Clinical Nurse Specialist – Palliative Care

Clinical Nurse Specialist – Palliative Care

Location: On site / Lucan, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Our client is an acute care hospital with 110 inpatient beds, seven operating theatres, a 7 bed ICU, an Emergency Department, many outpatient services, and a wide range of modern technically complex medical diagnostic and treatment facilities, providing high quality patient care. As a part of the Blackrock Health Group, the Hermitage Clinic offers a range of services in areas such as cardiology, oncology, and urology.

Working with our client is a unique opportunity. They offer the chance to work at some of Ireland's most advanced hospitals while still enjoying a sustainable work-life balance. They ensure all their people have the support they need to progress their career, and offer a package of unmatched benefits across their three hospitals and diagnostic clinic.

Our client is a private hospital providing a full range of medical and surgical care across a broad spectrum of specialities. Each Ward provides a range of services and this role is important in making a significant contribution, developing and maintaining best practice in nursing services at clinical areas.

Job Purpose

As a key member of the Nursing team, the post holder will demonstrate excellent clinical skills, quality patient care initiatives and facilitate effective interpersonal communication with colleagues in the unit(s) and hospital. The role will provide comprehensive nursing care to patients using evidence-based practice and adjusting resources to ensure continuity of care, will act as a role model for excellence in patient care.

The CNS will communicate and collaborate with the medical/nursing staff teams in the delivery of quality continuing care for the patient, including liaison with Consultants, and GP’s. The position requires a strategic approach to the development of services and structures, embracing continuous quality improvement and the management of changes necessary to achieve organisational objectives. The role demands a broad range of professional skills and knowledge as well as skills in communication, leadership, teaching, education, research and counselling all in keeping with the Framework for the Establishment of Clinical Nurse/Midwife Specialist Posts, 4th edition, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (NCNM) 2008.

Essential Criteria

Knowledge/ Experience

· Be registered in the general division of the Register of Nurses maintained by NMBI

· Have at least five years recent relevant post-registration nursing experience (full-time or equivalent hours part-time) in an acute hospital setting and a minimum of two years nursing experience in the specialist area

· Have acquired a level 8 post registration Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major academic award relevant to the specialist area of Palliative Care Nursing (or similar) or be willing to complete within one year of taking up post.

Skills/ Competencies

· Clinical Skills

· Management skills

· Leadership skills

· IT skills

· Quality focus

· Risk Management

· Clinical audit

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Desirable Skills

Knowledge/ Experience

· Experience in teaching and assessing

· Experience with JCI standards

Why work here?

The Clinic is passionate about our people and believe in their development and growth. As a member of the team you can benefit from:

• An Education Support Programme

• Development opportunities

• Opportunities for career progression

• Access to a Pension Scheme

• Subsidised Restaurant

• Free staff car parking

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Life Assurance

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Focus

The CNS will have a strong patient focus whereby the specialty defines itself as nursing and subscribes to the overall purpose, functions and ethical standards of nursing. The clinical practice role may be divided into direct and indirect care. Direct care comprises the assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of care to the patient, family and/or carer. Indirect care relates to activities that influence and support the provision of direct care.

Direct Care

· Provide a specialist nursing service for patients with a life limiting diagnosis, primarily cancer who require support and treatment through the continuum of care.

· Undertake comprehensive patient assessment to include physical, psychological, social, and spiritual elements of care using best evidence-based practice in palliative care.

· Use the outcomes of patient assessment to develop and implement plans of care/case management in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and the patient, family and/or carer as appropriate.

· Monitor and evaluate the patient’s response to treatment and amend the plan of care accordingly in conjunction with the MDT and patient, family, and/or carer as appropriate.

· Make alterations in the management of patient’s condition in collaboration with the MDT and the patient in line with agreed pathways and policies, procedures, protocols, and guidelines (PPPGs).

· Accept appropriate referrals from MDT colleagues.

· Co-ordinate investigations, treatment therapies, and patient follow-up.

· Communicate with patients, family, and/or carer as appropriate, to assess the patient’s needs and provide relevant support, information, education, advice, and counselling as required.

· Where appropriate work collaboratively with MDT colleagues across Primary and Secondary Care to provide a seamless service delivery to the patient, family, and/or carer as appropriate.

· Participate in medication reconciliation taking cognisance of poly-pharmacy and support medical and pharmacy staff with medication reviews and medication management.

· Identify and promote specific symptom management strategies as well as the identification of triggers which may cause exacerbation of symptoms. Provide patients with appropriate self-management strategies and escalation pathways.

· Coordinate nurse led palliative clinics with MDT input.

· Identify health promotion priorities for the patient, family and/or carer and support patient self-care in line with best evidence. This will include the provision of educational and health promotion material which is comprehensive, easy to understand and meets patients’ needs.

Indirect Care

· Identify and agree appropriate referral pathways for patients with end-of-life conditions, primarily cancers.

· Participate in case review with MDT colleagues.

· Use a case management approach to patients with complex needs in collaboration with the MDT in both Primary and Secondary Care as appropriate.

· Take a proactive role in the formulation and provision of evidence based PPPGs relating to palliative care.

· Take a lead role in ensuring the service for patients with end-of-life condition is in line with best practice guidelines and the Safer Better Healthcare Standards (HIQA, 2012) or the relevant National Clinical Care Programme and JCI standards.

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