Dear Teresa,

It was pleasure being involved in the pilgrimage. It was a very rewarding experience. I am recommending it to many others. We all seemed to love every minute of it, by far our best placement ha. All learning objectives were achieved. My staff nurse Sophie was very helpful, she answered any questions I had and would include me in any care that was going on. As I was in the family group, the parents dealt with medications and the child’s needs. At the beginning I didn’t want to interfere, but found the parents to be as helpful as a ward of nurses put together. They would include me in as much as possible, eg washing a PEG or showing me how a Hickman works, the kids were proud to show off there ‘Fredies’ and taught me a thing or two. This placement helped me remember the real reason why I decided to do nursing, often ward settings are rushed and time is limited. It was a very emotional week, although filled with fun and laughter.

Thank you Teresa for all your help and warm welcomes in Lourdes. It was a week that I will never forget. Hope to see you all again next year.

Kind regards,
Diane Toland, 2nd Yr General Nurse, Letterkenny Institute of Technology.