Darragh Leonard
Registered Nurse
Perth,WA
Summary
Dual-qualified Registered Nurse (Intellectual Disability & Paediatrics), with over 4 years' post-registration experience and recent completion of a Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing through DCU/CHI. Strong background in providing person-centered care to children with complex medical needs in community, respite, and residential settings. Also experienced in high-support behavioural care for adults with Autism and co-occurring mental health conditions, including crisis intervention and multidisciplinary collaboration. Passionate about delivering high-quality, evidence-based practice across disability, paediatrics, and mental health settings.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Staff Nurse/ Enhanced Nurse (Rejoined Post HDip)
St. Gabriel's Children's Respite
10.2024 - 05.2025
- Returned to St. Gabriel’s after completing the Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing.
- Continued in staff nurse role with additional responsibilities under the Enhanced Nurse grade.
- Applied acute paediatric care skills in a community setting, supporting children with diverse medical needs.
- Contributed to quality improvement initiatives including conducting internal audits and supporting documentation reviews.
- Supported preceptorship of student nurses and facilitated orientation of new staff.
- Provided complex respite care for children with intellectual disabilities and medical needs, including suctioning, enteral feeding, seizure management, diabetes management and respiratory support.
- Maintained strong family communication and contributed to multidisciplinary care planning.
- Collaborated with families and MDT to ensure safe transitions and continuity of care.
Student Staff Nurse
Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street
09.2023 - 09.2024
- Employed under a fixed-term contract as part of the Post-Registration Children’s Nursing Programme with Dublin City University, leading to NMBI registration as a Registered Children’s Nurse.
- Delivered safe, compassionate, and family-centred nursing care under supervision across a range of acute paediatric specialties.
- Gained clinical experience across multiple specialist areas including: Emergency Department, Neurosurgical, Infectious Diseases, Neonatal (including HDU), Surgical and Medical Wards.
- Managed full patient caseloads appropriate to clinical setting, supporting children with complex and acute medical needs.
- Participated in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of care from admission to discharge.
- Practised collaboratively with clinical nurse managers, preceptors, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure high-quality, safe care.
- Administered medications (including IV therapy), performed NG feeding, oxygen therapy, suctioning, and post-operative care.
- Engaged actively in clinical assessments, reflective learning, and continuous performance evaluations throughout placement.
- Supported ward audits, care documentation, and discharge planning in line with CHI and NMBI professional standards.
Staff Nurse
St. Gabriel's Children's Respite House
Limerick
11.2022 - 08.2023
- To work as a staff nurse on the floor, providing overnight respite service to children with intellectual disabilities and complex medical needs.
- To work as part of the multidisciplinary team to provide high-quality and forward-thinking nursing care to meet the holistic healthcare needs of the children attending St. Gabriel’s Respite House.
- To work within the legal framework of the Nurses Scope of Practice as laid down by NMBI
- Assessment & Care Planning: - to carry out assessments as required on children referred to the respite centre.
- To ensure each service users’ needs are set out in a Personal Support Plan which is developed in consultation with the individual and relevant others.
- To review and update care-plans as and when required and as indicated.
- Deliver nursing care to children within best practice/evidence-based framework.
- Provide care priorities based on the children’s nursing and medical needs.
- Maintain appropriate and accurate records and reports regarding children’s care in accordance with local/national/professional guidelines.
- Consult and report with other nurses/nurse managers on clinical issues as appropriate.
- Full participation in all relevant health education and health promotion programmes.
- To perform various clinical skills and nursing interventions such as the management of enteral/ tube feeding, airway management, suctioning, catheterisation, vital sign monitoring, administration of oxygen therapy.
- Ensure that correct procedures as per policy of the centre and An Bord Altranais are adhered to in relation to the storage, administration, and safe keeping of drugs.
- Precepted student nurses and oriented new hires, providing guidance and mentorship when teaching on service policies, emergency procedures and nursing best practices.
- To demonstrate understanding and skill in the management epilepsy of seizure management.
- To contribute to skills training of children in the areas of social and personal care that will contribute to their personal development and independence.
Staff Nurse
Enable Ireland, Teach Saoirse (Children's Respite House)
08.2021 - 10.2022
- To work as a staff nurse on the floor providing overnight respite service to children with intellectual disability, Autism-Spectrum-Disorder and complex needs.
- To support service owners and their families/carers within the region, providing excellent professional, skilled and effective person-centered, evidence based nursing care.
- To perform various clinical skills and nursing interventions such as the management of enteral/ tube feeding, airway management, suctioning, catheterisation.
