News in Brief
UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Featured in Journals of the American Veterinary Medical Association
The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine has been featured in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) and the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR), both of which are published by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
The work of the School has been highlighted in the journals' 'Spotlight' features, with a focus on innovative approaches in teaching the next generation of veterinarians in JAVMA and advancing animal health and welfare through research in AJVR.
The articles can be accessed at the links below:
- (opens in a new window)Online, student-led, peer-to-peer teaching of clinical skills - Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA)
- (opens in a new window)Advancing national animal health and welfare policy - American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR)
The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine is one of only seven veterinary schools currently accredited by the (opens in a new window)AVMA in Europe. As a result, graduates from the UCD programme can receive a license to practice veterinary medicine in the US or Canada without having to complete a special ‘foreign graduates’ exam. The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine has full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education. Full reaccreditation was awarded after a site visit in November 2020 and the next visitation will be in 2027.
Professor Alan Baird Joins the National Immunisation Advisory Committee
Professor Alan Baird has been invited to join the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC provides evidence-based advice to the Chief Medical Officer and Department of Health on vaccines, immunisation and related health matters to inform health policies in Ireland. NIAC prepares this advice through extensive review of the latest clinical and scientific information.
NIAC’s work also includes:
- reviewing newly authorised vaccines and vaccine technologies and assessing their role in Ireland
- updating the Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland
- answering queries from health care professionals and the Department of Health
- advocating for best immunisation practices.
These guidelines provide comprehensive and reliable information on immunisation for healthcare professionals and are available to the general public.
Membership includes people with broad expertise in areas including immunisation, public health, infectious diseases and ethics who are nominated by a range of healthcare professional organisations or are co-opted. There are two lay members.
For more see: (opens in a new window)https://www.rcpi.ie/Healthcare-Leadership/NIAC/About-NIAC/Who-We-Are
UCD Purl Jam’s ‘Hearts for Hospitals’ Project
It sometimes feels like another world when we think back now on the things we did during the last few years in order to protect the most vulnerable in our society. This often meant drastic changes to the ways in which we interacted with each other. We had to adopt social distancing, cocooning and self-isolation, among other measures. There were so many challenges and dark days, and it took all our courage and strength to get through it. But dark times and crises bring out the best in us, and there were so many examples of the goodness and decency of people, with family, friends, neighbours and communities all watching out for and supporting each other in so many ways.
A very noticeable change came about in our hospitals whereby it was no longer possible to visit the sick and the elderly. This was particularly difficult for patients who were seriously ill in ICU. We can only imagine how isolating and frightening this experience must have been for the patients themselves. ICU staff were wonderful, bringing comfort in person when family and friends could only do so through a screen.
During this time, the NHS in the UK were running a project whereby patients received a knitted heart as a symbol of hope and togetherness. Carita Bramhill, previous UCD Postgraduate Research Student Adviser, brought this idea to UCD Purl Jam (based in UCD Veterinary Sciences) and suggested we work on something similar. Under the stewardship of Carita, we introduced the ‘Hearts for Hospitals’ project to some local hospitals in Dublin, including St Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH). Since the lockdowns have ended, UCD Purl Jam has continued to collaborate on this project with the SVUH ICU End-of-Life Care Coordinator and their nursing and medical teams. A knitted heart is given to the patient and a matching heart is given to their family. This is accompanied by a beautiful card that says:
As we sit right here and think of all the times gone by / Of the funny things that make us laugh and bring tears to our eyes / I love these happy moments when we laugh and sometimes cry / It’s nice to sit and reminisce about happy times gone by / We each have this little keepsake, a pretty knitted heart / If we keep each one forever we won’t really be apart / And should there come a time when alas we have to part / We will always be together whilst we have our knitted heart.
From the feedback we’ve received, the matching hearts are a symbol of hope, comfort and connection for patients and families. Families feel assured that their loved one is being cared for and know that they are with them. This small knitted heart is a powerful visible symbol of the bond of love that lies between the patient and their family.
If you would like to know more or contribute to this project, please contact (opens in a new window)niamh.nestor@ucd.ie, UCD Veterinary Sciences Student Adviser and UCD Purl Jam Lead.