Let’s Face It!

Q&A with Dermatologist Selene Daly

Selene Daly, a dermatology clinical nurse specialist in Sligo University Hospital, on the feel-good factor she gets from helping her patients and the surprising challenges she faces everyday.

There are so many areas people can speacilise in; why choose the skin?

The skin is amazing as it’s the largest and most visible organ of the body. Without it, we would not survive. I’ve also always enjoyed anything to do with the beauty industry so I really like the aesthetic side of my job. In the future I would like to expand more Dermatology out into the community and would love to set up some satellite dermatology clinics in Primary Care Centres.

What did you study in college?

I began my nursing career in 1997 and trained as a general nurse in Sligo University Hospital and St. Angela’s College under the older nursing programme. I was born in the UK where my mother ran a large nursing home and as a family we had some accommodation on site when she was on call. Therefore from a young age I witnessed nursing at the coalface and I really never wanted to do anything else growing up.

Was becoming a dermatologist always your goal?

Once I began nursing I was fascinated by skin and how it worked, so progression into Dermatology was very natural for me. I have since obtained a B.N. in Nursing from St. Angela’s, a diploma in Dermatology Nursing from the University of Cardiff and I am currently finishing my masters in Dermatology Practice at the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K. I am also a registered nurse prescriber and gained my certificate from the Royal College of Surgeons.

What does an average day look like for you?

A typical day would consist of seeing people in clinics with skin issues. Diagnosis can vary from a serious skin cancer to a skin tag and everything in between. Working in the public service means that patients are also varied, with different needs. Many of our patients may not have English as their first language, they might have different cultural backgrounds and beliefs or have other health issues which can make communication and collaborative agreement on a treatment plan difficult.

How do you approach situations like this?

The art of nursing involves having good communication skills and using techniques like motivational interviewing to ensure that patients understand their diagnosis and prescribed treatments. I really believe that my colleagues and I try to give 100% of our ability and sometimes this work is unrecognised. Some days are challenging but it is defiantly the job I thought it would be. I wouldn’t do anything else.

What is the best part of your job?

Undoubtedly my favourite part of the job is when a client’s skin improves. For example, seeing a teenage girl present with moderate to severe acne can be heart-breaking. Sometimes they don’t even want to take off their make-up. After a few months treatment when the acne improves, they are literally beaming. When I know that someone’s skin hasn’t just improved, but their life has changed, that makes me feel wonderful.

Is it about more than just the external appearance?

I like to take a holistic approach to my care; this means addressing all areas of the client’s health including their mental health. Visibly it’s wonderful to see plaques of dry skin disappear, but really it’s seeing an improvement in the person’s mood and knowing that my skill set as a dermatology nurse has brought that process about is also very rewarding.

How to you try and de-bunk the hundreds of skin myths out there?

Social media is essential in what I do because it’s a great way to connect with people and spread good quality information about what actually works for skin. I love speaking to groups about skincare from anti-ageing to acne to psoriasis, eczema and skin cancer detection and prevention.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Selenedalyskincare

Website: selenedalyskincare.com