Institute of Community Health Nursing 2014 conference

Across the globe, Community Health Nurses often form the backbone of public health provision, and at home there is no denying the critical role played by these key members of the health service. Last Wednesday, 21^st May, saw the annual conference of Ireland’s Institute of Community Health Nursing, which took place at the Conference Centre at the Milltown Institute.

Delegates gathered for an updated look at the state of Community Health Nursing in Ireland, with panel sessions from key HSE staff and senior practitioners whose wealth of experience contributed to productive and groundbreaking discussions. Delegates also presented work in the form of two packed poster sessions, highlighting the many and diverse projects being carried out by practitioners and researchers across the country.

Following an introduction from the ICHN’s Director, Mary O’Dowd, as well as an international perspective from Capacity-Building Consultant with Global Health Ministries, Teresa Morangi Obwaya, the meeting was officially opened by ICHN patron, President Michael D. Higgins, who gave a rallying call to the members present to continue providing the same excellence of care, with the empathy and humanity that has always characterised the work done by the Community Health Nursing profession.

The conference also saw the launch of a new web portal for Community Health Nursing professionals, the Global Network of Public Health Nursing. This website focuses on building the linkages between Community Health Nurses at home and abroad, through a members network, online resources, and a discussion forum. Production of the website was supported by ESTHER, and we are extremely excited to see how it develops over the coming months and years!

For more information, and to join the ICHN, please visit their website. You can also find presentations from the conference here.

– Stephen Macdonald

– Photographs courtesy of the ICHN