Staff Directory

Search AIT Staff

Laura Dempsey

Lecturer

  • ldempsey@ait.ie
  • Room: J1018
  • Building: Nursing & Healthcare
  • Faculty: Faculty of Science and Health

Dr. Laura Dempsey

obtained her degree in nursing from University College Galway (1996-2000) and
worked for a number of years clinically as a registered general nurse in a
variety of Irish and Australian hospitals. On successful completion of a
Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Health Sciences Education from Trinity
College Dublin in 2002 and a Masters in Nurse Education in 2003 also from
Trinity College Dublin, Laura embarked on a career in lecturing in the School
of Nursing & Midwifery in the National University of Ireland, Galway
where she worked for 15 years. During her time in NUI, Galway her role
involved teaching and assessing on undergraduate and postgraduate modules,
module co-ordination, and supervising research projects at postgraduate and
masters level. In addition, she was programme director for the Postgraduate
Diploma/Masters in Palliative Care for 10 years. Laura has experience in
dementia research and has been involved in several funded projects in this
area. Her PhD research focused on family carers’ perspectives of providing
care for those dying with dementia. Currently she is involved in
international research in the area of providing a good death for people with
dementia as well as other Irish research surrounding how student nurses
communicate effectively with people living with dementia.

Dempsey,

L. (2007) The Experiences of Irish Nurse Lecturers Role Transition from
Clinician to Educator. International Journal of Nursing Education
Scholarship. 4(1), Article 1. Available at:
http://www.bepress.com?ijnes/vol4/iss1/1

Walsh, B. & Dempsey, L. (2011) Investigating the Reliability and
Validity of the Waterlow Risk Assessment Scale: A Literature Review. Clinical
Nursing Research. 20(2), 197-208.

Handsaker, S., Dempsey, L., Fabby, C. (2012) Identifying and Treating
Depression at End of Life. International Journal of Palliative Nursing.
18(2), 91-97.

O’Grady, E., Dempsey, L., Fabby, C. (2012) Anger: a common psychological
distress encountered by patients at end of life. International Journal of
Palliative Nursing. 18(12), 592-596.

Handsaker, S., Dempsey, L., Fabby, C. (2013) Implementing Graded Clinical
Guidelines for the use of Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate (OTFC) in
Breakthrough Pain. International Journal of Palliative Nursing. 19(2),
60-65.

Cooney, A., Dowling, M., Gannon, M., Dempsey, L., Murphy, K. (2013)
Exploration of the meaning of connectedness for older people in long-term
care in context of their quality of life. International Journal of Older People
Nursing. 9(3), 192-199 doi: 10.1111/opn.12017

Cooney, A., O’Shea, E., Casey, D., Murphy, K., Dempsey, L., Smyth, S.,
Hunter, A., Murphy, E., Devane, D., Jordan, F. (2013) Developing a structured
education reminiscence-based programme for staff in long-stay care facilities
in Ireland. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 22, 1977-1987.

Dempsey, L., Murphy, K., Cooney, A., Casey, D., O’Shea, E., Devane, D.,
Jordan, F., Hunter, A. (2014) Reminiscence in dementia: a concept analysis.
Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice. 13(2),
176-192.

Cooney, A. Hunter, A. Murphy, K. Casey, D. Smyth, S. Devane, D. Dempsey, L.
Murphy, E. Jordan, F. & O’Shea, E. (2014) “Seeing me through my memories”:
a grounded theory study on using reminiscence with people with dementia
living in long-term care. Journal of Clinical Nursing. doi:
10.1111/jocn.12645. Epub 2014 Jul 12

Dempsey, L., Dowling, M., Larkin, P., Murphy, K. (2015) The unmet
palliative care needs of those dying with dementia. International Journal of
Palliative Nursing. 21(3), 126-133.

Dempsey, L., Dowling, M., Larkin, P., Murphy, K. (2016) Sensitive
Interviewing in Qualitative Research. Research in Nursing & Health. 39,
480-490.

Dempsey, L., Dowling, M., Larkin, P., Murphy, K. (2018) Providing care for
a person with late stage dementia at home: What are carers’ experiences?
Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301218774937

Conferences:

Dempsey, L. (2005) From Clinical Nurse to Nurse Lecturer: A Role
Transition.

