The recent Rockhampton Hospital Academic Day included a presentation helping potential researchers decide when to seek ethical approval, including guidance on what is a 'research activity' and what is a 'quality activity'.

CQUniversity Associate Professor Trudy Dwyer was involved with the presentation titled But we do it all of the time. Why seek ethical approval?, as part of her collaboration with members of the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC), Dr Zephanie Tyack and Matthew Johnson.

L-R Dr Zephanie Tyack, Assoc Prof Trudy Dwyer and Matthew Johnson

"Clinicians in the hospital engage in quality activities that they look to evaluate," Assoc Prof Dwyer says.

"They then look to present findings at conferences. This presentation guided potential researchers on when to seek ethical approval. We presented a few scenarios that the committee encountered and engaged participants on whether ethical approval was needed."