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Staff Profiles

Ms Verna McKenna

MA, BA

Contact Details

Lecturer (Above The Bar)
Health Promotion
Room 306
St. Anthonys
Discipline of Health Promotion
School of Health Sciences
NUI Galway

T: Ext. 3604
E: verna.mckenna@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher

Biography

Verna McKenna is a Lecturer (Above the bar) in the Discipline of Health Promotion since 2010.
Prior to that she held a number of fixed-term lectureships in health promotion since 2004. She has also worked on research projects in the Health Promotion Research Centre since 2003 in both researcher and Co-PI roles.
Verna worked as  a project manager and researcher on a number of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects in Boston, Massachusetts between 1997 and 2003.

She holds a BA (Psycology)  from University College Dublin and a MA (Health Promotion) from National University of Ireland, Galway and is currently undertaking a PhD on the topic of the development of health literacy over time.

Teaching Interests:
Foundations of Health Promotion
Health Promotion Practice
Evaluation in health promotion
Health & Society (Year 1 and 2 Undergraduate Medical programme)
Promoting Healthy Behaviours

Research Interests


Verna's research interests are health literacy and access to health services.

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2017) 'The relevance of context in understanding health literacy skills: Findings from a qualitative study'
McKenna, VB; Sixsmith, J; Barry, MM (2017) 'The relevance of context in understanding health literacy skills: Findings from a qualitative study'. Health Expectations, [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'How we implemented an integrated Professionalism curriculum to 2nd year medical students within the National University of Ireland Galway, with examples from the students final output'
Mc Nair, A., Moran, C., Mc Grath, E., Naqvi, S., Connolly, C., Mc Kenna, V., Kropmans, T. (2011) 'How we implemented an integrated Professionalism curriculum to 2nd year medical students within the National University of Ireland Galway, with examples from the students final output'. Medical Teacher, 33 (9):710-712 [Details]
(2010) 'Usefulness of a competency-based reflective portfolio for student learning on a Masters Health Promotion programme'
McKenna, V,Connolly, C,Hodgins, M (2010) 'Usefulness of a competency-based reflective portfolio for student learning on a Masters Health Promotion programme'. Health Education Journal, 70 (2):170-175 [DOI] [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2010) 'Social welfare, housing and health policy and the determinants of quality of life for older people in the Republic of Ireland'
Hodgins, M and McKenna, V. (2010) 'Social welfare, housing and health policy and the determinants of quality of life for older people in the Republic of Ireland'. Quality in Ageing, 11 (2):19-28 [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2003) 'Local Collaborations: Development and Implementation of Boston's Bioterrorism Surveillance System'
McKenna, V.B., Gunn, J.E., Auerbach, J., Brinsfield, K., Dyer, S., Barry, M.A. (2003) 'Local Collaborations: Development and Implementation of Boston's Bioterrorism Surveillance System'. Journal of Public Health Management Practice, 9 (5):384-393 [Details]
(2002) 'Using Volume-Based Surveillance for an Outbreak Early Warning System'
Brinsfied, K.H., Gunn, J. E., Barry, M.A., McKenna, V.B., Dyer, K.S., Sulis, C. (2002) 'Using Volume-Based Surveillance for an Outbreak Early Warning System'. Academic Emergency Medicine, 8 (15) [Details]
(2002) 'Immunization Registries: Costs and Savings'
McKenna, V.B., Sager, A., Gunn, J.E., Tormey, P., Barry, M.A. (2002) 'Immunization Registries: Costs and Savings'. Public Health Reports, 117 :386-392 [Details]

Conference Publications

  Year Publication
(2017) Social Care Ireland annual conference: The changing face of social care
Power, M., Kelly, C., McKenna, V., Mullins, L., Gough, H., & Clare, C. (2017) Gatekeepers of competency: Practice educators/teachers and the competencies based regulatory framework Social Care Ireland annual conference: The changing face of social care Galway, , 22-MAR-17 - 22-MAR-17 [Details]
(2010) National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning: Flexible Learning Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin
Pursell, L., McKenna, V. & Griffin, B. (2010) Evaluation of a competency based module in Health Promotion National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning: Flexible Learning Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin [Details]
(2009) 3rd Annual National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning: Research-Teaching Linkages, Practice and Policy, TCD
Pursell, L., McKenna, V. & Griffin, B. (2009) A blended learning enquiry based module for best practice of evaluation skills in health promotion 3rd Annual National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning: Research-Teaching Linkages, Practice and Policy, TCD [Details]
(2009) Research, Teaching and Learning, Bologna Symposium - Integrating generic competences in the curriculum, University College Cork
Connolly, C., McKenna, V. and Hodgins, M (2009) Exploring the usefulness of a competency based reflective portfolio for student learning on a Masters Health Promotion programme Research, Teaching and Learning, Bologna Symposium - Integrating generic competences in the curriculum, University College Cork [Details]