Research paper presented at the Nurse Education Tomorrow 2005 Conference. 16th
Annual International Participative Conference. Grey College, University of
Durham, United Kingdom. September 2005.

Dempsey, L. (2005) The Role Transition from Clinical Nurse to Nurse
Lecturer

Research paper presented at The University of Dublin Trinity College 6th
Annual International Multidisciplinary Research Conference. November,
2005.

Dempsey, L., Cooney, A., Murphy, K., O Shea, E., Casey, D. (2007) Quality
of life of older people with dementia living in the community in
Ireland

Research paper presented at the Citizenship: Responding to the Challenges
of Dementia. 1st International Conference. Stirling, Scotland. April,
2007.

Cooney, C., Murphy, K., O Shea, E., Dempsey, L., Casey, D. (2007) Living
with Dementia: Older people’s accounts of their reality

Research paper presented at the Citizenship: Responding to the Challenges
of Dementia. 1st International Conference. Stirling, Scotland. April,
2007.

Dempsey, L., Murphy, K., Cooney, A., Casey, D., O Shea, E. (2009) Analysing
the Concept of Reminiscence. Paper presented at the Building and Promoting
Excellence in Practice Research Conference. 2nd International Conference. NUI
Galway. April 2009.

McCarthy, B., Byrne, E., Casey, D., Dempsey, L., Houghton, C., Meagher, C.,
& Mooney, B. (2010) Simulation as a Teaching Strategy: Cardiac Arrest and
Breaking Bad News. (Workshop). Irish Network of Medical Educators (INMED)
Conference. National University of Ireland, Galway.

Dempsey, L. (2015) The Complexities of Conducting Sensitive Interviews
using an

IPA Approach. Paper presented at the Building and Promoting Excellence in
Practice Research Conference. 5th International Conference. NUI Galway. April
2015.

O’Shea, E., Kanarek, R., Dempsey, L., Pagano, M., McElroy, C. (2017)
Creating a Palliative Care Curriculum: From Pain to Promise. ICCH/HARC
International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, Baltimore, USA.
October, 2017.

Dempsey, L. (2018) The challenges of caring for a person with dementia in
the home: Family carers perspectives. 10th International Dementia Conference,
The Helix, DCU. April 2018.

Smyth, S., Houghton, C., Dempsey, L., Gannon, M., Jordan, F., Casey, D.
(2020) Communicating with people with dementia: Undergraduate nursing
students’ experience of using the VERA framework as a communication tool.
Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2020, Trinity
College Dublin. March 2020.

Nishimura, M., Harrison-Dening, K., Sampson, E., Iglesias de Oliveira
Vidal, E., Correia de Abreu, W., Kaasaleinen, S., Eisenmann, Y., Dempsey, L.,
Moore, K., Davies, N., Rianne Bolt, S., Meijers, J., Lemos Dekker, N.,
Miyashita, M., van der Steen, J. (2020) Cross-cultural Conceptualization of a
Good End of Life with Dementia: A Meta-qualitative. 34th International
Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International, Singapore. March 2020.

Currently in Athlone

Institute of Technology, I teach on both the Bachelor of Science (General
Nursing) and Bachelor of Science (Psychiatric Nursing) programmes. Prior to
September 2018, I was a lecturer in the School of Nursing & Midwifery at
the National University of Ireland, Galway from 2002-2018. This role involved
teaching and assessing in the areas of general nursing and palliative care.
My role further involved supervising research projects at postgraduate and
masters level.
"Reviewer for the Victoria Thompson Scholarship. Annual award offered to Postgraduate/Masters in Children's Palliative Care student. Interested in qualitative research designs particularly Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Competent in using NVivo

1999 -

Present: Registered General Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of
Ireland

2003 - Present: Registered Nurse Tutor with the Nursing and Midwifery Board
of Ireland

