Working Life: Prevention isn’t flashy, but it’s powerful

Ciara Doran, operations lead, mobile vaccination team, IHA Waterford Wexford. Pic: Jim Campbell

“I didn’t set out to work in vaccination. I simply knew I wanted a role where every day mattered, and the job I was in at the time wasn’t giving me that.

“So I took a leap, applied to train as a nurse in Waterford, and that was the start of everything.

“Nursing opened more doors than I ever expected. I worked everywhere: From care of the older person, where I learned the importance of gentle patience, to community nursing, where no two days were the same, and the kettle was always on.

“Then I was selected to join the school’s vaccination team. That’s where something clicked. I loved the pace, the contact with families, and the sense of prevention rather than reaction. It felt like the perfect blend of organisation, communication, and clinical care. I ended up pursuing every immunisation qualification going, and I haven’t stopped since.

“When the pandemic arrived, everything changed overnight. I found myself leading the mass vaccination hub in Wexford. It was intense, fast-moving, emotional, and at times exhausting, but it was also some of the most meaningful work I’ve ever done. You could see the relief on people’s faces when they walked out with that little card. You could feel the collective effort of staff, volunteers, families, and whole communities pulling together.

Ciara Doran, operations lead, mobile vaccination team, IHA Waterford Wexford. Pic: Jim Campbell

“That experience brought me to my current role as operational lead and flu lead for Waterford and Wexford. There’s still no such thing as a predictable day.

“One moment I’m dealing with logistics, delivery schedules and uptake reports; the next, I’m supporting a parent in a clinic who’s anxious about vaccines or I’m on the phone with a peer vaccinator troubleshooting a scheduling issue, or helping to keep a busy clinic flowing.

“The best part is seeing the impact. Prevention isn’t flashy, but it’s powerful. People leave a clinic reassured, protected, and a little less worried than when they arrived and that matters.

“I’m married to Philip, and we have two children: Meabh and Arthur. My spare time is spent painting the house we’ve just moved into, doing pottery, patchwork, dressmaking and quilting.

“If I had one message, it’s this: Vaccination isn’t just clinical — it’s community.”

• The HSE urges everyone who is eligible to get their flu vaccine this winter to do so.
• Influenza activity in Ireland is continuing to increase, with case and hospitalisation numbers rising. See www.hse.ie/flu.