The SNaPP Study | Exploring recruitment and participant experience

The SNaPP Study is an international multicentre randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of reversal of neuromuscular blockade on postoperative pulmonary complications in adults aged 40 years and over who are having abdominal and thoracic surgery under relaxant general anaesthesia. The trial is being conducted in over 30 hospitals in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Recruitment started in July 2023 and will conclude around the end of 2025. The Royal Melbourne Hospital is a high-recruiting site for the SNaPP Study and the location of the trial's principal investigator, Professor Kate Leslie. Age and sex are important determinants of disease and injury. They may affect incidence and natural history, utility of diagnostic tests and prognostic markers, effectiveness and safety of prevention and treatment, access to and use of health care, and response of the health care system. Age and sex therefore may influence the characteristics of patients presenting for surgery and participants in perioperative research, especially if the eligibility criteria, recruitment processes and burdens of the study favour younger vs. older patients or one sex or over others. As we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in our research, we want to explore factors associated with successful recruitment and retention in our trial. You will be conducting quantitative and qualitative research about recruitment of participants to the SNaPP Study at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and about their experience while participating. You will be investigating the impact of participant age, sex and other relevant factors on their willingness to participate. This will involve quantitative analysis of existing data and qualitative research using patient interviews or focus groups. You will work under the supervision of Professor Kate Leslie (an anaesthetist and leading perioperative clinical trialist) and Dr Megan Allen (an anaesthetist and qualitative/implementation science researcher). You will be supported by the research nurse team in the Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Most of your research time will spent on site at the Hospital. You will also have an opportunity to join your supervisors in theatre. You will have opportunities to present and publish your Honours work. We have had many Monash Honours students in our department and we have past students who are available to talk with you about their experience. You will need a Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certificate before you start your Honours year. You can do a course at Monash (https://monashpartners.org.au/research-facilitation/good-clinical-practice/). Online courses are also available.