NUI Galway Speech and Language academics and students have embarked on a new telehealth clinical placement offering approximately 30 online appointments daily in English and Irish. This clinical placement, using the HSE online platform Attend Anywhere, is run in collaboration with therapists from the HSE West, HSE Donegal and Voices for Down Syndrome Galway. The new facility not only offers learning opportunities and the ability for students to complete their practice education training through clinical placements, but also allows clients to access health care services and therapy from the comfort and safety of their homes. Laura Loftus, Practice Education Coordinator, Speech and Language Therapy at NUI Galway said: “Speech and Language Therapist students are required to complete their practice education training through clinical placements in hospitals and healthcare facilities where they acquire and develop these skills. As a consequence of Covid-19, clinical placements became scarce due to reduced speech and language therapy services, increased measures of infection control and the redeployment of therapists to COVID-19 related duties. To deal with this crisis and provide enough clinical hours for our students, the discipline of Speech and Language Therapy at NUI Galway turned to telehealth. “This is the first time that clinical placements for Speech and Language Therapy students are based on providing telehealth and not face-to-face work with clients. Every week, under supervision, 27 fourth year Speech and Language Therapy students offer approximately 30 telehealth appointments daily. To support the delivery of appointments the students are creating a bank of video podcasts which demonstrate activities they will be targeting in therapy. This ensures families have support material to review between sessions.” The students work with clients of all ages including some with Down Syndrome, Autism, Parkinson’s Disease, or clients who have had strokes and children with speech and language needs. Initially they contact clients to explain the service, then arrange appointments and send out the materials used for each session. Sessions last from 20-45 minutes and are supervised by a qualified Speech and Language Therapist. Afterwards follow up material is sent to the client based on the progress that they made. NUI Galway are also working with parents and schools to provide advice and offer much needed therapy programmes. Laura continued: “From the Clinical Educator perspective we can see how the students’ confidence, team work, problem solving and adaptability has developed over the last number of weeks and we are loving how they are growing in their ability and knowledge with every day that passes. We are also enthused by the positivity of clients. These telehealth clinical placements are a way of future-proofing the students for the world into which they will graduate, making them highly desirable healthcare employees. Telehealth has a dual benefit, the students are continuing to develop their clinical competencies and many patients, who otherwise would be on waiting lists, are now receiving treatment.” Speaking about the experience, Final Year Speech and Language Therapy student Mia Hanrahan from Ennis Co. Clare said: “I was apprehensive at first as I had never seen telehealth being used and knew that patients would be unsure as to how it would work for them in comparison to what they are used to. However, it's been a unique experience as we have been able to make a difference in the lives of children and adults without putting anyone at risk. It's been a great opportunity to learn how to problem solve and adapt traditional therapy techniques to an online format. I'm grateful to everyone who has taken part in therapy as it has shown to us just how beneficial telehealth can be.” Marie, a user of the service from Galway who has Parkinson’s Disease, commented: “It has been a very positive experience working with the students. Whilst I was somewhat sceptical at first I reminded myself that I was a student once and, like the girls, needed real hands on experience. They have made a huge effort to understand my specific needs and come up with exercises that are appropriate and productive as well as being suitable for the on-line platform. Both they and I have a vested interest in making this work- they need the experience and I need their specialist knowledge, so it is mutually beneficial scenario. The telehealth appointments are currently being rolled out across counties Galway and Donegal with plans to extend nationwide in due course. -Ends-

