Happy New Year and welcome to the first ResNetSLT blog post for 2019 on our shiny new website! Thank you to Sophie Chalmers (@SChalmersSLT) for producing this:
I have now been actively involved with the ResNetSLT action group for one year – helping run Tweetchats on Twitter and writing blog posts – and it has been such a fantastic journey. I was thrilled to be able to share this.
Last year at the start of 2018 I spoke about New Year’s resolutions, and how mine was to become the active ‘Tweeter’. From a ‘passive’ Twitter user, to saying ‘hi’ on Tweetchats; from contributing a line or two during Tweetchats, to co-hosting two in the past year – the transformation and benefits have been, quite frankly, outstanding!
Like many other professionals reading this post, I am inherently passionate about implementing research and evidence into clinical practice. ‘Imposter syndrome’ is a phrase I’m all too familiar with, but through ResNetSLT I have a new-found confidence employing research methods and being ‘research-active’ within my clinical role, be it through service evaluation, service development projects, or audit. And if things get tricky – I now have connections with people whom I can ask for help and advice.
In real terms, in the past year I have had the opportunity of displaying my service development project at the UK Stroke Forum conference poster exhibition. Following this was the successful running of a focus group to facilitate patient and public involvement for patients in our SLT service.
I am now in the 7th month of collating and sending a ‘research round-up newsletter’ to our local SLT team to assist clinicians to access the most up to date research and literature. Many Tweetchats have been fundamental to my learning and ability to carry out such projects. For example ‘Research activity in AHP teams, May 2018’, ‘Qualitative research designs, Sept. 2018’, and ‘PPI, Nov. 2018’.
The menu for this year’s activity calendar is looking fantastic already! I hope you all take the opportunity of joining ResNetSLT on the last Wednesday of every month for our Twitter chats – we look forward to welcoming you!