Congratulations to Georgia Addison for starting her research journey!
GMMH’s Georgia Addison, Research Mental Health Nurse, has been accepted into the Early Careers in Research Development Pathway.
Georgia has been selected as one of 30 professionals to join this pathway. The 12-month programme looks to support health and social care professionals from a variety of backgrounds to develop their research skills and become the next research leaders in their respective fields of study.
Georgia has always had a keen interest in research, having based her dissertation on Horticultural Therapy for people with mental illnesses. She was able to bring this interest to life in her clinical role, in which she renovated a garden on a mother and baby unit. Georgia would like to develop a research career in which the effects of horticultural therapy are measured and studied within the perinatal population.
As a Research Nurse at GMMH, Georgia is currently working on three research projects, which are both commercial and non-commercial trials looking at OCD and first episode psychosis. She also works in the Mental Health Nursing Research Unit (MHNRU) to shadow research activities and begin her clinical academic career.
Georgia said:
“I believe that the ECRP programme will enable me to gain an understanding of the complex world of funding, applications and ethics boards and therefore help me to bring future research studies to fruition. I hope this course allows me to bring my goals and research aspirations to life.
“My advice to Mental Health professionals who are curious about developing research skills is:
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Embrace Your Inner Detective: Think of yourself as a mental health detective, exploring the mysteries of the mind to improve people's well-being.
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Turn "I Can't" into "I Can Research It": When faced with a tough problem, remind yourself that with research, you can find solutions and answers to almost anything.
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Celebrate Small Wins: Research progress can be slow, but every tiny breakthrough deserves a mini celebration.
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Doodle Ideas: Doodle your research ideas. Sometimes, a burst of creativity comes when you least expect it.
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Remember Why You Started: During challenging moments, reflect on the lives you'll positively impact through your work. It's a powerful motivator.
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Stay Curious: Cultivate your inner curiosity like a garden. Water it with questions and watch your knowledge bloom!
“Starting a career in mental health nursing research can be an exciting and fulfilling journey. Keep your spirits high, and don't forget to have fun along the way!”
We will be watching Georgia’s career closely and supporting her development on this path as much as possible. Very best of luck, Georgia!
The Early Career Development Pathway is provided by the National Institute of Health & Care Research’s Clinical Research Network (NIHR CRN) for the North West and Greater Manchester. You can find out more about the pathway here.
GMMH is a research-active trust, and we want to encourage you to get involved in research. You can find out how to get involved in research – such as becoming a Research Advocate or joining the Research-Interested Staff network – by visiting our Research Information for Staff page.
