Sinead Cunningham

I qualified as a registered nurse over 30 years ago. I quickly moved from general nursing to midwifery and neonatal intensive care and lastly from acute hospital work to primary health care. Throughout my career I have been a reliable, hardworking and enthusiastic worker. I have always enjoyed nursing and I am consistently motivated to learn, grow, and stay up to date and interested in maternal child and family health. I enjoy working as part of a team. I like the camaraderie, exchange of ideas and the motivation you get when working with like-minded colleagues.

Transitioning from hospital ward work to community health was an interesting change. I had to change from carer and teacher with patients to a strengths based, family partnership relationship with clients. I have learned how to step back and work with families, guiding and helping them with a variety of issues.

As an enthusiastic learner I am open to change and new ideas. However, the Covid pandemic meant changing and adapting the community health service at an express rate. I could see the need to move quickly and I was willing to work under pressure, learn quickly, problem solve as needed and adapt to the multiple challenges we faced.

In recent years there has been an increase in psychological, physical and social issues in our clients. It is more important than ever to be able to work as a team, debrief, mentor and support colleagues.

I am competent managing complex clients, working as part of a multidisciplinary team, mentoring CFH students and new staff and resolving staffing concerns in our centre as they arise.

More recently, I have been happy to fill in as the in charge when needed.

Actively contributes to the development of clinical practice in child and family health service

• Updating the breastfeeding information on our website
• Worked as part of a working party adapting Powerchart documentation.
• I have volunteered to be part of the team looking at food allergies and intolerances for the website
• I am eager to be part of a working party that develops a solids talk for the entire area.

Acts as a resource and mentor to others

• I act as a mentor new staff and nurses completing the grad certificate in child and family health
• I regularly contribute to clinical education presenting at the breastfeeding information forum

• Hiking and multi-day hiking trips
• Ocean swimming
• Running
• Reading