The TTM family were thrilled to present local children charity, The Clare Crusaders, with our fundraising cheque of close to €4,000 at our Ennis HQ earlier this week! We chose this fantastic local organisation as our Charity of the Year in recognition of the essential services it provides to young children with autism and cerebral palsy. Founded in 2007, it provides free therapy and specialist treatment to over 350 children with special needs in Co. Clare but receives no state funding, so it relies on fundraising efforts to keep the service going at a cost of over €250,000 each year. Our teams get creative  Our teams outdid themselves this year, holding a number of special events throughout the year to raise vital funds, including: A Euro 2016 Sweepstake A sponsored 'Cycle the Mississippi River' challenge Halloween costume & Christmas Jumper competitions A Pancake Tuesday sale Random Acts of Kindness Day Brian Crowley, CEO of TTM Healthcare said: “We’re thrilled to be able to present our neighbouring charity, The Clare Crusaders, with this year’s team fundraising efforts.  The staff worked tirelessly to keep the momentum going as we share the charity’s vision in enhancing the lives of people with disabilities and we are proud to support the vital services they provide to our local community here in Ennis.  We wish the charity continued success in 2017 and beyond.” TTM in the community For more information on TTM Healthcare's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, call us on 1890 88 20 66 or email csr@ttmhealthcare.com  

The social care landscape is changing: the future of elderly care will now be in people’s own homes and, with that, comes a growing need for homecare nurses. Too often, a negative attitude of elderly care nursing prevails – that it can be a landing spot for less qualified nurses. However, this profession is one that should be highly valued, combining a set of key skills and qualities that are essential to delivering the quality care that allows people to age with dignity. Here are five that we consider to be essential to this role: Respect for the Elderly As people age and start to lose control of their faculties, it can be easy to lose sight of their individuality – who they see themselves as; their place in their world; their hobbies and interests. Faced with daily challenges of sensory loss, memory impairment, and physical disability, it can be an unenviable task for a nurse to get through to the person inside, to make them feel recognised and valid. Tremendous patience, determination and kindness is required. Powers of Assessment A good elderly care nurse will possess keen powers of observation, and be adept at assessing the subtle signs of a person’s deterioration or improvement. They will be skilled at assessing and caring for their psychological and social well-being, determining what the individual needs to continue to derive enjoyment from life. Communication Skills The ability to communicate is crucial to any healthcare role, but particularly for those working with the elderly, who so often have retreated into an inner world, or are suffering from dementia or Alzheimers. To tune into and decipher a patient’s needs in such circumstances is a particular skill, even a gift, and something that can greatly ease the confusion and disorientation experienced by elderly patients. Creativity Not a skill that is immediately associated with the healthcare professions, creativity is a trait that is becoming more and more useful for nurses in this field. For an elderly care nurse dedicated to improving her patient’s quality of life, thinking outside the box can present new ways to divert and engage them, and introduce a welcome change of rhythm to their daily routines. Flexible Approach Older people generally fall at the mercy of other people’s schedules as they grow increasingly dependent, whether they are residents of a nursing home, or being cared for by a family member. With this comes a huge loss of personal freedom and individualism, leading to depression for many. Being conscious of this, and allowing some flexibility and freedom of choice wherever possible, can improve a person’s quality of life dramatically. By simply involving a person in small daily decisions, such as what they will wear or eat, enables them to still feel some semblance of control in their own life. As our Baby Boomer population approaches old age, and the average age expectancy continuing to rise, there will be more need than ever for elderly care nurses with a genuine passion for what they do. Despite the challenges, the rewards for both nurses and their patients are great. There can be no finer profession than to enable another person to preserve their dignity, individuality and self-esteem for as long as possible. Speak to Us Today To speak to a member of our Nursing Division about Elderly Care Nurse positions across the country, contact us today for more information. T: 1890 88 20 66 | E: nursing@ttmhealthcare.com

