Clinical Nurse Specialist - Breast Care

Position Summary:

The Breast Care Nurse Specialist will be expected to provide a holistic Nursing service for patients with benign and malignant breast conditions and those with family risk of breast cancer. Beaumont Hospital is one of the eight designated Cancer centres and a centre for breast cancer surgery. The post holder will be part of the Breast Care Nursing team already comprising of three CNS in breast care and ward staff.

He/she will be an integral part of the Beaumont Breast Care multidisciplinary team and will have a central role in co-ordinating the breast care service. He / she will liaise closely with the surgical cancer service manager, other nursing staff, the surgical teams, surgical wards, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology department, general practitioners, public health nurses and palliative care units and will provide a service which meets national and international quality guidelines. He / she will be expected to participate in audits of the service and ensure the service is meeting national quality guidelines eg HIQ”A and NCCP.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Focus

Direct and indirect care
• Ensure a seamless service for patients diagnosed with Breast cancer.
• Educate, counsel and support newly diagnosed patients or those who fear they may have a breast cancer and their families and explain the implications of this diagnosis.
• Educate, counsel and support women/men who attend for assessment of family risk of breast cancer as required.
• Provide up to date information on breast disease to patients and their families.
• Provide a telephone service for patients following discharge.
• Act as a resource for patients, families and community services following discharge.
• Refer to patients to other health care professional’s e.g. social worker, dietician and physiotherapist as appropriate.
• Liase with relevant support groups and participate in meetings as appropriate. o Attend Breast clinics as necessary.
• Provide practical information on all aspects of altered body image which may be caused by the illness and treatment e.g. surgery, radiotherapy chemotherapy.
• Provide a prosthesis and bra fitting service as required.
• Prepare patients for treatment and operative procedures by providing appropriate information / advice guidance and support thus enabling patients to understand and adjust to their condition and participate in their own treatment plans.
• In conjunction with the multidisciplinary team develop a pathway of care for breast patients.
• Communicate with Community services as required.

• Maintain accurate records, ensuring confidentiality and safe keeping of these records. o Ensure that patients have clear instructions regarding their follow-up appointments and named person to contact in the event of problems post discharge from the hospital.

Patient/Client Advocate
• Ensure that patient’s comfort and needs are given priority at all times.
• Provide an efficient, effective and high quality service, respecting the needs of each patient.
• With expert clinical knowledge and experience act as a patient advocate, by participating in discussions on patient management issues on behalf of the patient in MDT meetings, with ward staff and other healthcare professionals.
• Review and assess referred patients taking into account the patients opinions and guide in their decision making. Communicate negotiate and represent the plan of care for the patient, with clinical medical and nursing staff.
• Be aware of existing resources/services which help patients and their families e.g. community services, support groups, entitlements.
• Develop, review and distribute information leaflets to patients.

Education and training
• Provide education sessions for patients, families, medical and nursing staff, students and allied health professions.
• Deliver lectures to post-graduate and higher diploma nursing students and student nurses on General nursing course.
• Promote patients/carer independence through relevant teaching and support.
• Identify the needs of staff, patients and carers in relation to breast care. o Play an active role in providing clinical based teaching.
• Provide support to student nurses and registered staff who do not have prior experience of Breast care nursing

Professional Development
• In conjunction with the Directorate nurse management and/or the surgical cancer service manager agree learning objectives designated to meet professional development goals.
• Maintain professionalism at all times and work within the Professional Code of Conduct and scope of Practice framework from Nurse and Midwifery Board of Ireland.
• Accept responsibility for own professional development and be aware of current trends and strategies in nursing, particularly in relation to breast care nursing.
• Attend relevant conferences, workshops and seminars and disseminate changes in breast care practice with implications for nursing practice.
• Develop and maintain nursing practice skills in relation to breast care nursing.
• Discuss present performance with line manager, using job performance review.
• Maintain a personal record of professional development, using a portfolio.
• Maintaining membership of relevant specialist associations in relation to all aspects of breast care nursing.

Audit and research
• Participate in the audit of clinical care.
• Critically evaluate research findings and apply findings to clinical practice and disseminate information to staff via education and informal teaching sessions.
• Identify and highlight gaps in the service to improve quality of care. o Evaluate education sessions given and amend programme in line with the result.
• Participate in relevant collaborative research with the breast team.
• Ensure that statistical and management information is provided to the Directorate Nurse manger as required.
• Produce an annual report for the breast care nursing ream.
• Assist the breast database manager with the validation of relevant data.