2017 - Present: Member of the Psychosocial Dementia Research Group,
Galway

Certified BLS instructor with the Irish Heart Association
  • Biography

    Dr. Laura Dempsey

    obtained her degree in nursing from University College Galway (1996-2000) and
    worked for a number of years clinically as a registered general nurse in a
    variety of Irish and Australian hospitals. On successful completion of a
    Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Health Sciences Education from Trinity
    College Dublin in 2002 and a Masters in Nurse Education in 2003 also from
    Trinity College Dublin, Laura embarked on a career in lecturing in the School
    of Nursing & Midwifery in the National University of Ireland, Galway
    where she worked for 15 years. During her time in NUI, Galway her role
    involved teaching and assessing on undergraduate and postgraduate modules,
    module co-ordination, and supervising research projects at postgraduate and
    masters level. In addition, she was programme director for the Postgraduate
    Diploma/Masters in Palliative Care for 10 years. Laura has experience in
    dementia research and has been involved in several funded projects in this
    area. Her PhD research focused on family carers’ perspectives of providing
    care for those dying with dementia. Currently she is involved in
    international research in the area of providing a good death for people with
    dementia as well as other Irish research surrounding how student nurses
    communicate effectively with people living with dementia.

  • Research & Consultancy

    Dempsey,

    L. (2007) The Experiences of Irish Nurse Lecturers Role Transition from
    Clinician to Educator. International Journal of Nursing Education
    Scholarship. 4(1), Article 1. Available at:
    http://www.bepress.com?ijnes/vol4/iss1/1

    Walsh, B. & Dempsey, L. (2011) Investigating the Reliability and
    Validity of the Waterlow Risk Assessment Scale: A Literature Review. Clinical
    Nursing Research. 20(2), 197-208.

    Handsaker, S., Dempsey, L., Fabby, C. (2012) Identifying and Treating
    Depression at End of Life. International Journal of Palliative Nursing.
    18(2), 91-97.

    O’Grady, E., Dempsey, L., Fabby, C. (2012) Anger: a common psychological
    distress encountered by patients at end of life. International Journal of
    Palliative Nursing. 18(12), 592-596.

    Handsaker, S., Dempsey, L., Fabby, C. (2013) Implementing Graded Clinical
    Guidelines for the use of Oral Transmucosal Fentanyl Citrate (OTFC) in
    Breakthrough Pain. International Journal of Palliative Nursing. 19(2),
    60-65.

    Cooney, A., Dowling, M., Gannon, M., Dempsey, L., Murphy, K. (2013)
    Exploration of the meaning of connectedness for older people in long-term
    care in context of their quality of life. International Journal of Older People
    Nursing. 9(3), 192-199 doi: 10.1111/opn.12017

    Cooney, A., O’Shea, E., Casey, D., Murphy, K., Dempsey, L., Smyth, S.,
    Hunter, A., Murphy, E., Devane, D., Jordan, F. (2013) Developing a structured
    education reminiscence-based programme for staff in long-stay care facilities
    in Ireland. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 22, 1977-1987.

    Dempsey, L., Murphy, K., Cooney, A., Casey, D., O’Shea, E., Devane, D.,
    Jordan, F., Hunter, A. (2014) Reminiscence in dementia: a concept analysis.
    Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice. 13(2),
    176-192.

    Cooney, A. Hunter, A. Murphy, K. Casey, D. Smyth, S. Devane, D. Dempsey, L.
    Murphy, E. Jordan, F. & O’Shea, E. (2014) “Seeing me through my memories”:
    a grounded theory study on using reminiscence with people with dementia
    living in long-term care. Journal of Clinical Nursing. doi:
    10.1111/jocn.12645. Epub 2014 Jul 12

    Dempsey, L., Dowling, M., Larkin, P., Murphy, K. (2015) The unmet
    palliative care needs of those dying with dementia. International Journal of
    Palliative Nursing. 21(3), 126-133.

    Dempsey, L., Dowling, M., Larkin, P., Murphy, K. (2016) Sensitive
    Interviewing in Qualitative Research. Research in Nursing & Health. 39,
    480-490.

    Dempsey, L., Dowling, M., Larkin, P., Murphy, K. (2018) Providing care for
    a person with late stage dementia at home: What are carers’ experiences?
    Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301218774937

    Conferences:

    Dempsey, L. (2005) From Clinical Nurse to Nurse Lecturer: A Role
    Transition.