Psychiatric nursing is a vocation: a demanding but highly rewarding role that offers care and solace to the most vulnerable and distressed people in society. The path of a psychiatrist nurse can be a challenging one, and only the most dedicated and highly skilled professionals are well-suited to it. Currently undergoing much needed reforms, the field of mental health in Ireland is going through a period of flux. We look at the role of nurses in this specialist discipline, the measures needed to support them, and the future of mental health nursing in Ireland. The role of a psychiatric nurse Psychiatric nurses are currently the largest profession working within the Irish mental health services. Over the last 10 years, the role of the nurse has grown considerably[1], particularly with respect of their clinical roles and responsibilities as the healthcare landscape continues to change and nurses are required to provide more responsive care. Underpinning the role of the psychiatrist nurses are the core values of a non-judgemental approach; trust; dignity; respect; the provision of choice; and the promotion of rights. Part of the essential function of these nurses is their partnership with the patient and their families or advocates to enable them to draw on their own inner resources, realising their own potential and capabilities. Working daily with such high-support patients is unquestionably a challenging role, and nurses require crucial supports in order to carry out their duties to meet the needs of their patients. However, due to the many and varied challenges faced by the Irish health service, this area of nursing, as others, has suffered from a lack of funding, inadequate legislation, and unfulfilled targets. A vision for change Since the publication of the nation’s mental health policy A Vision for Change in 2006, our mental health services have been evolving in a more recovery and service-focused way. While many within the sector are critical that few of the proposed changes in that policy have been implemented ten years later, there has been a sustained focus on reforming mental health law and on re-defining supports for mental health nurses. In 2015, former Minister for Mental Health & Disability Kathleen Lynch established a framework of recommendations with a view to bringing Irish mental health legislation in line with international standards. A new Mental Health Bill is currently progressing through the Oireachtas, which addresses the inadequacies and anomalies in the existing 2001 Mental Health Act and re-focuses on a more person-centred approach to treatment and care. Support through clinical supervision A Vision for Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing – a shared journey for mental healthcare in Ireland[2] outlines a number of recommendations to support the delivery of such a person centred, recovery-focused, quality and safe mental health service - chief among them, the provision of clinical supervision to all nurses. Published in April 2015, the Clinical Supervision Framework for Nursing Working in Mental Health was designed: To provide support to mental health nurses for issues arising in their work To enable nurses to grow, both individually and professionally To provide a standardised structure for clinical supervision for all nurses Implementing this core function across the mental health services is essential, not only to the improvement of clinical standards and enhanced patient care, but also to the “health” of the psychiatric nursing profession. Best practice guidelines suggest regular hourly review sessions at 4-6 week intervals with a suitably qualified supervisor, taking place in the workplace and recorded for future reference. With such proper supports in place, those with a genuine calling to mental health nursing can look forward to developing their skills and career in a field where they can truly make a positive difference. Take the next step with us Want to know more about the current roles available for mental health nurses across Ireland? Contact a member of our expert Nursing Division today to discuss your future. T: 1890 88 20 66 | E: nursing@ttmhealthcare.com [1] http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/25684/1/Clinical_Supervision_Framework_Nurses_Mental_Health.pdf [2] Cusack, E. & Killoury, F., A Vision for Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing – a shared journey for mental health care in Ireland, 2012   Writer Evelyn Moriarty, Content Specialist Evelyn Moriarty is a Content Specialist at TTM Healthcare, based in at our Irish headquarters. Joining the company in 2016, Evelyn specialises in both on and offline content creation for the health and social care market. Company Bio TTM Healthcare is a specialist health and care recruitment company established by Brian Crowley in Ennis, Co. Clare in 2002.  Now recruiting highly skilled medical professionals from all over the world, TTM has offices in Ennis, Dublin and the UK. Selected as Ireland’s No 1 Healthcare Agency by the National Recruitment Federation, TTM is also the UK’s Recruiter Awards Public Sector Agency (2016) and Professional Services Agency of the Year (2016 & 2017), as well as a Gold Standard Deloitte Best Managed Company (2016 & 2017.)