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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.)

When’s the last time you took a long, hard look at the state of your CV? Most of us generally only dig it out at the last minute on the verge of an application deadline for a new job, leaving us little or no time to give it a thorough overhaul. Whether or not you’re on the hunt for pastures greener, we recommend blowing the dust off and following some of our key tips for polishing up a winning healthcare CV. Who knows when you’ll need it next! Fresh Eyes – Take your current ‘masterpiece’ and look at it anew, this time from the perspective of a potential employer. Would you hire you? Have you managed to grab your own attention on the first page? What would set you apart from another candidate? 2. Clean Design – It is possible for a CV to be detailed and comprehensive whilst also being clean and simple. Using a cleverly designed template will help you to achieve this. With a multitude of attractive templates to choose from online, many designed especially for healthcare professionals, you have no excuse for submitting an unengaging word version that will hardly help you stand out from the crowd. Avoid wildly colourful or overly complicated templates, however, that might be suitable for other professions – use common sense here. 3. Out with the Old – Everyone knows it, but it’s worth repeating: Tailor your CV to the role for which you are applying. There’s no need to include every professional position all the way back to your first summer job as a student – keep it current and relevant. This includes scanning it for out-of-date skills or software that may no longer be of interest. 4. Blow your Trumpet – Just this once, it’s okay. What’s the point of a CV if not to highlight your personal bests and elevate you above your competition? Make sure you weave some of these into the first page of your CV. Pepper your professional background with facts, figures, and achievements. It shouldn’t be a dull chronology of previous employments - you want that recruiter to flip to page 2. 5. Highlight Your Healthcare Strengths – Consider the common attributes for healthcare professionals: caring; compassion; working as part of a team; good communicator; leadership. Don’t forget to frame your CV to highlight these characteristics which are so intrinsic to any healthcare role. 6. Healthcare Terminology – Candidates often deliberately avoid using healthcare jargon on their CV. Why? You’re applying for a healthcare position. If it’s relevant, use it. 7. The Social You – Include a link to your LinkedIn profile, as it allows an interested recruiter to delve a little deeper, read any publications you might have, and view recommendations from previous employers and colleagues. Tread carefully if you are including links to other social networks, such as Twitter, etc. – advisable only if your activity is relevant to your work. 8. Get the Basics Right – It’s surprising the amount of people who get the small but essential details of a CV wrong: Name and address should be front and centre Include a phone number and email address Include a physical address 9. Proof is in the Pudding - Here you are selling your attention to detail and love of precision, and your CV is littered with typos, awkward phrasing, and dodgy formatting – take our advice and ask a colleague or two to proof-read it before you submit that application. You can thank us later! 10. A Killer Cover Letter – What’s a winning CV without a cover letter to catch the recruiter’s undivided attention. Read our tips on how to write a cover letter that will blow the competition away. Even with plentiful jobs in the healthcare industry these days, there’s no reason not to set out your stall in the best way possible with a CV that will give your application a leading edge. All that’s left for us to say is good luck with your next career move! See yourself in a new role with Ireland’s leading healthcare recruiter? Contact us today to hear about our current career opportunities!   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.)