Published Reports

  Year Publication
(2010) Development and delivery of a competency-based module in health promotion: A guide using blended learning. Galway: Health Promotion Research Centre.
Pursell, L., McKenna, V., Griffin, B., McGrory, S. (2010) Development and delivery of a competency-based module in health promotion: A guide using blended learning. Galway: Health Promotion Research Centre. Health Promotion Research Center, Health Promotion Research Center. [ARAN Link] [Details]
(2010) Evaluation of a competency based module in health promotion. Report submitted to the National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching & Learning, HPRC, Galway.
Pursell, L., McKenna, V. & Griffin, B. (2010) Evaluation of a competency based module in health promotion. Report submitted to the National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching & Learning, HPRC, Galway. . [Details]
(2008) Enhancing the Quality of Life of Older People Reliant on the State Pension. Health Promotion Research Centre, NUI, Galway; National Council for Ageing and Older People; Combat Poverty Agency.
Hodgins, M., McKenna, V., D'Eath, M. (2008) Enhancing the Quality of Life of Older People Reliant on the State Pension. Health Promotion Research Centre, NUI, Galway; National Council for Ageing and Older People; Combat Poverty Agency. National Council on Ageing and Older People, Dublin. [Details]
(2007) Obesity Prevention: Getting Health Promotion Evidence into Practice.
McKenna, V; Rowel, D; Barry, MM (2007) Obesity Prevention: Getting Health Promotion Evidence into Practice. Health Promotion Research Centre, NUI, Galway, Galway. [Details]
(2004) Review of the National Health Promotion Strategy 2004.
McKenna, V; Barry, MM; Friel, S (2004) Review of the National Health Promotion Strategy 2004. Department of Health and Children, Dublin. [Details]
(1997) Training Carers of Older People: An Advisory Report. Dublin; National Council for the Elderly.
O'Donovan, O., Hodgins, M., McKenna, V., Kelleher, C. (1997) Training Carers of Older People: An Advisory Report. Dublin; National Council for the Elderly. National Council of Ageing and Older People, Dublin. [Details]
(1995) Health Service Provision for the Travelling Community in Ireland: A Study Commissioned by the Task Force on the Travelling Community and the Department of Health.
O'Donovan, O., McKenna ,V., McCarthy, P., McCarthy, D., Kelleher, C. (1995) Health Service Provision for the Travelling Community in Ireland: A Study Commissioned by the Task Force on the Travelling Community and the Department of Health. Centre for Health Promotion Studies, NUI Galway. [Details]

Conference Paper

  Year Publication
(2006) Building capacity in health promotion in Ireland: past progress and future challenges. Health Promotion Summer Conference.
McKenna, V., Barry, M.M., Friel, S. (2006) Building capacity in health promotion in Ireland: past progress and future challenges. Health Promotion Summer Conference. NUI, Galway: Conference Paper [Details]
(2003) Effect of Field Based Emergency Medical Services During Large-scale Public Events on Hospital Emergency Department Visits. 131 st Annual meeting of the APHA.
Serino, R., McKenna, V., Gunn, J.E., Barry, M.A. (2003) Effect of Field Based Emergency Medical Services During Large-scale Public Events on Hospital Emergency Department Visits. 131 st Annual meeting of the APHA. San Francisco, CA, USA: Conference Paper [Details]
(2002) Boston's Early Warning System for Bioterrorism: September 11-November 11~ 2001. Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Gunn, J.E., McKenna, V., Brinsfield, K.H., Dyer, K.S., Barry, M.A. (2002) Boston's Early Warning System for Bioterrorism: September 11-November 11~ 2001. Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases. Atlanta, Georgia, USA: Conference Paper [Details]
(2000) Perceived vs. Actual Costs of an Immunization Registry. 128 th annual American Public Health Association (APHA) conference.
McKenna, V., Sager, A., Gunn, J.E., Tormey, P., Bajaj, R., Barry, M.A. (2000) Perceived vs. Actual Costs of an Immunization Registry. 128 th annual American Public Health Association (APHA) conference. Boston, USA: Conference Paper [Details]
(1998) The Boston Immunization Information System (BIIS): Assessing Cost. National Immunization Conference.
McKenna, V., Gunn, J., Tormey, P., MacConnell, P., Sager, A., Barry, M.A. (1998) The Boston Immunization Information System (BIIS): Assessing Cost. National Immunization Conference. Atlanta, Georgia, USA: Conference Paper [Details]

Other Item

  Year Publication
(2009) Social welfare, housing and health policy and the determinants of quality of life for older people in the Republic of Ireland. Quality in Ageing.
Hodgins, M., McKenna, V. (2009) Social welfare, housing and health policy and the determinants of quality of life for older people in the Republic of Ireland. Quality in Ageing. Other Item [Details]

Technical Publication

  Year Publication
(2007) Obesity Prevention: Getting Health Promotion Evidence into Practice. Health Promotion research Centre, NUI, Galway.
Barry, M.M., McKenna, V., Rowel, D. (2007) Obesity Prevention: Getting Health Promotion Evidence into Practice. Health Promotion research Centre, NUI, Galway. Technical Publication [Details]

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
College of Medicine, Nursing, & Health Sciences, Education and Assessment Committee Reprensatrive from Disciple of Health Promotion. 09-APR-12 /

Teaching Interests

Undergraduate:
Understanding Health and Illness strand of Professionalism module on year 1 and year 2 medical curriculum.
Professionalism small group teaching  (EBL)

Supervision of social care dissertations on 4BA

Post graduate:
Foundations of Health Promotion (Concepts and Principles of Health Promotion; Healthy Public Policy)

Evaluation in Health promotion (EBL)
Promoting Healthy Behaviours (PBL)
Determinants of Health


Supervision of minor dissertation in MA Health Promotion.

Health Promotion Practice (Reflective Practice)