A group of volunteers on Arranmore Island off the coast of Co Donegal recently received Emergency First Responder Certificates at a special presentation held on the island. The event also marked the delivery of a new ambulance vehicle to replace an older vehicle. Emergency First Responder Group leader John McCafferty and his team of volunteers received their certificates from John Joe McGowan, HSE National Ambulance Service (NAS) General Manager Operations - West.
“This is a very important day for Travellers across the region. Working together we can make a difference, and this report is just the first step in many years of hard work and partnership working, which is critical to the successful implementation of this document," according to Breda O’Donoghue, Co-Chair of the Cork/Kerry Traveller Health Unit, speaking at the launch of an ambitious plan to reduce the health inequalities and challenges faced by the Travelling community.
An intensive 5-day HSE Infection Prevention and Control Link Practitioner Programme for staff at private nursing homes and disability service organisations was recently completed in the South East. The ability to identify and manage infection prevention and control risk is a key priority for the HSE Quality, Safety and Improvement Team in South East Community Healthcare. A total of 24 private nursing homes in counties Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford, along with four disability care organisations, completed the programme in recent weeks.
Merlin Park University Hospital has introduced a new pathway offering some dialysis patients an alternative to surgery for the insertion of catheters. The new option will reduce waiting times and allow more people to avail of treatment at home following the implanting of peritoneal dialysis catheters.
Three outstanding nurses/midwives from Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) have been acknowledged for the meaningful difference they make in their patients' lives. At a ceremony in the hospital in recent weeks, Ann Browne, Anne McLaughlin and Brenda Sandilands received DAISY awards after being nominated by co-workers and patients. While the DAISY award is a new initiative in LUH, the programme has been running for a number of years after being established by the DAISY Foundation, an international not-for-profit organisation.
“At no stage in my life did anyone ever mention the signs and symptoms of sepsis – and I really wish I had known them,” according to Aisling O’Rourke, whose father, John, passed away from sepsis in November 2020. Aisling is now sharing her story to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of the condition, encouraging people to ask ‘could it be sepsis?’