    Research paper presented at the Nurse Education Tomorrow 2005 Conference. 16th
    Annual International Participative Conference. Grey College, University of
    Durham, United Kingdom. September 2005.

    Dempsey, L. (2005) The Role Transition from Clinical Nurse to Nurse
    Lecturer

    Research paper presented at The University of Dublin Trinity College 6th
    Annual International Multidisciplinary Research Conference. November,
    2005.

    Dempsey, L., Cooney, A., Murphy, K., O Shea, E., Casey, D. (2007) Quality
    of life of older people with dementia living in the community in
    Ireland

    Research paper presented at the Citizenship: Responding to the Challenges
    of Dementia. 1st International Conference. Stirling, Scotland. April,
    2007.

    Cooney, C., Murphy, K., O Shea, E., Dempsey, L., Casey, D. (2007) Living
    with Dementia: Older people’s accounts of their reality

    Research paper presented at the Citizenship: Responding to the Challenges
    of Dementia. 1st International Conference. Stirling, Scotland. April,
    2007.

    Dempsey, L., Murphy, K., Cooney, A., Casey, D., O Shea, E. (2009) Analysing
    the Concept of Reminiscence. Paper presented at the Building and Promoting
    Excellence in Practice Research Conference. 2nd International Conference. NUI
    Galway. April 2009.

    McCarthy, B., Byrne, E., Casey, D., Dempsey, L., Houghton, C., Meagher, C.,
    & Mooney, B. (2010) Simulation as a Teaching Strategy: Cardiac Arrest and
    Breaking Bad News. (Workshop). Irish Network of Medical Educators (INMED)
    Conference. National University of Ireland, Galway.

    Dempsey, L. (2015) The Complexities of Conducting Sensitive Interviews
    using an

    IPA Approach. Paper presented at the Building and Promoting Excellence in
    Practice Research Conference. 5th International Conference. NUI Galway. April
    2015.

    O’Shea, E., Kanarek, R., Dempsey, L., Pagano, M., McElroy, C. (2017)
    Creating a Palliative Care Curriculum: From Pain to Promise. ICCH/HARC
    International Conference on Communication in Healthcare, Baltimore, USA.
    October, 2017.

    Dempsey, L. (2018) The challenges of caring for a person with dementia in
    the home: Family carers perspectives. 10th International Dementia Conference,
    The Helix, DCU. April 2018.

    Smyth, S., Houghton, C., Dempsey, L., Gannon, M., Jordan, F., Casey, D.
    (2020) Communicating with people with dementia: Undergraduate nursing
    students’ experience of using the VERA framework as a communication tool.
    Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference 2020, Trinity
    College Dublin. March 2020.

    Nishimura, M., Harrison-Dening, K., Sampson, E., Iglesias de Oliveira
    Vidal, E., Correia de Abreu, W., Kaasaleinen, S., Eisenmann, Y., Dempsey, L.,
    Moore, K., Davies, N., Rianne Bolt, S., Meijers, J., Lemos Dekker, N.,
    Miyashita, M., van der Steen, J. (2020) Cross-cultural Conceptualization of a
    Good End of Life with Dementia: A Meta-qualitative. 34th International
    Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International, Singapore. March 2020.
  • Teaching Experience

    Currently in Athlone

    Institute of Technology, I teach on both the Bachelor of Science (General
    Nursing) and Bachelor of Science (Psychiatric Nursing) programmes. Prior to
    September 2018, I was a lecturer in the School of Nursing & Midwifery at
    the National University of Ireland, Galway from 2002-2018. This role involved
    teaching and assessing in the areas of general nursing and palliative care.
    My role further involved supervising research projects at postgraduate and
    masters level.
  • Interests & Professional Development
    "Reviewer for the Victoria Thompson Scholarship. Annual award offered to Postgraduate/Masters in Children's Palliative Care student. Interested in qualitative research designs particularly Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Competent in using NVivo
  • Membership of Academic/Professional Bodies

    1999 -

    Present: Registered General Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of
    Ireland

    2003 - Present: Registered Nurse Tutor with the Nursing and Midwifery Board
    of Ireland

    2017 - Present: Member of the Psychosocial Dementia Research Group,
    Galway

    Certified BLS instructor with the Irish Heart Association