THE RESPIRATORY NURSES ASSOCIATION
OF IRELAND (ANÁIL)
A brief history of ANÁIL
ANÁIL was found in 1995 by practice nurse Geralyn
Hynes and Deirdre Donaghy, an asthma nurse in St Vincents
Hospital. The association was originally known as the
Asthma Nurses Association of Ireland. However, in 2000
the name was changed to the Respiratory Nurses Association
of Ireland to reflect the growing diversity of respiratory
patients, which resulted in an expanding of the role of
asthma nurses.
The original aims of the association were to:
- Facilitate networking for nurses working in respiratory
health
- Promote asthma and respiratory care
- Disseminate knowledge about asthma and respiratory
care
The association has since grown from a membership of
twenty in 1995 to sixty in 2003. With the increase in
membership numbers, means of communication were developed
to facilitate, increase and ease networking. The ANÁIL
newsletter, now known as ANÁIL Quarterly and the website
had come into being in 2001 and scientific and educational
meetings are now being held four times a year in different
parts of Ireland to reflect and attract a broad membership
base.
Links
ANÁIL has developed links with other organisations
and associations concerned with the care of respiratory
patients and nurse’s professional development such
as:
- Asthma Society of Ireland
- Irish Thoracic Society
- Alpha One Foundation
- NALA
- Practice Nurses Association
- National Council of Nursing and Midwifery
ANÁIL is in close contact with institutions that provide
education in respiratory care. They include:
- Royal College of Surgeons, Faculty of Nursing, Dublin
- Respiratory Education and Training Centres, Liverpool,
UK
- National Respiratory Training Centre, Warwick, UK
Since it was set up the National Council for Nursing
and Midwifery (NCNM) has greatly influenced the development
of the nursing profession. The council has outlined criteria
for clinical specialist and advanced nursing practice.
Many of the respiratory nurses in ANÁIL fulfil the criteria
for Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and many are now accredited
CNS posts. Guidelines and standards for educational programmes
for Clinical Nurse Specialists and Advanced Nurse Practitioners
(ANP) have been developed and ANÁIL has made a submission
on this subject to the council based on the views of the
members about education for respiratory nurses.
ANÁIL would like to acknowledge the valuable contribution
other professions within respiratory care have made to
our members. Talks and clinical support given by experts
in their area such as respiratory physicians, specialist
nurses, pulmonary scientists and technicians and physiotherapists
greatly increased our members knowledge and created a
base for cross-professional discourse.
Recent developments
In the year 2003 ANÁIL completed the following major steps
towards becoming an acknowledged nurses group within respiratory
care in Ireland by developing:
- Vision and Mission statements
- Guidelines for the use of Long Term Oxygen Therapy
(LTOT)
Our membership number grew to sixty, representing nurses
from around Ireland.
Ongoing / work in progress
The current committee consist of seven members,
including an educational and research officer and a clinical
guidelines co-ordinator.
Plans for the future are to:
- Strengthen links with other organisations
- Network with respiratory organisations outside Ireland
- Increase membership
- Further develop means of communication such as website
and printed media
- Develop clinical guidelines
- Initiate and support respiratory nursing research
- Strengthen support and networking within the group
- Founding of a working education fund
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