants whilst meeting the perceived needs and priorities of parents and health visitors.
My Perfect PhD Day
Making progress, no matter how small!
Teaching
Assessing the Midwifery Public Health Systematic Review Assignments
Other Activities
Cochrane Development Group, School of Nursing and Midwifery.
Preparing to care for baby project Advisory Group.
NNNI Parent Engagement Group.
Thermal Education and Management Programme (TEMP) Study Advisory Group.
NNNI Supporting Breastfeeding Quality Initiative Group.
Northern Ireland Breastfeeding Strategy Implementation Steering Group (BSISG) - Monitoring and Indicators work stream.
Staff Student Consultative Committee (SSCC) representative 14/15.
When I’m not PhDing…
Enjoying family and friends
Conferences & Publications
Chamney, S., McGrory, L., McCall, E., Twaij, S., Napier, M., Rollins, R., Marshall, A.H., Craig, S. and McLoone, E. (2015) ‘Treatment of retinopathy of prematurity in Northern Ireland, 2000-2011: a population-based study’, Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, 19(3), pp. 223-227. [Online]. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaapos.2015.02.012 (Accessed 20 July 2015).
McCall, E., Alderdice, F., Halliday, H., Johnston, L and Vohra, S. (2014) ‘Challenges of Minimising Heat Loss at Birth: ‘A narrative overview of evidence-based thermal care interventions’, Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews, 14(2), pp. 56-63. [Online] DOI: 10.1053/j.nainr.2014.03.008 (Accessed: May 2014).
Doran, J., McGowan, J., Alderdice, F., McCall, E., Craig, S. and Jenkins, J. (2012) ‘Regional follow up of late preterm neonatal intensive care graduates’, Nurse Researcher, 19(4), pp. 37-43. [Online]. Available at: http://journals.rcni.com/doi/pdfplus/10.7748/nr2012.07.19.4.37.c9223 (Accessed: July 2015).
Marshall, A.H., Payne, K., Cairns, K.J, Craig, S. and McCall, E. (2012) ‘Modelling the development of late onset sepsis and length of stay using discrete conditional survival models with a classification tree component’, The 25th IEEE International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS). [Online]. Available at: http://www.cbms2012.org/ (Accessed June 2012).
McCall, E.M., Alderdice, F.A., Halliday, H.L., Jenkins, J.G. and Vohra, S. (2010) ‘Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birth weight infants’, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD004210. [Online] DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004210.pub4.2010. (Accessed June 2012).
Rogers, E., Alderdice, F., McCall, E., Jenkins, J. and Craig, S. (2010) ‘Reducing nosocomial infections in neonatal intensive care’, Journal of Maternal - Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 23(9), pp. 1039-1046. [Online] DOI: 10.10.3109/14767050903387029 (Accessed: June 2012).
McComiskey, M.H., Craig, S., McCall, E., Stevenson, M. and Cooke, I.E. (2010) ‘Neonatal intensive care unit admission requirements of children born in Northern Ireland following assisted reproductive technology in the years 2001-2007, including a review of the region’s inter unit variation’, Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal & Neonatal Edition, 95:Fa18 [Online]. DOI:10.1136/adc.2010.189746.23 (Accessed: February 2014).
Craig, S., McCall, E., Bell, A. and Tubman, R. (2009) ‘Improving survival for infants of <26 weeks’ gestation, 1995–2005’, Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal & Neonatal Edition, 94(3), pp. F229-F230. [Online] DOI: 10.1136/ads.2008.138701 (Accessed: June 2012).
Jenkins, J., Gardner, E., McCall, E., Casson, K. and Dolk, H. (2009) ‘Socioeconomic inequalities in neonatal intensive care admission rates’, Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal & Neonatal Edition, 94(6), pp. F423-F428. [Online] DOI: 10.1136/adc.2008.146464 (Accessed: June 2012).
McCall, E.M., Alderdice, F.A., Halliday, H.L., Jenkins, J.G. and Vohra, S. (2008) ‘Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birthweight infants’, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004210. [Online] DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004210.pub3.
McCall E.M., Alderdice F.A., Halliday H.L., Jenkins J.G. and Vohra S. (2008) ‘Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birthweight infants: a Cochrane Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis’, paper presented to the V111 International Neonatology Symposium and 11 Neonatal Nursing Conference, on 27th November 2008, Euskalduna Palace, Bilbao, Spain.
Davis, J.W., McCall, E. and Craig, J.S. (2008) ‘Changes in morbidity and mortality in extremely low birth weight infants in Northern Ireland over a 15 year period’, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 93 Suppl 2: pw430. [Online]. Available at: http://adc.bmj.com/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/93/2_MeetingAbstracts/pw430 (Accessed: July 2015).
Tanney, K., Davis, J.W., McCall, E., Murray, S and Mayes, C. (2008) ‘Is formal teaching in neonatal phlebotomy necessary for the education of junior medical staff?’, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 93 Suppl2:ps356. [Online]. Available at: http://adc.bmj.com/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/93/2_MeetingAbstracts/ps356 (Accessed: July 2015).
McCall, E.M., Alderdice, F.A., Halliday, H.L., Jenkins, J.G. and Vohra, S. (2006) ‘Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birthweight babies’, Evidence Based Child Health: A Cochrane Review Journal, 1, pp.287-324.
Hughes, J.L, McCall, E., Alderdice, F. and Jenkins, J. (for the members of the Neonatal Intensive Care Outcome Research and Evaluation Group). (2006) ‘More and earlier surfactant for preterm infants’, Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal & Neonatal Edition, 91(2), pp. F125-F126. [Online] DOI: 10.1136/adc.2005.073148 (Accessed: June 2012).
McCall E.M., Alderdice, F.A., Halliday, H.L., Jenkins, J.G. and Vohra, S. (2005) ‘Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birthweight babies’, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004210. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004210.pub2.
Jenkins, J., Alderdice, F., McCall, E. and on behalf of the Neonatal Intensive Care Outcomes Research & Evaluation (NICORE) Group. (2005) ‘Improvement in neonatal intensive care in Northern Ireland through sharing of audit data’, Quality & Safety in Health Care, 14(3), pp. 202 –206. [Online] DOI: 10.1136/qshc.2004.010371.
Alderdice, F., McCall, E., Bailie, C., Craig, S., Dornan, J., McMillen, R. and Jenkins, J. (2005)’ Admission to neonatal intensive care with respiratory morbidity following ‘term’ elective caesarean section’, Irish Medical Journal, 98(6), pp. 170-172.
Jenkins, J., Alderdice, F., McCall, E. and the Neonatal Intensive Care Outcomes Research & Evaluation Group. (2003) ‘Making information available for quality improvement and service planning in neonatal care’, Irish Medical Journal, 96(6), pp. 171-174.
Other recent reports:
McCall, E. and Millar, D., on behalf of the Neonatal Network Northern Ireland (NNNI). (2015) Neonatal Care in Northern Ireland, 2012. Belfast: NICORE. ISBN: 9781909131408.
Alderdice, A., McCall, E. and Goodall, M., on behalf of the NNNI Parent Engagement Group. (2015) Neonatal Network Northern Ireland (NNNI), Regional Discharge Questionnaire: One Year On. Belfast: NICORE. ISBN: 9781909131392.