Helen McHale

I qualified as an Adult Nurse in 2004 and have gained significant clinical experience mainly working in the emergency and urgent care setting, as a Nurse Practitioner. I have an MSc in Advance Clinical Practice and have undergone further registrar training and become an accredited Royal College Emergency Medicine Advance practitioner.

As an Emergency Care Advance Emergency Care Practitioner (EC-ACP) in the Emergency Department, I have a wide range of experience working autonomously seeing and treating adults and children. I work throughout the emergency department seeing patients who present as emergencies in the resuscitation room all the way to minor and urgent care treatment areas. I used advanced clinical decision-making skills, and evidence-based knowledge to assess, treat and diagnose patients, prescribing medication where appropriate. I have expertise in ordering and interpreting x-rays and blood tests, advanced wound assessment and closure, local anaesthesia and ring blocks, joint manipulation, and reduction, plastering and splinting of joints.

Through my career, I have had the opportunity to be an operational Sister, managing and delivering all aspects of care for highly complex critically ill patients, including major trauma within the emergency department. I manage patient flow through a large emergency department, mentored staff, supported junior doctors in clinical decision making and contributed to the senior nursing team agenda, ensuring and maintaining high standards in the clinical environment.

I have provided and assisted in a range of teaching and education to the wider multidisciplinary team: from Medical and nursing students to junior doctors, nurses, and trainee practitioners. I have completed additional training in Paediatric Intermediate Life Support (PIls), European Trauma course Thoracotomy and major haemorrhage training as well as Advanced Life Support with a recommendation to become an instructor through the General Instructors council (GIC). 

I accept instructions from both claimant and defendant solicitors and insurers. I have undergone formal training in the medico-legal process and am fully aware of my responsibilities under Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) pertaining to expert witnesses.