Publications

I started working in the area of IBD in the Mercy University Hospital in 20016. I commenced a part-time PhD programme with the School of Nursing and Midwifery in University College Cork in 2017. In 2018, I relocated to Cork University Hospital and was appointed as the first IBD CNS. Our service cares for in excess of 1800 patients and I have since been joined by Angela Mullen, another CNS.

My PhD is focused on self-management of IBD, but specifically the help-seeking behaviours of those living with IBD. In a nutshell, how and why do people living with IBD go about getting help and from whom?

Since starting my PhD, I have published two peer-reviewed articles in conjunction with my supervisory team from University College Cork. Our first paper is a meta-synthesis of the challenges associated with living with and managing IBD, available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocn.15080

The main findings were that those living with IBD experience a range of challenges including physical, psychological and social challenges. These challenges can have a negative impact on their quality of life and psychosocial wellbeing. Perhaps the most pertinent finding was that there was little evidence of the participants turning towards healthcare professionals for the management of these challenges. The management strategies employed were typically learning behaviours overtime. I was quite intrigued by this finding and this helped to shape out next piece of work.

We then went on to perform a scoping review of self-management interventions that enable patients to seek help. To be included in the scoping review, the intervention must have enabled patients to make contact with their healthcare professional of choice. The main findings of the scoping review were that the component of the intervention that enabled patients to look for help varied across the interventions. Patient sought help because of physical, psychological and administrative queries. This article is available here: https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/full/10.12968/gasn.2022.20.6.30?af=R

We are now performing a qualitative descriptive piece of work investigating the help-seeking behaviours of those living with IBD.

I would like to thank Dr Syed Akbar Zulquernain and Prof Subrata Ghosh (Consultant Gastroenterologists in Cork University Hospital) for their ongoing support. The third phase of this PhD would not be possible without the support of my gatekeepers namely Dr Aoife O Sullivan (SpR and previous Research Registrar in Cork University Hospital) and Declan Corcoran (IBD CNS in University Hospital Kerry).

If you would like and further information on my work to date, please don’t hesitate to contact me at clodagh.byron@hse.ie

Advanced Nurse Practitioner Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Letterkenny University Hospital, Co. Donegal

I qualified as Registered General Nurse in the UK and I completed a post grad in Cardio-thoracic nursing at the Royal National Heart and Lung Institute in London. I later moved to St Vincent’s Hospital Dublin and worked in the Liver Transplant Unit for 18months followed by 6 years in Intensive Care Unit. I have worked at Letterkenny University Hospital since Dec 1999. After a short time on the surgical ward in Letterkenny University Hospital I did cover for the Stoma Care Clinical Nurse Specialist and was then asked to establish the Colorectal Cancer nurse service at LUH (2004). The role at this time encompassed Colorectal cancer and Inflammatory Bowel disease. I completed a post Grad in Gastrointestinal nursing at UCD in 2006. Further qualifications include Diploma in Nurse Prescribing in 2011 and Masters in Advanced Nurse Practice (Hons) 2017-2019.

Since 2004 the IBD service has expanded considerably. There is currently a team of 3 Gastroenterologists and one Advanced Nurse Practitioner.

I have always had a massive interest in patient information, that patients are well informed about their condition. I also feel IBD patients in Ireland should have access to information developed in Ireland and which is specific to Ireland. Numerous IBD patient information leaflets have been developed over the years by myself and various IBD nursing and medical staff around Ireland.

Such is my interest in patient information leaflets (PIL’s) I decided to complete my thesis on this subject. I wanted to assess the effectiveness of PIL’s on disease related knowledge. The outcome indicates that patient information leaflets are effective to a degree and patient education and information meetings would be advised to further support patient knowledge. Numerous patient information evenings have taken place over the years in Letterkenny from small meetings to larger multidisciplinary meetings.

I have presented (posters or oral presentations) at various conferences locally, nationally and in Europe. I have also published my work in nursing magazines on 4 occasions. I am currently working on a project in relation to Microscopic Colitis.

I am a National Representative for Ireland for the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO). This role represents all IBD nurses in Ireland at ECCO. I am also a representative on the National Clinical Programme for Gastroenterology and Hepatology (IBD sub-group).

My focus is to continue to improve and further develop IBD services for patients.

Improving awareness on the management and treatment of intestinal failure
Cathy Walsh
Published Online: 16 Jun 2016 

Microscopic colitis and the role of the specialist inflammatory bowel disease nurse: a clinical review
Cathy Walsh
Published Online:19 Nov 2021 

The Effectiveness of patient information leaflets provided by a Clinical Nurse Specialist on disease related knowledge in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Walsh, C.(1);