Tá lucht acadúil agus mic léinn Urlabhra agus Teanga OÉ Gaillimh ag dul i mbun socrúcháin chliniciúil nua teileashláinte. Cuirfear thart ar 30 coinne ar fáil ar líne gach lá i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge. Cuirtear an socrúchán cliniciúil seo ar fáil trí leas a bhaint as ardán ar líne FSS Attend Anywhere, i gcomhar le teiripeoirí ó FSS an Iarthair, FSS Dhún na nGall agus Voices for Down Syndrome i nGaillimh. Ní hamháin go dtugann an áis nua seo deiseanna foghlama agus an cumas do mhic léinn a gcuid oiliúna san oideachas cleachtais a chur i gcrích trí shocrúcháin chliniciúla, ach tugann sé deis do chliaint rochtain a fháil ar sheirbhísí agus ar theiripe cúraim sláinte ón mbaile agus iad ar a gcompord agus slán sábháilte. Dúirt Laura Loftus, Comhordaitheoir don Oideachas Cleachtais, Teiripe Urlabhra agus Teanga in OÉ Gaillimh: “Caithfidh mic léinn Teiripe Urlabhra agus Teanga a gcuid oideachais cleachtais a chur i gcrích trí shocrúcháin chliniciúla in ospidéil agus in áiseanna cúraim sláinte áit a shealbhaíonn agus a fhorbraíonn siad na scileanna seo. Mar thoradh ar Covid-19, bhí socrúcháin chliniciúla gann mar gheall ar sheirbhísí laghdaithe teiripe urlabhra agus teanga, bearta méadaithe maidir le rialú ionfhabhtaithe agus teiripeoirí a bheith athlonnaithe chuig dualgais a bhaineann le COVID-19. Chun déileáil leis an ngéarchéim seo agus dóthain uaireanta cliniciúla a sholáthar dár gcuid mac léinn, bhain disciplín na Teiripe Urlabhra agus Teanga in OÉ Gaillimh leas as teileashláinte. “Is é seo an chéad uair a bhfuil socrúcháin chliniciúla do mhic léinn Teiripe Urlabhra agus Teanga bunaithe ar theileashláinte a sholáthar seachas ar bheith aghaidh ar aghaidh leis an duine. Gach seachtain, faoi mhaoirseacht, cuireann 27 mac léinn Teiripe Urlabhra agus Teanga sa cheathrú bliain thart ar 30 coinne teileashláinte ar fáil gach lá. Chun tacú leis na coinní seo a chur ar fáil tá na mic léinn ag cruthú bailiúchán podchraoltaí físe a léiríonn gníomhaíochtaí a mbeidh siad ag díriú orthu sa teiripe. Cinntíonn sé seo go bhfuil ábhar tacaíochta ag teaghlaigh le breathnú air idir na seisiúin.” Oibríonn na mic léinn le cliaint de gach aois, cuid acu a bhfuil Siondróm Down, Uathachas, Galar Parkinson orthu, nó cliaint a raibh stróc acu agus leanaí a bhfuil riachtanais urlabhra agus teanga acu. Ar dtús déanann siad teagmháil le cliaint chun an tseirbhís a mhíniú dóibh, ansin socraíonn siad coinní agus seolann siad na hábhair a úsáidfear i ngach seisiún chucu. Maireann seisiúin 20-45 nóiméad agus déanann Teiripeoir Urlabhra agus Teanga cáilithe maoirseacht orthu. Ina dhiaidh sin, seoltar ábhar leantach chuig an gcliant bunaithe ar an dul chun cinn a dhéanann siad. Tá OÉ Gaillimh ag obair le tuismitheoirí agus le scoileanna freisin chun comhairle a sholáthar agus cláir theiripe a bhfuil géarghá leo a thairiscint. Dúirt Laura an méid seo chomh maith: “Ó thaobh an Oideachais Chliniciúil de, is léir gur fhorbair muinín, obair foirne, réiteach fadhbanna agus inoiriúnaitheacht na mac léinn le roinnt seachtainí anuas agus is breá linn go bhfuil a gcumas agus a gcuid eolais ag méadú gach lá. Táimid an-tógtha le díograis na gcliant freisin. Is bealach iad na socrúcháin chliniciúla teileashláinte seo chun na mic léinn a chosaint sa todhchaí don saol ina mbainfidh siad céim amach, rud a fhágfaidh gur fostaithe cúram sláinte thar a bheith inmhianaithe a bheidh iontu. Tá dhá bhuntáiste le Teileashláinte, tá na mic léinn ag forbairt a n-inniúlachtaí cliniciúla i gcónaí agus tá go leor othar, a bheadh ar liostaí feithimh murach sin, ag fáil cóireála anois.” Ag labhairt di faoin taithí, dúirt Treasa Ní Mhíocháin, mac léinn Teiripe Urlabhra agus Teanga i mbliain deiridh na céime, as Leitir Ceanainn, Tír Chonaill: “Caithfidh mé a rá go bhfuil an t-ádh orainn go bhfuaireamar an taithí seo. Bhí sé i gcónaí ar intinn agam obair a dhéanamh le heagraíocht cosúil le “Voices for Galway”. Tá an t-ádh orainn freisin go mbeimid ag baint céime amach agus taithí againn ag obair ar líne. Táim ag baint an-sult as an socrúchán seo. Táim iontach buíoch do na léachtóirí uile chomh maith leis na hoidí."  Dúirt Marie, úsáideoir na seirbhíse as Gaillimh a bhfuil Galar Parkinson uirthi: “B’iontach an taithí é a bheith ag obair leis na mic léinn. Cé go raibh mé rud beag amhrasach ar dtús chuir mé i gcuimhne dom féin gur mac léinn a bhí ionam féin tráth agus, ach an oiread leis na cailíní, go raibh taithí phraiticiúil ag teastáil uaim. Rinne siad an-iarracht mo riachtanais shonracha a thuiscint agus chuimhnigh siad ar chleachtaí a bheadh oiriúnach agus éifeachtach chomh maith le bheith oiriúnach don ardán ar líne. Tá spéis ar leith acu féin agus agamsa san obair seo a dhéanamh - teastaíonn an taithí uathusan agus teastaíonn a saineolas uaimse, mar sin is tairbhe dúinn ar fad é. Tá na coinní teileashláinte á gcur i bhfeidhm faoi láthair ar fud chontaetha na Gaillimhe agus Dhún na nGall agus tá sé i gceist iad a chur ar fáil ar fud na tíre in am trátha. -Críoch-

