History
The section was developed in December 1999 by 3 innovative and creative professional nurses. These professional nurses took on an immense task, by setting up a section of the INO that represented a group of nurses in the specialized areas of Interventional Radiology and Cardiology. The first couple of years were labour intensive. They took their own initiative to create a supportive section for nurses working in these areas and to supply them with the knowledge and information that would assist them to provide holistic and safe care for their patients. Meetings were held in February 2000, and September 2000, where by the Imaging Section of the INO teased out issues and planned the future for the development of the section. These 3 figures who embraced those early years cannot go without mention. Maureen Woodnutt RgN Clinical Nurse Specialist Radiology Department St. James' Hospital Dublin. Carmel Murphy CNM II Cardiac Catheterization Lab Tallaght Hospital, Tallaght Dublin and Siobhan Milliken CNM II Cardiac Catheterization Lab St Vincents Hospital Dublin.
The Imaging sections' first AGM was held on the 23 March 2001 in the Aisling Hotel in Dublin. A committee was elected to run for the next two years
Items for discussion included:
- Low staffing levels
- Over run of lists
- On call payments
- Location allowance
In 2003 the section changed its name from the Imaging Section to :
"The National Interventional Radiology Nurses Section"
A new section committee was created, and the aims for that year were to set up a national on call rate for Interventional Radiology Nurses and to continue to address the on going issue of a location allowance. Late in 2003, The Higher Diploma in Interventional RadiologyProgramme was the major item on the agenda for that year. A team of dedicated Interventional Radiology and Cardiology Nurses nurses, Noreen McCarthy, Maureen Woodnutt, Carmel Murphy and Mary Linane set their sights on a higher diploma in Interventional Radiology Nursing. This course is well on its way to becoming a reality and members will be informed regarding the course details.
To date, the National Interventional Radiology Section have dealt with issuses such as:
- On call payment
- Concious sedation
- Location allowance
- Educational needs
- Staffing levels
- Radiation safety for pregnant staff
- PPARS
- 35 hour week
- Medication administration: contrast mediums
- Radiology Assistants vs. Health Care Assistants
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