Palliative Care CNS — Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist

St. Vincent's University Hospital

Dublin

On-site

EUR 70,000 - 90,000

Full time

5 days ago

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Job summary

St. Vincent's University Hospital invites applications for the position of Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist / Clinical Nurse Specialist - Palliative Care. This full-time permanent role located at St.

Vincent's University Hospital requires clinical leadership in palliative care with responsibilities spanning guideline development, education, research, and service improvement. The successful candidate will work within a multidisciplinary team, provide expert nursing care, contribute to

Responsibilities

Comply with An Bord Altranais Code of Professional Conduct and Scope of Practice for Nursing.
Be aware of and act on guidance from the National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery on matters relating to the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist, with particular reference to the Clinical Nurse/Midwife Specialist Role Resource Pack published by the Nursing and Midwifery Planning and Development Unit SEHB 2003.
To be aware of own needs regarding supervision and professional development and to work actively towards meeting these.
To work in close conjunction with all members of the clinical team to ensure that a cohesive and effective service is provided.
Ensure patient confidentiality is respected and the dignity of the patient is assured and maintained at all times having regard to the philosophy and ethical code of the Hospital.
Regularly attend multi-disciplinary meetings to maintain an up to date clinical knowledge base and to promote understanding of roles and responsibilities.
Have a good insight into the elements needed to support effective and innovative ways of changing clinical methods of working within established practices.
Establish the role and authority of the post. Act as a role model demonstrating high standards of clinical practice and provide clinical leadership in palliative care specialist nursing.
Be aware of budgetary constraints and cost implications
Contribute to the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of quality nursing care to patients, in order to increase health gain and quality of life
In conjunction with the Lead Clinician, devise and update written protocols and pathways for patients requiring treatment aimed at maximising quality patient care.
Where necessary, make recommendations to improve service.
Plan, implement and evaluate a programme for self-administration of drug therapy for patients where necessary. Assess patient suitability for this scheme, setting patient lead targets to achieve outcomes. Produce patient information leaflets where applicable.
Demonstrate informed nursing practice in holistic assessment, planning and implementation of delivery of high quality nursing care to patients requiring palliative care services.
Provide nursing expertise for patients using the palliative care service which optimises quality and continuity of care between primary and secondary care.
To develop nurse led triage service in order to see and, on occasions, treat patients within agreed protocols.
Establish and develop nurse led patient advisory clinics and make variations in prescribed clinical options within agreed dose parameters and an agreed policy framework
To assist ward based staff with discharge planning arrangements for palliative care patients aimed at improving quality of life for patients in the home setting.
Participate in team discussions regarding patient treatment, admission priorities and new policies, evaluating clinical problems, co-ordinate investigations, therapy and patient follow up in order to increase health gain and quality of life for patients.
Attend multidisciplinary ward meetings as appropriate and feasible, to provide input on patients with whom he/she is involved and to be informed of new patients who may require support.
Establish and develop nurse led advisory clinics for people with concerns relating to their treatment, and educate in relation to options of care and treatment plans available.
Regular audit of service with patient questionnaire/feedback. Use this as a springboard to assess future service needs/patient service changes.
Provide palliative care support services for patients according to speciality and need, such as a telephone advice service/specialist drop in/ outpatients service.
To ensure hospital policies and procedures and National Guidelines pertaining to the Services are adhered to. In conjunction the Clinical Nurse Manager 3 and Assistant Director of Nursing, monitor standards necessary to support the developing specialist nursing service and practices.
Be actively aware of current procedures, policies and standards in relation to Palliative Care and contribute where appropriate in formulating or updating policies and procedures that comply with agreed best practice.
To provide a first line contact for all staff with queries relating to the speciality
Maintain awareness of current developments in the treatment and management of these patients. Act as an effective role model for other staff, administering the service through evidence based practice and patient care initiatives, aimed at improving quality of care.
Contribute to the planning and organisation of out-patient clinics with the multidisciplinary team.
Provide a safe environment for patients/ other staff/ self, with due regard to Health, Safety and Risk Management issues.
Act as a patient advocate within the multidisciplinary team.
Identify the educational needs of staff and students and liaise with training and academic departments in the delivery if an ongoing programme of education both in the hospital and in the community.
Provide information and update sessions at ward and departmental level to aid staff and patients in their knowledge and understanding of speciality
Be actively involved in the teaching of new staff and post graduate students, in conjunction with relevant personnel.
Demonstrate responsibility for professional growth by ensuring personal and educational development within an agreed personal development plan.
Assist in meeting the psychological, emotional and informational needs of patients and their families at the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment. In doing so, demonstrate highly effective communication and information sharing with patients, ensuring a variety of modalities of information is available to patients.
Ensure patients have access to relevant information enabling understanding of their disease and treatment options. Identify the educational needs of these patients and ensure that these are met through service provision.
Review, evaluate and improve the educational programmes regularly to optimise patient services and care delivery.
Promote and contribute to nursing research and clinical audit to improve standards of patient care, ensuring practice is evidence based.
To initiate and take part in research relevant to the speciality, aimed at optimising patient care/ services. To maintain awareness of current developments in the management of patients receiving treatment and demonstrate knowledge of clinical trials.
Where clinical trials take place, actively contribute to their effectiveness particularly in relation to informed consent and advocacy.
Identify areas for nursing research and initiate research projects at unit level, involving other ward/unit nurses to assist in their professional development.
Assist in audit and evaluation in order to monitor the effectiveness of current therapeutic regimes and to improve health outcomes.
Facilitate, develop and monitor quality initiatives in line with local and national requirements or guidelines.
Assist department heads in the collection and correlation of statistical information and data in order to audit the service and aid the planning of future patients/service improvements/ initiatives.
To attend regular meetings to review service performance, hospital and business plan.
Assist the Consultant in the production of an Annual Report.
Ensure there is a system of documentation that reflects advanced nursing practice and ensure that staff in clinical areas maintain effective nursing records on patients receiving treatment. Evaluate these records periodically in the interest of safe practice and in line with hospital policy on record keeping.
Act as a resource nurse for matters relating to speciality and attend managerial and clinical meetings that require specialist-nursing input.
In all aspects of work demonstrate an ability to work across organisational and professional boundaries.
Promote collaborative working relationships and effective communication between all members of the multidisciplinary team thereby providing the optimum service for the patient.
Develop and maintain strong interpersonal skills to communicate efficiently and effectively with colleagues, patients and their families.
Establish clear referral patterns to, and lines of communication with medical staff, ward staff and relevant professionals (e.g. General Practitioners, Public Health Nurses, Practice Nurses) and act as an expert practitioner aimed at improving patient outcomes.
Ensure, in co-operation with the Lead Clinician, the most effective and efficient use of developments in information technology for both patient care and administrative support in a manner which integrates well with systems throughout the organisation.