Incredible work ethic
By Mary Dennehy
THE “professionalism, commitment and courage” of Tallaght University Hospital’s team of over 1,400 nurses has this week been commended as International Nursing Day 2020 is celebrated.
The local hospital has 24 different nationalities represented on its nursing team, all of whom deliver care, comfort and compassion to both patients and families while in hospital, and at home.
Members of the nursing team at TUH are pictured with Áine Lynch, Director of Nursing (front, right)
In 2019, more than 101,000 discharge plans were delivered by the nursing team, ensuring patients had continued care and support when they returned home.
As well as Tuesday, May 12, being International Nursing Day, 2020 is also the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, in honour of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.
Speaking with The Echo this week, Áine Lynch, Director of Nursing at TUH, said that in the midst of the challenges currently faced that it is “important to take a moment to value the incredible work ethic of the nursing team at TUH”.
She said: “Patients and families are at the centre of everything a nurse does.
“I’m extremely proud of the extraordinary and amazing team of nurses I lead.”
Ms Lynch added: “This is an unprecedented situation, and we have asked a lot of nursing colleagues.
“However, as always, they have shown great professionalism, commitment and courage… it has required a lot of courage to manage this pandemic.
“Nurses deliver 24/7 direct patient care, they are totally frontline.”
According to Ms Lynch, nurses are also undergoing significant training and upskilling.
“Nurses [in TUH] have also been redeployed from regular work to assist with patients who are Covid positive”, Ms Lynch said.
“Nurses redeployed are provided with education and upskilling, so that’s all going on in the hospital too.
“We also have nurses and other members of our health care staff helping to keep people out of hospital by running virtual clinics.
“We’re working to keep patients healthy at home so that they don’t have to come into the hospital.”
Ms Lynch also paid credit to the hospital’s nursing students and health care assistants, who are another very “important part” of the work being done.
Ms Lynch has been based in Tallaght University Hospital for more than two decades, after being transferred from the Adelaide some 22 years ago.
Commending the hospital on its team work, Ms Lynch said: “The hospital works as a team, every member of staff has come together.
“This doesn’t surprise me having worked at the hospital for 22 years.
“The staff here have always come together in time of crisis.
“I’m very proud to work in the hospital and delighted to be part of the community.
“The support from the community has been tremendous.
“Each card, gift, means so much to the staff.
“It might just be a small gesture but means a huge lot to the staff here on the frontline.
“The generosity of the community is extraordinary, it definitely helps us to keep on doing what we’re doing.”
She added: “We also want to thank the community for its efforts to date [in following Government guidelines] and to continue what they’re doing.
“The community’s efforts is what’s helping us to manage the situation effectively.”
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