Pauline Walsh is a registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Perinatal Mental Health with the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team in University Maternity Hospital Limerick. 

Pauline qualified from UL in 2002 with a Diploma in Nursing and has since added many qualifications including Degree in Mental Health Nursing, Dip Drug and Alcohol Studies, BSc Mental Health Nursing, MSc Psychosocial Interventions in Mental Health Care, Post Grad Diploma in Advanced Practice Nursing, Registered Nurse Prescriber.

Pauline has worked in mental health nursing in Ireland and Australia, in various settings including acute psychiatric units and community settings. In recent years Pauline worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Crisis Intervention as part of a Community Mental Health Team. She has worked as a CNS in Perinatal Mental Health and then as a ANP in this team. 

Pauline’s current ANP role includes case managing women who have a previously diagnosed major mental health issue and providing intensive case management to these women. This profile of women they have a 1 in 3 to 1 in 5 relapse rate in the postpartum period and are more likely to need acute psychiatric admission than any other diagnosis at any other time on their lives. Pauline coordinates their care across primary, secondary and tertiary services, often with a pre birth planning meeting. As an ANP Pauline completes the full episode of care, triages the referral, completes new and review assessments, plans care with the woman and her family, prescribes medication as indicated, makes referrals within the team, the hospital and community settings, evaluates this care. 

As part of her role Pauline has published a case study in the British Journal of Midwifery, and presented on this case study at national and international conferences.