Projects per year
Personal profile
Particulars
I am a Lecturer in Palliative and End-of-life care in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), and a Marie Curie Honorary Research Fellow.
I graduated from QUB with a BSc Psychology (hons) in 2007, and a MSc Cert in Applied Applications in Clinical Psychology from Newman University, Birmingham in 2009. I then completed a PhD in Palliative and End-of-life care in 2014 which explored factors affecting the successful implementation and sustainability of the Liverpool Care Pathway for dying patients using realist methods. I was the first postdoc researcher in Northern Ireland to have secured a prestigious Marie Curie Senior Research Fellow post in 2019-2024. During that time, I established collaborations locally and internationally (America and South America) and secured £743,630 from competitive funders (NIHR). I joined the School of Nursing and Midwifery at QUB as a Lecturer in April 2024.
Research Interests
Realist Evaluation
Realist Review
Randomised Controlled Trials
Palliative Care
End-of-life Care
Music Therapy
Research Statement
My research interests include improving access to palliative care for those with cancer and non-cancer life-limiting conditions; Music Therapy within palliative and end-of-life care, including bereavement, and alleviating loneliness among those impacted by life-limiting illness.
Current and recent projects
Principle Investigator/joint lead:
McConnell T., Reid J., Hill L., Patynowska K., Stone C (2024-2025). Mapping supportive, palliative and end-of-life care services for people with heart failure in Northern Ireland - Magill Family Charitable Trust
McConnell T., Reid J., Blair C., Bradley N., Patynowska K., Finucane A., Orr A, Harrison C., Hudson B., Paradine S., McCullagh A. (2023-2024) Loneliness from the perspective of those with life-threatening illness and their informal carers: an integrative review – Marie Curie Small Research Grant
McConnell T., Reid J. (2022-2024) Marie Curie Personal Senior Research Fellowship – Marie Curie
McConnell T, joint lead with Reid J., Bradley N., O’Halloran P., Prue G., Blair C., Wong G., Roberts N., Banks E. (2022 – 2024) Integrated Palliative Care in Oncology: Realist Synthesis (IPCO) – NIHR HSDR
McConnell T, joint lead with Reid J., Howie C., Blair C., Wong G., Duddy C., Hill L. (2021 – 2023) Integrating Palliative Care and Heart Failure: Realist Synthesis (PalliatHeartSynthesis) – NIHR HSDR
McConnell T, joint lead with Graham-Wisener L., Kirkwood J., Thomas D., Potvin N. (2021-2022) Building the evidence base for music therapy interventions with informal carers of people at end of life – Music Therapy Charity
Co-investigator
McNeilly P., Kerr H., McConnell T., Reid J. (2023-2024) The all-island CO-DECIDE Study: Co-production of a decision-making framework for planning the place of end-of-life care for children, young people and their families on the island of Ireland - HEA North-South Research Programme 2021
Best P., McConnell T. (2023) Behavioural activation and Virtual Reality based exercise for those with Parkinson's – Marie Curie Small Research Grant
O’Halloran P., Brazil K., McConnell T., McVeigh C., Noble H., Reid J. (2022-2023) NIHR Palliative Care Research Partnership for Northern Ireland – NIHR
Reid J., McConnell T. (2021-2022) : Loneliness among people with a terminal illness and their carers in Northern Ireland - Marie Curie Small Research Grant
External Roles
- Marie Curie Honorary Research Fellow
- Committee member of the Palliative Care Research Forum Northern Ireland (PCRFNI)
- Member of the All Ireland Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) Palliative Care Research Network (PCRN)
- Member of the Action Group on Loneliness Policy (ACLP). The action group was set up in 2019 and has already worked with MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly to set up an All Party Group on Loneliness, calling on the Assembly to develop and implement a strategy on loneliness for Northern Ireland.
