Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist, Prostate, University Hospital

Background to the cCNS/cCMS pathway

The Policy on the Development of Graduate to Advanced Nursing and Midwifery Practice (DOH, 2019) outlines a pathway to support a change for specialist practice to develop and meet service need, including the revised eligibility criteria for CNS/CMS as follows:

• A minimum of 1 years’ experience in practice prior to completing the required post graduate qualification in the specialist area at level 9 (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above)

• Recognition as a CNS/CMS to meet service needs therefore requires the completion of a postgraduate qualification together with a minimum of 1 years’ specialist experience

• This is in addition to meeting the requirements set by the HSE to ensure the delivery of safe, effective practice to meet service demands

In response to an identified service need a candidate CNS/CMS pathway has been established and sets out the following:

1. Nurses/Midwives currently employed as Staff Nurses/Midwives (SN/SMs) and Enhanced Nurses/Midwives (EN/EMs) and any other nursing/midwifery grades who have a minimum of 1 years clinical experience and who express an interest in CNS/CMS roles could be supported to progress on a candidate CNS/CMS pathway as follows:

(a) A recruitment campaign will be organised by the CHO/HG between local HR and services.

(b) Nurses/midwives who are successful at interview for candidate CNS/CMS post will:

Ø be offered a contract for a candidate CNS/CMS post (Prostate) at CNM1/CMM1 grade with a job description outlining the cCNS/cCMS competencies to be achieved.

Ø be required to demonstrate their specialist experience or if they do not possess the relevant specialist experience, they will be supported to attain one year’s clinical specialist experience

Ø be required to demonstrate that they have completed the required postgraduate education, or agree and are supported to undertake the required postgraduate education, at level 9 qualification (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above) relevant to the specialist area.

Ø be required to demonstrate that they have continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to the specialist area or will be supported to obtain the required CPD.

(c) All of the above must be achieved within 2 years from appointment for this pathway.

2. 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.

The clinical experience requirements for this cohort of nurses/midwives remain consistent with the DoH (2019) policy, i.e. a minimum of 1 years’ experience in practice and a minimum of 1 years’ experience in the specialist area and they could be supported to progress on a candidate CNS/CMS Pathway.

The above pathway is valid from May 2023 to September 2026

Details of Service

Cork University Hospital (CUH) is the largest acute hospital in the country. The hospital is a primary teaching hospital with close alliances to University College Cork (UCC), nursing, medical and allied health professional training. The hospital also plays a central role in the management of co-located services on site.

UCC is the Academic partner of the Cork University Hospital has very strong relationships with each of the six schools within the Science Faculty of UCC and this is a key area for future development to maximise the opportunities for both the service and academia.

CUH is a recommended Major Trauma Centre for the Republic of Ireland due to the wide range of specialties delivered by the hospital – including Neurosciences, Cardiac Services, Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Renal, Internal Medicine, Vascular, Ophthalmology, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Maxillary-Facial, Paediatrics, Intensive Care, Oncology, Haematology, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Neonatology and Emergency Medicine. CUH is JAG accredited and is a Magnet4Europe Hospital.

CUH is the tertiary referral centre for the HSE Southern area, and the supra regional area of Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny. CUH therefore acts as a regional centre for secondary and tertiary care for the catchment population of 550,000 served by the HSE Southern area and a supra-regional centre for a total a population of 1.1 million.

In 2022, CUH had 72,928 ED presentations; 265,360 physical out-patient attendances; 38,457 virtual out-patient attendances; 30,379 inpatient discharges and 30,593 day cases.

CUH is one of the nine designated cancer centres of the HSE National Cancer Care Programme (NCCP), one of two centres in the southern region and a designated cancer site. We provide cancer services predominantly to people who live in the counties of Cork, Kerry, South Tipperary, West Waterford and South East Limerick. Our cancer services include Rapid Access Clinic Breast, Lung, Prostate and Colorectal services; surgical cancer treatments; Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Haematology Oncology consultation; chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments; and psycho-oncology services.

The rapid access prostate service works on a multi-professional team approach to deliver the NCCP pathway of care for Prostate Cancer from referral to discharge. The service includes consultation, biopsy, diagnosis, treatment planning (which may incorporate surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and palliative medicine), evaluation and follow-up care.

Informal Enquiries

Name: Jane Shanahan Assistant Director of Nursing

Email: jane.shanahan@hse.ie

Tel: 087-3841436