Globally, more than a million patients undergo cardiac surgery each year. Nursing and allied professional teams are constant in the patient experience. As a key component of the cardiac surgical workforce, we can reduce variability, disparity and inequity in patient access and outcomes.
Within nursing and the allied professions there is an overall international shortfall of academic and clinical academics specialising in cardiac surgery research. This undoubtedly affects the ability of the professions to advance and improve healthcare delivery, and patient outcomes and experience. To expand research opportunities and grow nursing and allied professional clinical academic and academic cardiac surgery researchers engaging in international collaborative research, we aim to provide a robust virtual research environment with appropriate mentorship and support. This is necessary to develop new interventions to prevent, identify, manage and reduce complications related to all stages of cardiac surgery.
CONNECT, established by Prof Julie Sanders (UK), Prof Suzanne Fredericks (Canada), Prof Rochelle Wynne (Australia) and Dr Geraldine Martorella (USA), is a network of nursing and allied professional researchers focused on strengthening collaborative cardiac surgery research through shared initiatives including supervision, mentorship, workplace exchange programs and multi-site clinical research.