NURSES BID FAREWELL TO SERVICE AT KILLARNEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

THERE was no shortage of fond farewells and trips down memory lane at the Dromhall Hotel in Killarney recently as two nurses with a combined total of 71 working years between them at Killarney Community Hospital enjoyed a special retirement party with family, friends and former colleagues.

Retirees Catherine McGuire and Siobhan Courtney have given a lifetime’s service nursing at the hospital and both have witnessed many changes over the years. But while everything from techniques to technology may have changed utterly during that time, the one thing that has stayed the same, according to Siobhan and Catherine, is the commitment to patient care.

“I was 32 years at the hospital and there’s a lot of water under the bridge since then,” said Catherine.

“The introduction of therapy and activity for patients are among the main changes in my time. That wasn’t there when I started and it has much improved the care there. I worked with a great bunch of people and everyone helped each other. I’ve no plans at the moment, so I’ll have a rest and we’ll see after that,” Catherine added.

Similarly, Siobhan Courtney is looking forward to the future with much optimism. “I was there 39 years and each one was as good as the last,” she said.

“The educational approaches have changed over the years, but patient care was always number one. The friends I started with all those years ago are still there and we’re still very close.

“I’m heading off on holiday next week, and maybe a cruise next year,” Siobhan added.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Nurses Siobhan Courtney and Catherine McGuire Killarney Community Hospital (seated centre) at their retirement dinner with Maura Flynn Director of Nursing, Noreen Joy and Geraldine Murphy Asst. Directors of Nursing, present and former colleagues of Killarney Community Hospital in The Dromhall Hotel on Friday.