The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award was created to recognise those nurses who have devoted their life's work to the compassionate care of others. Recipients of this award are recognised for their dedication to nursing through active mentoring, role modeling, advocating for their patients and promoting the positive image of nursing. They serve as a beacon of inspiration to those at all stages of their career and in the various and important roles of nursing.

There is nobody deserving of this award than you Nuala – Nuala Rafferty CNM3 Medical Division!

Tomorrow marks the end of Nuala’s long career of 45 years – (it’s not a secret anymore Nuala). We have spent the last couple of weeks reaching out to those who have worked with you over the years to ask for a story to tell today. Although every story was different, the theme was the same – “she ran a tight ship,” “the patient has always been her priority,” and “she always looked after her staff” – there is too many to mention here today, but we’re sure these stories will be told during one of your many retirement parties over the coming weeks.

After 45 years of dedication to nursing and midwifery care, Nuala, all these years later, remains compassionate and committed to both her patients, truly advocating for nurses at all levels -forever a true rebel without a cause.

Nuala has been a mentor to a lot of us here today. She has always valued the role and the opinion of the nurse. Before we ever used early warning scores to escalate care Nuala encouraged us all to act on our nursing instinct, if we ever doubted ourselves or our ability she’d remind us how vital nursing care is. Her mentorship, knowledge, and skills will never be replaced. She has disseminated information through any means at her disposal and, throughout her years, made significant contributions to patient care with quality improvements made before they were called Quality Improvements!

Nuala finishes her career as CNM3 in the Medical Division, having had many roles before this including CNM2 of the Stroke Ward in OLOL and CNM2 of Male Medical in LCH. We have included some stories of the impact you have made on those you met along the way:

“I have had 3 important mentors in my career so far and Nuala Rafferty was the first of them. I worked for 3 years with Nuala on male medical. Nuala was the CNM2 and I started as a very green nurse and very overwhelmed new mammy. I couldn’t get over the team that Nuala had built on her ward. The ward ran like a well-oiled machine. Nuala was no nonsense, not afraid to speak her mind, but always, always a consummate professional. Male medical was a 31 bedded ward and Nuala knew every patient from the top down. She adored her ‘men’ and was so so kind and thoughtful to them. Nuala was the first positive role model for management that I spent any significant time with and she showed me that professionalism, humour and kindness can go hand in hand. I have always been impressed by Nuala’s pride in her job. For all her years in nursing it is very apparent that she still feels passionate about it. I hope that I can maintain the same drive and passion for the remainder of my career.

When I worked in male medical, we had a family tragedy, and I will always remember Nuala’s kindness to me during that time. It meant a lot and made that time easier to bear.

Another time, I was telling her that my wee fella was looking for a Bob the Builder umbrella from Santa. I looked everywhere but could not find one. I came to work a couple of weeks later, and lo and behold, there was the umbrella. Nuala had been to Dublin and walked the streets looking for it. This is an example of Nuala’s thoughtfulness. Nuala is an amazing nurse and person, and it has been my absolute pleasure to work with her. I wish her the very best thing in her retirement.”

“Nuala, I first met you in 2010 when you jumped and moved your whole team from LCH to OLOL. What an achievement that you had so many follow you. When I finally got to work with you in the stroke unit I realised why. You were such a supportive confidant – more of a friend than a manager. “Nools,” you always listened to our woes, mostly over a good cup of tea! You would always tell us how to fix our problems – and remind us to put the lippy on! You always have a good lippy to hand. Even with your Christmas day birthday – you would be there, coming in early to let the night staff go home. There are not many like you. I’m lucky to have worked with you and even luckier to call you my friend.”

“I first met Nuala on male medical in LCH on the first day of my first ever placement as a first year student nurse – she stopped mid-way through handover to ask why was I not writing anything- she was less than impressed when I told her I didn’t realise I’d need a pen. I spent 6 weeks on that ward 16 years ago, I admired her then and I admire her now. Four years later, I started my first job as an RGN on Oriel 2 – I had a pen with me this time! Nuala your dedication to patients and staff is one that I’ve never seen before. You nurtured all of us and made us the nurses we are today. It was a pleasure to work with you & I will miss you dearly”

“I consider myself to have been exceptionally lucky to have worked with Nuala. Nuala sets a high bar for the standard of care that is acceptable for all patients under her care, a standard that is non-negotiable and must be met. And after a time you start thinking to yourself what would Nuala do or say in this situation? A process that has not failed me to date. Nuala's high standards are the practices I take with me each day I put the uniform on. 

I cannot mention all of Nuala’s attributes but two that stand out are Nuala empathy for her patients and her love for her nursing profession. Nuala has shown nothing but compassion for patients in her care and even in her current role, her patient interaction is the highlight of her day. Over the last many years, Nuala has made sure the nursing voice has been heard at ward and higher levels.

I hope in her retirement Nuala will write a book, stories about nursing we have heard over the years and stories we will miss going forward.”

“Firstly of all, I am privileged to be asked to write a few words about Nuala, our wonderful CNM3 who is retiring. I’ve known Nuala for the past 16 years first of all as an agency carer in the LCH where she was CNM2. Even going back then I learnt so much from her and the standards of care she expected which continued to Oriel 2. Over the time we worked together, she has gone from boss to friend and always easy to approach with a problem, whether it has to do with work or personal. But the main thing I have learned from Nuala is that each patient is an individual, and after seeing Nuala go in to wash a patient, she would come out of the room knowing every detail of their life apart from their bank pin number!!! Good luck Nuala in your retirement you will never know how much you will be missed.”

“Nuala, thank you for everything you have taught me- how to put the patient first and foremost and also to look after your staff. You care so much about their well-being, and you will go to any lengths to look after them. From a personal experience, you were my best supporter, both personally and professionally. I will miss you so much professionally, however, even more so on a personal basis. Enjoy every minute of your retirement- it is so well deserved.”

“Laughed, Loved, cried, and survived” would be the motto that I would pick for the last six years of working with Nuala. When I met Nuala first, she had taken Oriel level 2 Ward on transfer from LCH - which I had my eye on (something I’ve never forgiven you for). Little did I know at that stage I would make the leap from surgical to medical and land in the arms of this person whom I considered to be my nemesis; what I can say, however that the last six years together we have laughed every day, cried sometimes, loved and lived through birth, deaths, sickness and worries and not least of all a pandemic.  Nuala always says when things get tough ‘tomorrow is always another day’ and it always got better this motto will always remain with me just as Nuala will. She has been encamped in our lives for so long now it will be hard to imagine our lives without her in it; recent commentators have suggested that Florence Nightingale's achievements were exaggerated this cannot ever  be said about Nuala.”

Congratulations, Nuala, you are truly deserving of this DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award – we wish you all the best in your well-deserved retirement. Wishing you health and happiness in the next chapter of your life.