Dr Patrick McGetrick, a Lecturer in Civil Engineering at NUI Galway, recently won the Young Researcher Award at the biennial Civil Engineering Research in Ireland (CERI) conference. The award recognises the excellence of research carried out to date, and the potential of the awardee to grow further as an expert in their field in the future. The event also saw Best Paper awards won by NUI Galway Civil Engineering students Orlaith McGinley and Michael Conway, beating off stiff competition from submissions in their respective fields from around the country. Dr McGetrick, originally from Sligo, has over 12 years of experience in Civil Engineering, undertaking collaborative funded research on smart infrastructure and sensing technologies. He specialises in structural design, dynamics, testing, and monitoring of infrastructure such as bridges and buildings, utilising sensors and drones. Patrick McGetrick is a Principal Investigator on the Modular Mass Timber Building for the Circular Economy project at NUI Galway, which focuses on the design, development and experimental testing of a sustainable modular timber building solution, maximising the use of Irish timber in cross-laminated timber panels, and optimising the modules for future deconstruction and reuse. Dr McGetrick is currently co-supervising PhD research on the structural health monitoring of bridges using sensors and applications of image processing techniques, and 3D photogrammetry for structural inspections using drones. Speaking about the award, Dr Patrick McGetrick, College of Science and Engineering, NUI Galway, said: “I am delighted to receive this award in recognition of my contribution to Civil Engineering research, both nationally and internationally. My ongoing research at NUI Galway aims to deliver engineering solutions which support the sustainable development of future cities and transport networks worldwide. It is also fantastic to see our students’ research being recognised. It is reflective of the excellent ongoing work in Civil Engineering at the University.” Orlaith McGinley from Derry, is a PhD student in Civil Engineering at NUI Galway. She received the Best Paper in Energy award for her paper entitled ‘Key considerations in the design of a One-Stop-Shop retrofit model’, co-authored by Dr Paul Moran and Dr Jamie Goggins. The paper provides a definition and review of One-Stop-Shop retrofit delivery models for energy efficient retrofitting of existing dwellings in Ireland and Europe, which aims toimprove comfort, health, and well-being in support of the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan. Michael Conway from Galway, a recent graduate of the Master of Engineering (ME) course in Civil Engineering at NUI Galway, received the Best Paper in Structures award for his paper entitled ‘Reinforcement of Timber Elements in Compression Perpendicular to the Grain using Compressed Wood Dowels’, co-authored by Dr Conan O’Ceallaigh, Mr Sameer Mehra and Professor Annette Harte of the Timber Engineering Research Group (TERG). Michael worked alongside TERG to complete his ME thesis research on the experimental testing of advanced engineered timber products. The CERI 2020 event was hosted by Cork Institution of Technology on behalf of the Civil Engineering Research Association of Ireland (CERAI). It was a fully virtual event this year, attracting 230 attendees from academia and practice and hosted seven keynote lectures, and 130 papers and presentations across nine technical streams. For more about the Modular Mass Timber Building for the Circular Economy project, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/terg/modcons/. For more about the Timber Engineering Research Group at NUI Galway, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/terg/. For more about the Sustainable and Resilient Structures Research Group, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/structures. -Ends-