Geraldine de Búrca has been an Irish Cancer Society Night Nurse since 2004. She says she has always been interested in Palliative Care even when she began her nursing career back in the 1980’s “The year after I qualified as a nurse I did a Palliative Care course and then when I was hospital based,  I was often asked to mind the terminally ill patients on my ward.”

Geraldine recalls how she first became involved with the service “I was in my mid-thirties at the time and I happened to see an advert in our local newspaper looking to recruit Night Nurses, I applied and as they say, the rest is history. I have never looked back. ”

Geraldine says her night normally begins around 5pm when she gets a handover call from the Homecare Team who has been caring for her patient “We work alongside the home care teams and liaise very closely with them.”

Next Geraldine will make a phone call to the patient’s family and they let her know how their loved one is doing. She will then arrive at the patient’s home between 10:00pm and 11:00pm “I will check to see how the patient is doing and if they are settled and comfortable. I also see if they have any symptoms that need assistance. 

If the patient is comfortable I will then go in and sit down and have a quick chat with the family. We are able to discuss the plan for the night and I listen to their concerns or thoughts. Communication is a huge part of our job.

Throughout the night I will spend my time caring and monitoring the patient, sometimes also chatting with the family if that is what they need.”

Geraldine leaves around 7am, and gives a detailed report to the Homecare Team before heading home.

“It is devastating to be told you have cancer. For so many, successful treatment is available. For those that are told there is nothing else that can be done, it is comforting to know that we can be there for families during this difficult time, it is a great privilege to be there to support them.

Geraldine is one of over 200 Daffodil Night Nurses. Services such as Night Nursing could not operate without the generosity of Irish people who make donations on Daffodil Day “I have looked after a few people who had themselves organised their local Daffodil Day collections for a number of years. It was very special for their family to see first-hand how the service worked.

“I wouldn’t change my job for the world. In the morning families come to me and say they had a lovely sleep because they knew someone was caring for their loved one and that they didn’t have to worry. The sense of calm you bring to the house, it gives you a huge level of job satisfaction.” Geraldine says.