CPSN Urology & Transplant

Confined Competition - Internal Applicants Only

Position Summary:

The main focus of the role will be to educate and develop registered nurses pre registered and candidate nurses and to review on an ongoing basis the development of evidence based nursing practice in transplant and urology services.
The Clinical Support Nurse for transplant and urology acts as a resource facilitator to assist individual nurses to reach their full potential at each stage of development with the ultimate aim of being able to assume the role of an expert in the management of patients undergoing surgical procedures. This will involve developing knowledge, interpretative and decision-making skills, technical skills, professional performance standards and interpersonal skills that a nurse uses to provide safe and effective care.
The Clinical Support Nurse will encourage the development of evidence based nursing practice. This will involve collaboration with all registered nurses to ensure their active participation in practice review and development in accordance with the Practice Framework Guidelines – Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice (An Bord Altranais, 2000).

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Clinical Support Nurse will work alongside staff nurses assigned to a caseload of patients supporting them in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating patient care. The main objectives of the role will be:
(a) To assist newly appointed staff nurses to provide a safe and competent level of nursing care to patients with renal illness.

(b) To provide training and support to staff nurses in the use of equipment and in the performance of technical procedures.

(c) To design, implement and evaluate staff orientation, clinical induction and ongoing professional development programmes for registered nurses in consultation with relevant staff.

(d) To actively participate in the development and implementation of post graduate Renal Nursing Programmes and Urology/Transplant modules.

(e) Provide effective leadership in promoting the review and development of evidence based nursing practice.

(f) Assist in the development and updating of relevant policies and protocols relevant to the areas and perform relevant audits.
(g) Participate and promote Quality Improvement programmes

DETAILS OF DUTIES

In consultation with the clinical nurse managers:

1. Assess and identify individual staff nurses teaching and development needs through observation in practice and by assisting the nurse to identify his/her learning needs.

2. Agree objectives for learning and development based on needs assessment.

3. Support and assist individual staff nurses to achieve their professional development objectives by providing teaching and learning opportunities in the clinical setting, demonstrating skilled nursing care, encouraging staff nurses to analyse information, interpret the patient’s condition and develop clinical decision making skills.

4. Keep individual staff nurses informed of their progress and encourage feedback regarding strengths, weaknesses, potential and need for further clinical training and experience. Deal effectively with non performance.

5. Discuss individual staff nurses’ progress with the clinical nurse manager as necessary and prior to performance appraisal review and advise on the next stage of development and level of responsibility that might safely be assigned.

6. Establish a system for documenting and maintaining individual staff nurses’ personal development records.

7. Design, implement and update staff orientation programmes appropriate to each clinical area, supported with relevant information packs in conjunction with CPSN Nephrology and Dialysis. (This programme will be run in addition to the mandatory hospital orientation programme for all new staff).

8. In conjunction with the clinical nurse manager facilitate the organisation; of attendance at mandatory study days for new staff nurses.

9. Develop clinical induction programmes appropriate to each clinical speciality. Induction training will place particular emphasis on discussing the objectives of care for specific groups of patients, providing basic knowledge and skills required to care for such patient groups. A list of recommended reading material will be provided.

10. Ensure that the learning environment and specialist training is appropriate for both pre and post registration learners and participate in the development of appropriate programmes.

11. Provide leadership in the development, implementation and evaluation of post graduate Renal Nursing Programmes to include the development and delivery of lectures/tutorial presentations, providing advice to students regarding course work and serving as an examiner of course work as appropriate. (This work will be undertaken in collaboration with senior clinical staff and designated course coordinator).

12. Introduce ongoing learning strategies appropriate to the area. Such strategies to include clinical case presentations, tutorials, journal club and instructional sessions regarding the use of medical technology.

13. Establish arrangements with relevant nursing and multi-disciplinary staff to participate in ongoing training programmes.

14. Participate in a ward management development programme for nurses who have reached the required clinical standard and to deputise for the clinical nurse managers in their absence.

15. Establish and maintain a sub-library appropriate to the immediate needs of the ward.

16. Participate in the organisation of an end of year Hospital Clinical Nursing Scientific Symposium and Transplant Urology and Nephrology yearly conference.

17. Liase with units/specialities nationally and internationally and any other group that will enhance clinical development.

18. Co-ordinate and facilitate the review of nursing practice and guidelines for practice by:
• Examining existing nursing practices and guidelines for practice in consultation with clinical nurse managers, staff nurses and the multidisciplinary team. This will involve coordination of the Policy Review Group and may involve setting up project workshops relating to the review of complex issues of nursing practice such as care planning or patient assessment technique.
• Reviewing new literature relating to the specific area under review and formulating draft guidelines for further consideration.
• Collaborating with Transplant Quality manager

19. Ensure that the clinical training and development of nurses is within the parameters of the Department of Nursing and hospital policies and procedures.
20. Ensure that nursing personnel demonstrate knowledge of An Bord Altranais Code of Professional Conduct.

Personal and Professional Development

• Maintaining and updating knowledge by keeping abreast of developments in nursing practice, nursing literature and recent nursing research.
• Maintaining and updating personal skills in clinical nursing by “hands on” nursing commitment.
• Discuss present performance and future needs with the Directorate Nurse Manager on a regular basis
• Drive new changes that will enhance patient care

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.

Mandatory:

1. Statutory Registration, Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc
(a) Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition:
(i) Are registered in the relevant division of the Register of Nurses & Midwives
maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland [NMBI] (Bord
Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) or entitled to be so registered.

(ii) Have at least 5 years post registration experience (or an aggregrate of 5 years
fulltime post registration experience) of which 2 years must be in the speciality
or related area.

(iii) Have the clinical, managerial and administrative capacity to properly discharge
the functions of the role.

(iv) Candidates must demonstrate evidence of continuous professional development.

(b) Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability including a high standard of
suitability and clinical, managerial and administrative capacity to properly discharge the
functions of the role.

2. Annual registration
(i) On appointment, practitioners must maintain live annual registration on the relevant
division of the Register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the Nursing and
Midwifery Board of Ireland (Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann).

(ii) Confirm annual registration with NMBI to the HSE by way of the annual Patient
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

• A management course is desirable.

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