Consultant
• Play a leading and participating role with the design and evaluation of the breast care service in Beaumont Hospital as a designated cancer centre.
• Promote and provide holistic care and patients with breast conditions.
• Recognise the importance of health promotion.
• Develop and promote positive attitudes towards breast conditions.
• Respect culture and diversity. o Work as an innovator and change agent within the speciality.
• Act as an expert role model for health care professionals.
• Work in a complementary role to medical colleagues and other members of the multidisciplinary team.

The job description indicates the main functions and responsibilities of the post and is subject to review and amendment. Other specific work not covered in this job description may also be assigned by the manager from time to time.

Selection Criteria:
Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post.
Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

Skills & Ability
• Ability to plan, review & adapt the service
• Involvement of quality improvement initiatives & audit o Effective time management skills to deliver on all requirements of the job specification
• Demonstrate good motivational/counselling skills
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Good presentation skills
• Basic computer skills
• Encourages consultation and collaboration across disciplines

Personal Attributes
• Confident
• Self-motivated, reliable and able to work independently
• Active advocate of the patient
• Flexible, adaptable and creative
• Able to reflect and appraise own performance
• Able to maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders

Mandatory:

1. Statutory Registration, Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc
(a) Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition:
(i) Be a registered nurse/midwife on the active Register of Nurses and Midwives
held by An Bord Altranais and Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and
Midwifery Board of Ireland) or be eligible to be so registered.

(ii) Be registered in the division(s) of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
(Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) Register for which the
application is being made or be entitled to be so registered.

(iii) In exceptional circumstances, which will be assessed on a case by case basis
be registered in another Division of the register of Nurses and Midwives.

(iv) Have a minimum of 1 years’ post registration full time experience or an
aggregate of 1 years’ full time experience in the division of the register in which
the application is being made (taking into account (ii) (iii) if relevant)

(v) Have a minimum of 1 years’ experience or an aggregate of 1 years’ full time
experience in specialist area of Urology/Oncology Care.

(vi) Have successfully completed a post registration programme of study, as
certified by the education provider which verifies that the applicant has achieved
a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), National Framework of Qualifications
(NFQ) major academic Level 9 or higher award that is relevant to the specialist
area of care (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above), and in line with the requirements
for specialist practice as set out by the National Council for Nursing and
Midwifery 4th ed (2008).

Alternatively provide written evidence from the Higher Education Institute that
they have achieved the number of ECTS credits equivalent to a Level 9 or higher
standard, relevant to the specialist area of care (equivalent to 60 ECTS or
above), and in line with the requirements for specialist practice as set out by the
National Council for Nursing and Midwifery 4th ed (2008). Urology/Oncology of
care prior to application* (See **Note 1 below).

(vii) Be required to demonstrate that they have continuing professional development
(CPD) relevant to the specialist area.

(viii) Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional
responsibility within his/her scope of practice

**Note 1: For Nurses/Midwives who express an interest in CNS/CMS roles and who
currently hold a level 8 educational qualification in the specialist area
(equivalent to 60 ECTS or above), this qualification will be recognised up to
September 2026.

(b) Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, including a high standard of
suitability and clinical, leadership, managerial and administrative capacity for the proper
discharge of the duties of the office.

2. Annual registration
(i) Practitioners must maintain live annual registration on the appropriate/relevant Division
of the register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board
of Ireland (Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) for the role.

(ii) Practitioners must confirm annual registration with NMBI to the HSE by way of the
annual Service user Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC).

3. Health
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of
undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a
reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

4. Character
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Desirable

• Previous experience as a clinical nurse specialist
• Previous experience with computer systems such as Dendrite, Digital Breast etc

If an appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and that appointee is entitled to or in receipt of a pension from the Civil or Public Service or where a Civil/ Public Service pension comes into payment during the appointee’s re-employment that pension will be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012.

Please note: In applying for this position you are acknowledging that you understand that the abatement provisions, where relevant, will apply. It is not envisaged that the employing Department/ Office/ Body will support an application for an abatement waiver in respect of appointments to this position