- Develop respite care plans for children attending the service with detailed and relevant information in conjunction with the individual and their families.
- To liaise with other relevant personnel in relation to individual service owners and families.
- To work with service owners in a range of settings including the local community or other community settings.
- Providing assistance to service owners in areas of personal care.
- Administration of Medication to service owners as per treatment plan.
- Providing assistance to service owners with Therapy Programmes.
- Providing the parent/carers with time out from the home to pursue his/her own needs or to spend time with other family members.
- Accompanying service owners on outings/leisure activities within their own neighborhood or within the wider community.
- Facilitating service owner involvement in their local communities by sourcing and arranging appropriate community based activities.
- Precepted student nurses and oriented new hires, providing guidance and mentorship when teaching on service policies, emergency procedures and nursing best practices
Staff Nurse
Avista, St Vincent's Centre
09.2020 - 08.2021
- Provided nursing care in a high-support behavioural unit for an adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and complex mental health needs, within a residential intellectual disability service.
- Delivered holistic, person-centred care with a focus on mental health management, emotional regulation, and recovery-based support.
- Supported the individual through episodes of behavioural distress and implemented behaviour support plans and therapeutic routines designed in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
- Administered psychiatric and physical health medications, conducted ongoing risk assessments, and monitored for early signs of escalation.
- Used low arousal and trauma-informed approaches to prevent and de-escalate challenging situations while maintaining safety and dignity.
- Developed individualised communication strategies to engage with the gentleman, who was non-verbal, ensuring his preferences, needs, and comfort were understood and respected.
- Maintained open communication with his family, providing updates and involving them in planning and reviews.
- Participated in monthly MDT reviews, contributed to psychiatric care planning, and maintained accurate clinical documentation.
- Fostered a consistent, supportive environment aimed at promoting independence, stability, and wellbeing.
- Complied with clinical governance standards and NMBI’s Scope of Practice throughout all care delivery.
Rostered Student Nurse
Avista, St. Vincent's Centre
12.2019 - 08.2020
- In collaboration with my preceptors it was my role to deliver the highest standards of nursing care to people with intellectual disability within residential settings.
Relief Care Staff
Avista, St. Vinecent's Centre
Limerick
12.2017 - 11.2019
- In collaboration with the nursing team it was my role to deliver care to people with intellectual disability across a variety of settings such as residential, respite and day services.
Education
Higher Diploma - Children's Nursing
Dublin City University
Dublin 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Nursing (Intellectual Disability)
University of Limerick
Limerick 09.2016 - 08.2020
Skills
Medication Administration
Interpersonal Communication
Problem-Solving
Planning and Coordination
Enteral Feed (PEG/NG)
Epilepsy Management
Diabetes Management
Oxygen Therapy and Suctioning
Monitoring & Recording Observations (NEWS/PEWS)
Infection Prevention & Control
Crisis Prevention and De-escalation
Behaviour Support Planning
Certification
Male Catheterisation and Supra-Pubic Re-Catheterisation.
References
Elaine O' Riordan, CNM III (PIC), St. Gabriel's Children's Respite House, Mungret, Limerick, Ireland
Contact Number: +353 86 075 9397
Email: eoriordan@stgabriels.ie
Maeve Williams, Post Registration Course Cooridinator, Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street, Dublin, Ireland
Email: maeve.williams@childrenshealthireland.ie
Debbie Finn, Residential Respite Manager (PIC), Enable Ireland, Teach Saoirse, Joe Daly Road, Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland
Contact Number: +353 87 966 9880
Email: dfinn@enbleireland.ie
Timeline
Staff Nurse/ Enhanced Nurse (Rejoined Post HDip)
St. Gabriel's Children's Respite
10.2024 - 05.2025
Student Staff Nurse
Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street
09.2023 - 09.2024
Staff Nurse
St. Gabriel's Children's Respite House
11.2022 - 08.2023
Management and Replacement of Gastrostomy Tubes
11-2022
Male Catheterisation and Supra-Pubic Re-Catheterisation.
10-2021
Staff Nurse
Enable Ireland, Teach Saoirse (Children's Respite House)
08.2021 - 10.2022
Staff Nurse
Avista, St Vincent's Centre
09.2020 - 08.2021
Rostered Student Nurse
Avista, St. Vincent's Centre
12.2019 - 08.2020
Relief Care Staff
Avista, St. Vinecent's Centre
12.2017 - 11.2019
Bachelor of Science - Nursing (Intellectual Disability)
University of Limerick
09.2016 - 08.2020
Higher Diploma - Children's Nursing
Dublin City University
04.2001 -
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