Behind CPSN with Amy: Meet our Clinical Co-ordinator / Registered Nurse

Amy Seeary is CPSN’s Clinical co-ordinator/Registered Nurse. She loves the range and scope of her job and creating unique and engaging experiences with our clients in the disability community.  

The last four years at CPSN has been very rewarding for Amy. She oversees many clinical home visits to our high intensity clients and their support workers in our Supported Independent Living (SIL) program. She enjoys meeting and speaking with families in the early stages of their child’s Cerebral palsy (CP) journey.  

Amy Seeary, CPSN’s Clinical co-ordinator 

“I love to go out and visit clients or speak with members on the phone – this can be enquiries about health-related matters or using my lived experience to support families.”  

Pathways to Nursing and Disability  

Before finding her career path to nursing, Amy worked as a Support Worker, while she was training as a student nurse. Over the years she has also had experience working in mental health and as a nurse educator.  

She says she is very fortunate to be able to blend her nursing experience with a lived experience of disability in her family.  

Amy’s twin sons were both born prematurely and diagnosed with CP at 18 months old. 

“Having my twins who both have Cerebral Palsy, I am really passionate about supporting families as they navigate both the disability and health sector in their child’s early years from diagnosis (or before) to navigating both systems, developing a support plan that is best for the child and the family unit.” 

Nursing All-rounder – a valuable resource 

Amy delivers various nursing services at CPSN such as NDIS reports, care plans and assessments, continence assessment and support, wound care and medication management. She can also  write nursing reports to assist clients with funding, which she finds extremely rewarding.  

Amy has found her unique niche at CPSN. She believes that the opportunities she has had personally as a carer,  sitting on various committees has been an important factor in assisting to co-design the future of the disability sector.  

She appreciates all of her colleagues. Some of them have had some lived experience of Cerebral palsy and they know intimately the challenges that living with disability creates. CPSN listens to any feedback, and is “Compassionate, Experienced and Supportive.” 

Amy and her twin sons. 

One challenge Amy faced as a parent of children with CP, was when her sons were little was finding enough information to access about the disability.

Amy now makes it a personal and professional priority to ensure that everyone she speaks to has accessible supports to connect with someone for health advice, information or other community contacts.

“I have also seen the lack of health sector services for adults with Cerebral Palsy and similar complex disabilities. I am passionate about joining any initiative that looks to improve access and specialist services for Adults with CP.” 

Amy’s top three tips from being in her role, and her lived experience with assisting those with CP are: 

• With each stage there will be different support needs, joys and challenges. Finding support from other families with similar experiences can be really useful. Be kind to yourself and just take things at your own pace. ‘Self-care’ has been a bit of a buzz word but it is truly important to care for yourself to be able to support others.  

• “Enjoy your child/ children and don’t forget to take breaks from therapy and just do fun things. When my boys were little, we were so busy with appointments, but when we had a chance to take a step back and enjoy activities as a family, I always found this really restorative. I now try to find a balance between therapy and appointments and my boys just having a chance to be ‘kids.’

• Always trust your intuition, whether it is about yourself or someone you support. 

  
  

What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? 

I am generally spending time with my very busy family; we love getting out and about with other family and friends and especially love travelling. Last year we went to the US and had a wonderful trip as a family. When I get a chance, I love to read and have just started doing Pilates again. 

Want to know more about CPSN and how Amy might be able to assist you? Book in a short consult with Amy today to enquire about our nursing services program

Book a time with Amy