CUH - GP Liaison Nurse

Catherine O’Mahony

Is the General Practitioner Liaison Nurse based in the emergency department in CUH. email .

The role of Liaison Nurse was first piloted by Eva gore Buckley in 2001. It's aim was to improve and enhance communication between the Emergency Department and General Practitioners. The role contributes to the continuity of patient care, and acts as an intermediary in both communication and discharge planning. Nationally, there is a total of 6 such posts, Catherine's being the only one outside Dublin

 

Each day, the GP Liaison Nurse contacts and informs GPs about their patients who have attended as emergencies. She confirms admission, discharge, interventions and plans for individual patients and their families. This information, particularly important information (eg when a patient dies in the emergency department) is passed on to individual general practitioners by both phone and fax. Our local practice GPs are encouraged to contact Ms. O' Mahony if any further information of details are required or if they wish a return visit by their patient.

When there are discharge difficulties, the GP Liaison Nurse works closely with our Emergency Social Worker. Such collaboration has already (first four months 2006) lead to the suitable transfer of 47 admitted patients out of CUH into more appropriate Rapid Response Beds in Montenotte. Ms. O' Mahony is also involved in audit and information collation.

 

The GP Liaison post is strictly Emergency Department based and independent of the admission office. Catherine continues to develop informal and formal links with our radiology, pathology and out-patient colleagues. She also regularly communicates with the consultant Secretaries and Clinical Nurse Specialists within he CUH group.

 

Catherine O' Mahony's most important role is to bridge the information, clinical and communication gaps between patient’s emergency and community care and and to facilitate patient movement and improve patient care during their transition between primary care and the acute hospital setting.

Contact details (Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:15pm)

(021) 4920212,  (087) 1235061,  email