- Member of the Mental Health and Wellbeing in Advanced Illness Network (MAIN)
- Member of the AIIHPC Psychological, Social and Spiritual Care research Special Interest Group
- Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Leadership Roles
- Co-lead QUB School of Nursing and Midwifery Athena SWAN Student Group
- School of Nursing and Midwifery representative on QUB PPI Network
- Member of SWAN Culture Working Group
Teaching
Undergraduate modules:
Evidence Based Nursing 2 - Year 2 (NFM 2121)
Working inter-professionally to improve mental wellbeing – Year 2 (NSY 2124) - Module Co-coordinator
Postgraduate modules:
Master class workshops – PhD students
Evidence Based Practice (HSN 7076) - Module Co-ordinator
Current Graduate Supervision
MSc students
PhD students
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 2 Active
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R4079NUR: Palliative and End-of-Life Care Research Partnership for Northern Ireland
O'Halloran, P. (PI), Brazil, K. (CoI), McConnell, T. (CoI), McVeigh, C. (CoI), Noble, H. (CoI) & Reid, J. (CoI)
06/01/2022 → …
Project: Research
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R2298NUR: Evaluation of Children's Hospice Services
Santin, O. (PI), Galway, K. (CoI), McConnell, T. (CoI) & McLaughlin, D. (CoI)
12/05/2016 → …
Project: Research
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Decision-making regarding place of end-of-life care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions: a systematic integrative review
Crowe, A., Hurley, F., Kiernan, G., Kerr, H., Corcoran, Y., Price, J., Reid, J., Courtney, E., McConnell, T., McNeilly, P. & Lambert, V., 27 Jan 2025, In: BMC Palliative Care. 24Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile12 Downloads (Pure) -
Bereaved parents’ decision-making about location of end-of-life care for children
Crowe, A., McCauley, R., Reid, J., Corcoran, Y., Price, J., Kiernan, G., Courtney, E., McConnell, T., McNeilly, P. & Lambert, V., 17 Oct 2024.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
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Bereaved parents’ experiences of support during decision-making about the location of their child’s end-of-life care.
McCauley, R., Crowe, A., Reid, J., Corcoran, Y., Courtney, E., McConnell, T., Kiernan, G., Price, J., McNeilly, P. & Lambert, V., 14 Nov 2024.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
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Developing a best-practice agenda for music therapy research to support informal carers of terminally ill patients pre- and post-death bereavement: a world café approach
McConnell, T., Gillespie, K., Potvin, N., Roulston, A., Kirkwood, J., Thomas, D., McCullagh, A., Roche, L., O'Sullivan, M., Binnie, K., Clements-Cortés, A., DiMaio, L., Thompson, Z., Tsiris, G., Radulovic, R. & Graham-Wisener, L., 07 Feb 2024, In: BMC Palliative Care. 23, 15 p., 33.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile34 Downloads (Pure) -
Developing research priorities for palliative care in Colombia: a priority setting partnership approach
McConnell, T., Mendieta, C. V., de Vries, E., Calvache, J. A., Prue, G., Ahmedzai, S. & Reid, J., 01 Aug 2024, In: BMC Palliative Care. 23, 9 p., 194.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile8 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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1st Prize - Best Poster Presentation at Marie Curie Research Conference 2022
Gibson, I. (Recipient), Roulston, A. (Recipient), Rebelo, P. (Recipient), Best, P. (Recipient) & McConnell, T. (Recipient), 04 Feb 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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The Hidden Value of Music Therapy in Palliative Care
Graham-Wisener, L. (Invited speaker) & McConnell, T. (Invited speaker)
13 Aug 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Swan Student Family Fun Day
Rogers, K. (Organiser), Healy, M. (Organiser), McConnell, T. (Organiser), Carter, G. (Organiser), Dornan, M. (Invited speaker), Gillis, A. (Organiser), Copeland, S. (Organiser), Nixon, N. (Organiser), Bennett, M. (Host), Small, R. (Host), Armstrong, D. (Host), Duncan, D. (Participant) & fairley, A. (Participant)
11 May 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in Festival/Exhibition
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Music therapy as a form of bereavement support: What is the evidence?
Graham-Wisener, L. (Invited speaker) & McConnell, T. (Invited speaker)
08 Dec 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Health and Social Care Professionals experiences of place of end-of-life decision making on the island of Ireland
Crowe, A. (Presenter), McCauley, R. (Presenter), Reid, J. (Advisor), Corcoran, Y. (Advisor), Eileen, C. (Advisor), Kiernan, G. (Advisor), Kerr , H. (Advisor), McConnell, T. (Advisor), Price, J. (Advisor), McNeilly, P. (Advisor) & Lambert, V. (Advisor)
07 Dec 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Integrating Palliative Care and Heart Failure Conference
Craig, S. (Member of the organising committee), McConnell, T. (Conference committee chair), Reid, J. (Chair), Alrfooh, O. (Member of the organising committee) & McNulty, A. (Member of the organising committee)
29 Sept 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
Press/Media
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My Way and Hey Jude among Britons’ most popular end-of-life songs
09/10/2024
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Revealed: The top ten songs chosen by dying people to play during their final moments... so is YOUR favourite on the poignant hit list?
09/10/2024
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Here’s the number one song requested by the dying — and it’s far from sad
09/10/2024
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Music for the end: the power of music for helping families and loved ones during end-of-life care
09/10/2024
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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The surprising 1980s anthem the dying choose to listen to in their final moments
09/10/2024
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment