The first Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Heart Failure in the Saolta Hospital Group has taken up the role at Letterkenny University Hospital.
Hospital Manager, Sean Murphy has described the appointment of Cathy Farrell as a significant development for Donegal’s new integrated heart failure service which aims to improve quality of life for patients through earlier diagnosis, appropriate medication and lifestyle changes by linking hospital and community care to deliver high quality patient-centred care in a timely manner.
Cathy Farrell undertook her nurse training in King’s College London and worked in coronary care while undertaking a primary degree in critical care nursing, with a focus on cardiology.
In 2002, Cathy moved to Donegal and worked as a cardiac rehabilitation nurse specialist until 2006 when she set up the Heart Failure Service in Letterkenny University Hospital.
She then completed a certificate in nurse prescribing to further develop the nurse-led service and completed a Master of Science Degree in Nursing and most recently completed a graduate certificate in Advanced Practice Nursing in UCD, registering as a RANP earlier this year.
Speaking of her new position Cathy says she is now managing her own caseload of patients and diagnosing and treating patients, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team at Letterkenny University Hospital and as part of Donegal’s new Sláintecare-funded integrated heart failure service.
