International Nurses Day - meet Claire Moloney

When Claire Moloney first interviewed for a role on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), she changed her mind and decided she didn’t want the job after all.

But after a few years working on a children’s ward, she found herself drawn back to caring for some of the most vulnerable patients in any hospital.

And after an impromptu visit to our NICU, then based at K&C, she found herself at another interview the following week and this time was delighted to accept the role.

Claire is now a sister on NICU, and a research nurse, combining oversight of the ward and its young patients with spearheading studies that can improve care for the future.

She said: “It is amazing to see these babies come in so small and so vulnerable, and to be able to play a part in their journey.

“It is a privileged role, even if there is not a happy ending. If a baby doesn’t get to go home, we do all we can to make that experience more bearable for the families, giving them memories to treasure in the future.

“We often meet these families again if they have another baby and they tell us they remember the care we showed them.”

Claire trained as a nurse after her A-levels, and now can’t imagine doing anything else. She has seen a lot of change over the past 25 years, with the unit now having its own psychologist, as well as speech and language therapists and physiotherapists.

She said: “It is very much a marmite job – I don’t think you could work here if you didn’t love it.

“It can be very busy; sometimes we have time to catch up on paperwork, other times there are three very poorly babies coming in the door.

“We cover the whole of the county and beyond, but people don’t know we are here until they need us.

“Having the psychologist has been invaluable, as it can be an extremely traumatic experience for families when their baby is admitted to NICU.

“It also benefits the staff; we cry too when a baby doesn’t make it. We support each other and there is always someone to talk to.”

Families can spend months on the unit – although these days not as long as twin boys Claire cared for who celebrated their first birthday in NICU.

She said: “That wouldn’t happen now; they would be transferred to the children’s ward.

“But we do get to know the families really well. Our shifts are long and we are there to support the parents as well as look after the babies.”

Claire has been in her research role for 10 years, and works with the Trust’s research teams as well as the staff on the unit.

She said: “It is a really varied job and I love that. I find it so interesting and I enjoy the fact that it is different every day.

“I could be inputting data or completing paperwork, or talking to families about the research we have available that they could be part of.

“I also help train my colleagues, and keep in touch with families who have been discharged but who are still part of our studies.

“One of my favourite jobs is organising Christmas and Mother’s Day on the unit. Seeing a mummy open her first Mother’s Day card is a really special moment.

“We are changing lives – both through the care of these very poorly babies, and through the research we deliver that will help save lives in the future.”