Portiuncula Hospital has announced the appointment of a new Bereavement Support Midwife to help grieving families.
Leanne Norton will be helping families to deal with the heartbreaking reality of a loss of pregnancy, stillbirth, or neonatal death.
Speaking of her new role Leanne said that she felt privileged to take up the post, and be in a position to help women and families experiencing this kind of loss.
“The loss of any baby is a devastating and overwhelming grief with every individual experiencing loss differently.”
“I want to be able to provide my patients and their families with the compassionate, individualised and culturally sensitive support they need.”
Leanne obtained her Nursing degree in 2008 from the Technological University of the Shannon.
She gained valuable experience as a Staff Nurse in St James Hospital Dublin and it was during this time that Leanne honed her informal counselling skills and decided to dedicate her career to bereavement care.
In 2012 she commenced a Higher Diploma in Midwifery in The Rotunda Hospital in conjunction with Trinity College Dublin.
After a number of years working in the Rotunda, Leanne returned to work as a Midwife in Mullingar Hospital, before taking up her new post at Portiuncula Hospital.
Leanne added that working with Pastoral Care team at the hospital will allow her to “contribute to a comprehensive, holistic experience” for each grieving family.
Deirdre Naughton, Director of Midwifery at the hospital said, “Leanne is a very passionate and caring member of staff who will work closely with her colleagues to ensure parents receive care which is clinically skilled, compassionate, consistent, kind and respectful.”
