DCU Alumni award for former NMBI Director, Dr Anne-Marie Ryan
Dr Anne-Marie Ryan, who recently retired as the Director of Professional Standards and Education with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), has been honoured with a DCU Alumni Award 2021.
Each year, the awards recognise the exceptional contribution alumni make to the DCU mission to ‘transform lives and societies’.
“Given the extraordinary times we live in, this year’s awards give particular recognition to those who have had a positive impact in response to the global challenge of Covid-19,” said Dublin City University President, Professor Dáire Keogh.
The citation for the award said: “Covid-19 set particular challenges for providers of education programmes, services and the regulator. Anne-Marie ensured that minimum standards were achieved for registration purposes by leading a committee set up by NMBI of all its stakeholders.
“As suspension of placements occurred during the academic year, Anne-Marie found novel ways for students to progress and reach the Standards and Requirements. Each HEI, through their own processes and procedures, with NMBI guidance, ensured that students were not academically or clinically disadvantaged. Additionally, she made sure students could contribute to the pandemic response by way of legislation, education and competencies, to become vaccinators in their own right.”
Advisory issued for midwives
Some of the country’s leading health experts have come together to issue an advisory to midwives in relation to discussing the Covid-19 vaccine with pregnant women.
The Irish Medicines in Pregnancy Service at the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, the National Women and Infants Health Programme, the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) have issued the advice.
NMBI Director of Midwifery, Dawn Johnston says the advisory document is important reading for midwives with information on addressing concerns and providing information to mothers and their families who are using maternity services.
You can access the documents here.
New CRY helpline launched and Leitrim nurse announced as one of the volunteers
CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) Ireland has launched a new national helpline and Manorhamilton nurse, Fionnuala McLoughlin has been announced as one of 24 new national helpline volunteers.
This helpline was launched on Thursday, 25 November.
CRY Ireland is a charity that was set up to support families who have lost someone to sudden cardiac death. It also provides screening and other services to help patients who could become sudden cardiac death victims.
Ms McLoughlin’s brother Gerry who died with sudden cardiac death ten years ago, says: “CRY Ireland has helped our family and is still helping and it's been good to get involved as a volunteer. Eighty young people die suddenly in Ireland every year and this charity is one of two that helps them in the aftermath.
“Now this helpline is another step forward in their work. I am hoping in the future that those people who may get help and comfort from a listening empathetic ear may move on to helping to support others in the future.”
Minister Donnelly announces €10 million in funding for palliative and end-of-life care
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, has announced €10 million in once-off funding for palliative and end-of-life care.
The funding will help to progress national priorities, including increasing the equitable access to palliative care services across Ireland. Funding will also be used to support palliative care services provided by voluntary organisations and support the financial sustainability of the voluntary hospice sector.
The announcement follows a commitment by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath in Budget 2022.
More information and details on the allocation of funding is available here.
