Joy Okwor is a Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust staff nurse in Longmoor House. She recently completed the NHS Research and Development (R&D) North West England InRes programme which aims to empower health and care professionals to pursue a career in research. In this article, Joy charts her experience as a frontline nurse in the world of research and her journey of reflection, identity and growth.
Before joining the InRes programme, research felt like a distant academic domain, something separate from my hands-on clinical work. I was motivated to join because I was craving more. I wanted to understand how to meaningfully integrate research into my everyday practice and use evidence to drive better patient outcomes.
When I joined the programme, I brought curiosity, but also uncertainty. I wondered, how could I, a frontline nurse, contribute meaningfully to the world of research? What I didn’t expect was that this programme would not only equip me with skills but also completely reshape my professional identity.
Reflection
At the start, I didn’t really understand what reflection meant beyond just thinking about past experiences. But through the InRes programme, I learned that reflection is a powerful tool to help me grow. Using simple frameworks like Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle, I began to look at my experiences more deeply, thinking about what happened, how I felt, what I learned and what I could do differently next time. It helped me feel more confident, especially when stepping into the unfamiliar world of research, and showed me how to learn from challenges rather than feel stuck by them.
Through each InRes session, I navigated intellectual challenges, from unpacking research paradigms to grappling with the ethics of research “with” rather than “on” people. I confronted long-held biases like the assumption that quantitative data held more value than lived experience and began to see how my clinical lens enriched my capacity to ask meaningful, patient-centred questions.
Connection and inclusivity
I also learned the power of connection. In unexpected conversations with peers, I discovered the energy of shared vulnerability. Understanding different learning styles and collaborating in psychologically safe spaces transformed how I show up in teams. I now embrace diverse viewpoints not just as a necessity, but as a strength.
One of the most transformative moments was discovering creative dissemination from storytelling to visual metaphors. What I once dismissed as “fluffy” now feels like a powerful, ethical act of engagement.
Research should speak to people, not just to academics. I now see myself not only as a researcher but as a bridge between evidence and impact, between the clinic and the community.
I now understand the power of narrative, visuals and multimedia to make research resonate with real people. Inspired by this, I created a short video outlining my five-year aspirational research plan, a visual narrative imagining the future of global dementia care partnerships between Nigeria and the UK.
This creative piece gave form to my vision and underscored the importance of accessible, inclusive communication in research. It is a statement of who I am becoming, a clinical researcher committed to equity, global collaboration and innovation.
What I’ve learned
Post-InRes, I am not the same. I am a more reflective, strategic and ethically grounded practitioner. My clinical background no longer feels separate from research; it’s the very thing that makes my voice in research valuable.
This journey has taught me that research isn’t about perfection; it’s about curiosity, growth and a willingness to reimagine what’s possible.
The InRes programme didn’t just give me tools, it gave me a voice and a vision.
