Lorriane O’Connell
Background
Lorraine is 31 years in nursing, having studied for her Diploma in Nursing Studies with Queens University in Belfast. In 2000 she found her niche after joining Cancer Services in University Hospital Limerick and while working as a staff nurse completed her Higher Diploma in Oncology Nursing. She dedicated 14 years to the Haematology Oncology Day unit as Clinical Nurse Manager 1 while also spending some time as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Haematology. Her interest in clinical trials developed over the years and she joined the Cancer Clinical Trials Unit in 2014 as Clinical Nurse Manager 2. She co-ordinated many patients onto interventional, non interventional, immunotherapy, translational and biobanking studies. She had the privilege of giving patients the opportunity to participate in Lung, Breast, Ovarian, Prostate, CLL and Multiple Myeloma trials. She has mentored and trained many nurses in cancer clinical trials and the principles of ICH-GCP. In 2023 she took up the role of Clinical Nurse Manager 3 of the Cancer Clinical Trials Unit. Her passion lies in supporting research nurses and enabling them to reach the competency levels required to work confidently in their role.