Hospital has the services of a keen team of dedicated professionals
MILLSTREET Community Hospital boast a pool of well trained st a ff a s we l l a s a full team of support professionals specialised in delivering a comprehensive range of care for residents.
As well as a director of nursing, there is also a Clinical Nursing Manager at MCH plus 10-11 fully trained Nurses, who work on a full or part-time basis.
MCH has 15-16 Multi-task Attendants, who are fully trained carers.
The Team also includes a Clerical Officer and Chef – who consults regularly with residents about their menu preferences. In fact, the residents will often bring their suggestions to the chef regarding what they’d like to see on their dinner plates.
The Hospital assists in the Training of Student Nurses, Fetac Level 5 Students and Transition Year Students from the Local School. “Throughout the year we have a number of students learning Nursing and Care Skills” says Margaret Collins. All the Staff works together, to ensure that these Students gain the necessary skills whilst on placement to become competent, confident practitioners in delivering care to the residents.
As well as the in-house staff, MCH has a range of visiting professionals. Perhaps chief among these are local GP’s, who residents will have been familiar with, perhaps for many years.
These include Dr Michael Casey, and his work colleagues and Dr Christina Walsh McCarthy and her work colleagues.
The specialised geriatrician serving MCH is Dr Catherine O’Sullivan, who visits 3 monthly. This is a good facility for Millstreet Hospital catchment area, as Dr O’Sullivan will meet these Residents in the Hospital. Pharmacy services are provided by the local Reen’s Life Pharmacy.
The hospital also provides a range of other services and therapies on a referral basis. These include: Speech & Language Therapy Dietician Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy Podiatry Access to Public Health Nurse Community Placement Officer Aged Care Evaluation Team
Meanwhile, Father John Fitzgerald calls on a regular basis to the Hospital to chat with residents or celebrate Mass. Father Kiely, Father Byrne and Father Tucker are regular visitors as well.
Patricia Guerin a local woman calls to the hospital twice weekly to chat and pray with the residents and to accompany them on outings when required, long mat it continue, we are very thankful to Patricia.
Another local woman, Eileen O’Sullivan, who helps in the hospital carrying out Seamstress duties free of charge, we would like to extend our gratitude to her.
The Red Cross, the Legion of Mary and the Sisters from the local convent call to the Hospital weekly. They chat to the Residents and carry out activities e.g. hand massage.
Teachers and pupils from the local Secondary and National schools call to sing for the residents at Christmas and on special holidays.
The residents have access to a safe Advocacy Service if required.
However, at MCH, Interim Director of Nursing Margaret Collins doesn’t see all these professionals as disparate individuals simply offering their own specific services. Rather, each has a part to play in the overall, person centred care of each resident in the hospital.
“We are all part of a team, and everyone is involved in caring for each resident, caring for the whole person,” says Margaret.
“What we aim to achieve here is to take all the inputs we can offer and use them to care for all of the needs of each of our residents – and that includes taking the inputs of the residents themselves.”