Our members have overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action up to and including strike in pursuit of an increase in measures to sufficiently address the recruitment and retention crisis in nursing. This is a clear indication of the frustration felt by our members.

The Overoccupancy Crisis in The Acute Mental Health Units In HSE CHO5 First Began Over 2 Years Ago

Q. I Have Applied for Parental Leave and I Have Received A Letter From My Employer To Say That I’ve Been Refused And That I Can Reapply In 6 Months’ Time. Is This Correct?

Q. What Paperwork Needs to Be Done Following an Assault at Work By A Patient?

Get Up, Stand Up… St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services

Agreements are only as good as the will that exists to stand up and be counted when the other party does not follow through on their word. In St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services, the organisation had made a long overdue agreement with the PNA to restore salary scales from January 2018. An effort to renege on this and to hoodwink members by only restoring scales by 50%, caused untold damage to the trust and goodwill within the organisation. A swift and efficient coordination of lunch time protests by the local committee with a concurrent ballot for industrial action for up to and including strike action, stopped the organisation in their tracks. A turnout of 73% of the membership to vote resulted in an overwhelming 100% ballot in favour of industrial action. Needless to say, the agreement was honoured.

Comhghairdeas to the members of St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services! Ní neart go cur le chéile!

From 1 January 2019, The Pension Related Deduction (PRD), Or ‘Pension Levy’, Is to Be Replaced by A Permanent Pension Contribution, The Additional Superannuation Contribution (ASC)

The de-congregation of Aras Attracta under the auspices of the WRC remains ongoing, some progress has been achieved, however, major issues still exist. The NEC of the PNA adopted a firm position on non-nursing staff administration of medication and this has been put forward to management. We await further engagement !

The HORATIO Congress took place in Torshavn last May over 150 participants from all over the world attended the event.Developments at the General Assembly saw Aisling Culhane re-elected to the Horatio Board and also as a Secretary General. Dr Nina Kilkku was elected as the new President of Horatio and Dr Alexei Sammut (Malta) and Dr Gisli Kort Kristofersson (Iceland) joined the Horatio Board following election for the two vacant positions. In true PNA style the Irish Delegation proudly represented and immersed themselves into the traditions and culture of this unique country. Coupled with outstanding professional presentations were the wonderful networking opportunities and new friends made, this eclectic delegation exuded their effervescent appreciation and warm personalities in all their interactions. A short collection of photos and narratives is provided further.https://pna.ie/index.php/member-information/pna-video-gallery/1039-horatio-congress-2018

I would encourage you to read the narratives as we prepare for the 5th Horatio Festival in Copenhagen 2019

 https://pna.ie/index.php/news/events/1017-5th-horatio-festival-of-psychiatric-nursing-may-9-12-2019  whereby once again the PNA will be sponsoring a number of bursaries which will be offered by lottery to Presenters of Papers, Officer Board Members, Branch Officers and Members  

https://pna.ie/index.php/news/events/1017-5th-horatio-festival-of-psychiatric-nursing-may-9-12-2019

As we come to the end of the year, I am writing to update you on the progress of the PNA/RCSI College of Continuing Professional Development.

During 2018, a total of 14 programmes were available , which were all facilitated in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Including : Advanced Mental Health Assessment,Advanced Practice - Preparing for RANP Role,Creating a Quality Clinical Learning Environment in Challenging Times,Medication Management and Injection Technique: Refresher Day,Creating a Quality Clinical Learning Environment (CLE) in Challenging Times,Assertiveness: The Benefits of Assertiveness & How to Teach it,Managing Change in Challenging Times,Recognising and Responding to the Problem of Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA),A Model for Understanding Eating Disorders,Psychological Approaches to Managing Insomnia,Dual Diagnosis- Mental Health and Addictions- An Introduction to Integrated Treatment Approaches.

We have worked to extend the programme for 2019 and we have introduced new programme offerings over a range of clinical and professional development areas. Login to Register https://pna.ie/index.php/rcsi-pna-cpd

See Photos From the Two Day Programme Psychological Approaches to Managing Insomnia and Launch of The Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery Annual Report 2017

Patient safety and quality are at the heart of the delivery of health care. For every patient, client, carer, family member and health care professional, safety is pivotal throughout the care journey. For all who work in the health system there is a commitment to the values of care, compassion, trust and learning (HSE, 2017) that contributes to enhancing and enabling excellence in the standard of care provision. A sustained commitment to continuous improvement is required from everyone involved in the health and personal social care system.

A Professional Development Plan (PDP) is a tool that supports the nurse or midwife to identify professional goals, both short and long term for the benefit of themselves, their service users and the organisations in which they work. Professional development planning is a continuous development process that enables nurses and midwives to make the best use of their skills, to identify their professional goals and the supports required to achieve their goals, and helps advance both their individual plans and the strategic goals of the organisation.