Alumni Story: An Interview with Catherine O'Brien, Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner Cancer Survivorship

Friday, 26 July, 2024

Having completed a number of UCD’s postgraduate programmes, Catherine is a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner Cancer Survivorship in Trinity St James’s Cancer Institute. She is a member of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) survivorship steering committee and has been instrumental in the development of the LACES programme (Life And Cancer – Enhancing Survivorship). This is a joint initiative between the NCCP and the Irish Cancer Society which provides advice and care to patients following completion of their cancer treatment. In 2023, Catherine was awarded the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland Fellowship of the Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery (FRCI) in recognition of outstanding work and exceptional leadership in nursing nationally. She commenced her PhD earlier in 2024 which focuses on Fear of Cancer Recurrence for cancer survivors. Here Catherine talks to UCD about her career and gives some useful insights to future learners…

What led you to study nursing?

Being the oldest daughter with six siblings (four younger), I feel like I was instinctively a care giver from a young age. My mother was also a nurse and growing up I loved hearing stories of her experiences with both patients and her fellow nursing friends. She would tell me about the great comradeship that forms through nursing and as usual, mothers are never wrong!! Becoming a nurse seemed to be the natural career pathway for me. I started my traditional apprentice training in Cork University Hospital in March 1990 and never looked back.

What advice would you give to someone considering studying nursing?

Think carefully before you take the leap; Nursing is not for everyone. You must have people skills. My philosophy is to be kind and empathetic. Every patient you meet is a mother, father, brother or sister and should be treated with the same respect as you would expect for your own family. It is a privilege to make a difference in someone’s life when they are at their most vulnerable, so don’t ever take being a nurse for granted.

Nursing is an amazing career choice and provides huge opportunities. You can travel the world, whether it is to relocate for a few years to Australia or attend conferences in new cities - nursing really is the gateway to the world. There are so many different specialities to work in, as well as different roles; clinical, management, education, research. You can switch and pivot through these roles many times during your career so don’t let any opportunities pass you by.

What is your fondest memory from your time at UCD?

I attended UCD for a number of my post-graduate courses and have many fond memories. My favourite time has to be the Advanced Health Assessment module during the Advanced Practice Graduate Certificate. Every Monday morning, we had to change into a hospital gown and demonstrate the physical examination on our student partner, for the particular system we were studying that week (e.g. respiratory, cardiac, abdominal examinations). It was the only time in my academic career I put more thought into my underwear than my clothes!! It certainly put some fun into our learning.

What is the proudest moment of your career to date?

There have been many moments in my career that I have been proud of my achievements:

Getting an ‘A’ on my Masters thesis in UCD despite being told throughout secondary school I was useless at English.
Publishing my first research paper.
Becoming an ANP after many years of hard work laying the ground work.
Being awarded the Cancer Nursing Research Award from Irish Cancer Society and National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) in 2023 to undertake my PhD.

What have been the most challenging aspects of your career?

Working in cancer care, similar to other specialities where you get to know patients and their carers very well, maintaining personal boundaries can be challenging at times. Building resilience within yourself while not becoming tough and cynical can take a lot of work. A strong team of colleagues, who I am very fortunate to also call friends, has been invaluable.

I have spent most of my 30-year career working clinically, but for a time in St. James’s Hospital I moved into the managerial realm. I started as a Clinical Nurse Manager 2, moved into a Clinical Nurse Manager 3 position, and assumed acting Assistant Director of Nursing for cancer services for nine months. I always thought I would love management, but I soon realised it was not for me. Making the decision to pivot back to Clinical Nurse Specialist was a challenging decision but one of the best I have ever made. I have never looked back from that day.

Did you witness anything during the pandemic which made you particularly proud to be a nurse?

I think everyone had their own experiences of how the pandemic brought out the true colours of different people. We all have our stories on what got us through every day, and the team of nurses I worked with, particularly through the first wave from March 2020, made me very proud. Their professionalism, support of each other, and the ability to still keep the humour alive during our lunch breaks, was amazing.

To me, though, what really made me proud to be a nurse was when I learned that a number of new intern nurses volunteered to work in the Intensive Care Unit in St James’s Hospital on the ‘Proning Team’. Prone Position Ventilation was a technique adapted during the pandemic to improve oxygenation for patients infected with COVID. Due to the complexity of compilations these patients were experiencing, the procedure required a number of skilled personnel. This small group of nurses chose to spend their internship period on this team. I think this showed great courage and determination.

In your career and/or personal life, who have been the most inspiring or helpful mentors/advisors that you’ve had to date?

I have been very fortunate throughout my career to have had a number of key people who have helped to guide me to where I am today. My two biggest cheerleaders have been Jennifer Kerlin, St James’s Hospital and Dr Eileen Furlong, UCD. Both Jenny and Eileen have provided mentorship, guidance and support throughout my career and have always encouraged me to believe in my myself and create my own opportunities in life.

As a nurse, how has ongoing professional development helped your career?

Healthcare is always evolving. We have moved from a reactive model to a preventative model of care. With the emergence of innovative treatments and transformative technologies, we are now in an era of personalised medicine and nursing must stay at the forefront of all these changes. I have always been ambitious in my career outlook and enjoy mentoring colleagues who share a similar appetite.

What do you do to relax? Tell us a bit about your current life, family and hobbies.

I consider myself a very social person but also enjoy a quiet home life. I love spending time with family, particularly my nieces and nephews. My holidays are my biggest hobby and I go abroad as much as I can. I constantly aspire to do more exercise!!

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?