A new 24-bed unit has been opened at Croom Orthopaedic Hospital in Co Limerick, one of the longest established hospitals in Munster.
The new Maigue Unit, named after the river that flows through Croom, consists of single occupancy units in a new block built around a garden at the entrance to the hospital
The hospital first opened as a county home in 1924 and as a specialist orthopaedic hospital in 1956.
Work is also being completed on a new €15m theatre suit, which will consist of four new operating theatres, a first-stage recovery room and reception area, as well as a new sterile services department and other ancillary support spaces.
The opening of the new unit is expected to also bring additional employment to the hospital, as well as new training opportunities.
The immediate focus will be on recruiting nurses with orthopaedic and operating theatre experience.
CEO of UL Hospitals Group Colette Cowan sid the development at Croom was part of ongoing advancements that during 2021 will see the phased opening of the first-floor facilities to also include a pre-operative assessment and admissions unit and a new day ward.
The development of the hospital's pain management service will create additional employment opportunities for pain specialists, from Advanced Nurse Practitioners to staff nurses, in addition to Allied Health professionals and administrative support."
Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery in the UL Hospital Group Margaret Gleeson said the expansion of services at Croom will also bring additional clinical experiences for nurses.
"There is a well-established training collaboration with the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Cappagh, and the nursing staff also work closely with the trauma unit in University Hospital Limerick.
"This training culture, along with the increase in surgical day cases and the continued development of the pain management and rheumatology services, makes Croom a place of career progression and development", she said.
