What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
Inter Cert (now Junior Cert) only! Life experience helped and then I took further training. A Civics teacher guided me and then I did a Care course in Bull Alley Street. This confirmed to me that the area I wanted to work in was in care work. The direct Nursing path way was brilliant although it wasn't my first choice.
At 24 I was too young for a Trinity Social work degree (their loss). I loved my nurse training. I was very hands on which suited me, I am not sure if I could have coped as well in a college only environment. I often wonder what I would have done if I had stayed on in school, done the Leaving and then gone to college..... but I have no regrets!
What is your education to date?
Inter cert then Diploma in Victuallery (butcher). Dont laugh! yes, I went to college to become a qualified Victualler.
Later I did a Certificate in Nursing, a Degree in Nursing and a few courses in between to bring me up to date.
What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?
The Degree in Nursing was vital in linking theory to practice. The PLC course in Bull Ally Street was my foundation.
The Management Diploma helps you to battle with the big guns!!
Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?
I would never rule it out. Practices are continually changing and we need to keep up. Research into epilepsy among other areas are really changing the way we do our job. So it is vital that we keep up with that knowledge and stay on a path of continuous professional development.
