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Attendees were introduced to the vision and mission of the Global Health Network (TGHN) and Global Research Nurses (GRN) in particular, and their available web-based resources and networking opportunities. Feedback from delegates was that they were encouraged to hear such an organisation exists and were inspired by its vision and mission.  A second presentation about the scope and standards of practice of clinical research nursing stimulated considerable debate, including an interest in ‘who clinical research nurses actually are?’.

Many nurses, including from several African countries, contacted Dr Pietersen during and after the conference to express interest in GRN. An anecdote was from a Zimbabwean delegate previously employed as a clinical research nurse before embarking on his PhD, observing that once he complete a Masters degree in Clinical Research he understood the full spectrum of what clinical research is about, versus merely completing tasks expected of him. 

A consequence of networking during the conference was submission of an application for funding by a delegate from Ghana that included mentors from the UK and GRN as knowledge partners. The GRN coordinator was also invited to be on the scientific committee for the 5th International Conference for the Global Network of Public Health Nursing to be held in Kenya in March 2019.

Hassain won the poster award for work he did as part of the Introduction to Genomic Medicine for nurses in Africa course for which GRN contributed a module on clinical research methods. Brenda delivered an oral presentation.

Image: Hassain. Elize and Brenda at the ICCHNR conference