Orla McAlindenOrla McAlinden has been an adult nurse since 1979 (Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast, Northern Ireland, working through the period of civil and political turbulence known as 'the Troubles') and a children's nurse since 1986 (Queen Mary's Hospital Carshlton) and a Lecturer in Children's Nursing at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland since 1992. Her clinical background with children includes medical/surgical nursing, education and clinical experience in PICU and NICU (Lewisham & Evelina Children's Unit at Guy's Hospital London). Orla's clinical and professional interests lie in ethical, legal and professional aspects of children's nursing, with a particular interest in infant mental health, emotional/mental health and wellbeing, complex needs and CAMHs-related issues.

Currently, Orla works in the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland in a Category A Prison, and as a Teaching Assistant at Queens University Belfast, Northern Ireland. She is a member of the Editorial Advisory Panel for the Nursing Children and Young People's Journal, a Specialist Advisor with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), a Steering Group member for RCN Community & Continuing Care Forum, and a Social Media Moderator for that Forum's Facebook/Twitter pages. She is a keen participant with the @WeCYPNurses community on Twitter and an advocate for professional social media use.

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