Working Life: I carry out lifesaving colonoscopies for those with positive BowelScreen tests

Maura O’Connor, advanced nurse practitioner, St John’s Hospital, Limerick

Maura O’Connor, advanced nurse practitioner, St John’s Hospital, Limerick. Pictures: Brendan Gleeson

“Nursing was always my first career choice. I completed general nurse training in Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin. I knew I’d get great job satisfaction from patient care, and it gave me a wonderful opportunity to travel, including a stint in Australia with some of the lifelong friends I made during training.

“I’m a homebird, and when it came to putting down roots, I returned to Limerick. It was here, in St John’s Hospital, that my interest in digestive health really developed. When I started, general nurses rotated through various departments, including theatre and endoscopy. As an assisting nurse in endoscopy, I saw firsthand how early diagnosis could dramatically change outcomes for patients with bowel disease. Wanting to contribute more directly to this ultimately defined my career path.