Colleagues win 'Paper of the Day' at RCN 2014 Annual International Nursing Research Conference

Congratulations to Dr Aisha Holloway and Dr Sarah Rhynas. Their presentation Using Photovoice with people with problematic long-term alcohol use: Exploring the methodology won 'Paper of the day 2014' on Friday 4 April 2014 at the recent RCN Annual International Research Conference.

They presented their Knowledge Exchange project which was funded by The University of Edinburgh Knowledge Exchange Grant and in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, NHS Lothian, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and Rowan Alba.

The project used photographic art to explore the lives of those individuals who have experienced alcohol-related harm and attend the Cards project, a volunteer-led service working with people in Edinburgh who have a problematic long-term history of alcohol use.

Participants attended photographic art workshops at the National Portrait Gallery run by an artist. They were given cameras to take home and record their lives using them.

Aisha Holloway and Sarah Rhynas presented the results of the research with the photographic art and an accompanying narrative that was recorded by a writer who explored the meaning of the photographs with the participants.

The respect shown to a vulnerable and marginalised group was astonishing. Everyone in the room commented on this. Research sometimes turns into therapeutic engagement - the reflections here were amazing.

The paper of the day was judged by RCN Research Society's Scientific Committee on the persuasiveness of written nominations received from concurrent session chairs. Chairs will be invited to nominate papers that they believe they will 'still be talking about in twelve months' time'.