Dr Karn Cliffe

Dr Karn Cliffe is Director of Professional Standards – Midwifery and interim Head of Education.

She qualified as a nurse in the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin and later as a midwife from City University London.  

She spent several years in Australia, working as a midwife. While there, she developed an interest in maternal morbidity and mortality. She undertook an MSc in Advance Nursing/Midwifery Practice in Clinical Education, through the James Cook University and wrote a Training Manual for Traditional Birth Attendants in South-East Asia.  

On her return from Australia, Karn worked at the University Maternity Hospital Limerick and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. While working in Drogheda, she undertook a Clinical Doctorate in Midwifery through Stirling University, Scotland.  

During the pandemic Karn was redeployed to various roles supporting acute settings and Residential Care Facilities on Covid-19 prevention and monitoring initiatives. From January 2021 to December 2022, she led out on the Covid-19 vaccination programme for Dublin Midlands Hospital Group and the Citywest Vaccination Centre. Prior to this, she worked with the National Sepsis Programme and the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group as an Assistant Director of Nursing and Midwifery.  

In December 2022, Karn was conferred with The Fellowship of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. In January 2023, was awarded Adjunct Professor title at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. 

Karn will continue as Director of Professional Standards - Midwifery and becomes Head of Education on an interim basis. Prior to joining NMBI, Karn was responsible for both Nursing and Midwifery portfolios and brings extensive experience and knowledge to this role and the Education, Policy and Standards Department.