Since I was a young adult, I’ve had a keen interest in caring for people.

In Transition Year, I undertook a placement where I cared for children with special needs, and from this my love for caring for people grew. 

I completed a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Intellectual Disability Nursing and went on to gain valuable experience working in the care of the elderly once I qualified as an RNID. I also completed a course in Palliative Care. I completed a lot of my training with Corlann and loved it, so I began working with the services over nine years ago. 

I am the Clinical Nurse Manager 2, or Person in Charge, for a designated centre in Waterford. There are 11 residents in total who present with varying disabilities and complex medical needs. One of the houses caters for people with dementia and also provides end-of-life care. My hours are mostly 9 to 5, and I love the busy pace of my designated centre. The residents’ needs are always changing, and they are all so individual. I love interacting with the residents and popping onto the floor for some one-to-one chats with them. I attend multidisciplinary team meetings and manage a large staff complement. The majority of my day is office-based, where I ensure all paperwork and audits are kept up to date so that residents receive the best care possible. 

When I get the chance, I love to get stuck in on the floor and make sure I see each resident every day for a chat. Ensuring all residents receive individualised, person-centred care is paramount. Positive risk-taking is essential to maximise what each resident gets out of life. I love seeing residents do as much as they can for themselves and helping them achieve goals along the way. The job satisfaction is second to none. Being able to make a difference to someone’s life is so rewarding, no matter how big or small. Each of our residents is unique, and it is a pleasure to care for each and every individual. The care provided at Corlann is second to none. My staff go above and beyond to ensure each resident receives the best possible care. Residents are at the heart of the service, which is exactly where they should be. Everyone strives to do their best for the people we support, and it is a lovely community to be part of. 

The progression I’ve made in my career is something I’m really proud of. I started with Corlann as an 18-year-old student nurse. Fast forward 13 years, and I am now the Clinical Nurse Manager of a designated centre where I once started as a student nurse — that’s mind-blowing! I love making a difference to residents’ lives, no matter how big or small. Seeing the progression of the service as a whole, from a campus-based service to the individualised services it provides now, and seeing the progression of some of the people I have supported along the way, makes it all worthwhile. It really is so rewarding.