Research interests
Jacqui’s research and clinical work focuses on how we can optimise hygiene behaviours in healthcare. It encompasses all aspects of infection prevention practice including hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment, management of invasive medical devices (e.g. urinary catheters), care of patients with infectious conditions and the patient’s experience of healthcare-associated infection.
Jacqui has a particular interest in preventing urinary tract infection and leads a programme of research and improvement work across hospital and community care settings to understand how patient pathways can be improved. This includes reducing the use of indwelling urinary catheters to avoid urinary tract infection.
PhD Supervision
To date, Jacqui has supervised 7 Doctoral students (4 to completion; 3 current) and 6 Masters’ students (5 MSc and 1 MRes) to completion. She has examined 8 doctoral theses (5 external candidates; 3 internal candidates).
Primary supervisor (current):
Camilla Bennett (PhD transfer completed)
Urine output: how and why is it monitored in acute medical environments?
Amelia Heelan (PhD transfer completed)
A feasibility study to determine the acceptability and feasibility of finger foods, a nutritional support intervention, for patients after stroke in hospital: A mixed method approach.
Victoria Payne (PhD transfer completed)
An investigation into the implementation of a complex intervention to reduce late-onset sepsis in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Primary supervisor (completed):
Donna Austin, PhD (completed 2020)
Children and young people’s experience of source and protective isolation while in hospital.
Matsikachando Moyo, PhD (completed 2019)
How do doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants in the acute medical unit look after patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting?
Catherine Murphy, PhD (completed 2014)
Why do clinicians place indwelling urinary catheters with patients in acute medical care?
Janice Westbury, DClinP (completed 2012)
An exploration of consultant doctors’ hand hygiene: practice and perspectives.
PhD research
Prieto JA. Influencing Infection Control Practice: assessing the Impact of a Supportive Intervention for Nurses. PhD Thesis, 2003, University of Southampton.
Supervisor: Professor Dame Jill Macleod Clark
Funding:
1996-2001: South Thames Regional Health Authority PhD Studentship (part-time)
2002-03: Smith and Nephew Foundation Doctoral Nursing Research Fellowship
Current research projects
‘StOP UTI’ - Strategies for Older People living in care homes to prevent Urinary Tract Infection: a realist synthesis of the evidence (£239k)
This study, funded by the NIHR HTA Programme, seeks to develop an explanatory understanding of programmes designed to prevent and recognise urinary tract infection in older people living in care homes so that we know what it is about interventions that supports their successful implementation. (Chief investigator).
NIHR Journals Library
Review registered on PROSPERO
Preventing non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia: the PRHAPs Study (£66k)
The purpose of this study is to develop a prognostic screening model that can be easily used by clinical staff to identify, on admission, patients at risk of non-ventilator hospital acquired pneumonia and trigger interventions to prevent pneumonia, reduce antimicrobial prescribing and reduce length of stay. (Co-investigator).
Development and clinical trial of a mixed (multi/single-use) catheter management package for users of intermittent catheters (£2M)
The aim of this research study is to find out whether using a mixture of re-usable catheters and single-use catheters is as safe and acceptable for intermittent catheterisation as using only single use catheters. (Co-investigator).
Recent research projects
Community catheter management study (£20k)
This study, funded by the Infection Prevention Society, investigated the prevalence of indwelling urinary catheters on district nursing caseloads in the UK. (Co-investigator).
NAMRIP/EPSRC pump priming award –‘Mapping Microbes’ (£20k)
This project addressed the question of how nurses think, act and respond in situations where there is a risk of spreading infection. (Co-investigator).
NAMRIP/EPSRC pump priming award - A pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of ‘Starstream’ technology for surgical hand disinfection (£20k)
The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether ‘Starstream’ technology is as effective as standard antiseptic agents for surgical hand disinfection. (Co-investigator).
The Patient Experience of the MRSA Screening Process and the Impact of an MRSA-Positive Result (£65k)
The aim of this research study was to report to the Department of Health Policy Research Programme on the impact of the Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening process on the patient experience. (Co-investigator).
Evaluation of the use of a patient held record (PHR) by patients with MRSA in south west Hampshire (£50k)
This research study and service evaluation, funded by a local NHS provider trust, examined the impact of a patient-held record on the quality of care of patients with Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). (Chief investigator).
Research group
Fundamental Care and Safety
Affiliate research groups
Member of the Network for Anti-microbial Resistance and Infection Prevention (NAMRIP), Member of NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Wessex Ageing and Dementia Theme research group
Research project(s)
Dr Jacqui PrietoHealth Sciences Student Office University of Southampton Highfield Southampton SO17 1BJ
Room Number: SGH//MP11
