Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist, Spinal Services

Purpose of the Role

The cCNS will be part of the multi-disciplinary team that delivers care to the children referred to the Spinal service and outsourced to external hospitals. The role of the cCNS is to:

• Provide support for parents and children in this service.
• Provide education and training to parents and children.
• Be a resource for colleagues, allied professionals.
• Be an advocate for the patient and ensure competence in area of specialty practice.
• Be responsible for the provision of a nursing, education and management consultation service in all areas of child and adolescent
• Provide a programme of education and training for multidisciplinary staff, which benefits children and their parents.

The cCNS clinical role is based on the core concepts and associated competencies for the CNS/CMS (adapted from NCNM 4th edition 2008). The concepts are:

• Clinical Focus (Direct and Indirect Care)

• Service user/Service User Advocacy

• Education and Training

• Audit and Research

• Consultancy (including leadership in clinical practice)

Essential Criteria:

• Be a registered nurse 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;
• 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;
  OR
  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;
• 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;
• Have a minimum of 1 years’ experience or an aggregate of 1 years’ full time experience in specialist area of Orthopaedic Care;
  Or
  If the applicant does not possess the relevant specialist experience, they will be supported to attain one year’s clinical specialist experience;
• 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 (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above) that is relevant to the specialist area of care 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 (60 ECTS or above), relevant to the specialist area of care and in line with the requirements for specialist practice as set out by the National Council for Nursing and Midwifery 4th ed (2008). Insert Name of care prior to application;
  Or
  If the applicant does not possess the relevant QQI NFQ Level 9 qualification, the applicant will be supported to undertake the required postgraduate education, at QQI NFQ level 9 qualification (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above) relevant to the specialist area;
• 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.

Note: 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.

How to Apply & Informal Enquiries

Applications for this post must be accompanied by a cover letter, setting out relevant experience that illustrates how the essential criteria listed above is met.

The criterion for short listing is based on the requirements of the post, as outlined in the eligibility criteria.

* Please note that you must submit a cover letter with your CV, this forms part of your application and CV’s will not be accepted without a detailed cover letter.

The closing date for submissions of CV’s and cover letter is Tuesday, 21st of April 2026 at 11:45pm. Applications must be completed through the advertised post on CHI.jobs by clicking ‘Apply for Job’.

Applications will not be accepted through direct email or any other method.

For informal enquiries for this specialty/department, please contact Warren.O'Brien@childrenshealthireland.ie

For other queries relating to this recruitment process, please contact Talent Acquisition Specialist – Evgeniya.Byvakina@childrenshealthireland.ie

PLEASE NOTE:

CHI has transitioned to a process of a one commencement day per month for all new employees, CHI internal transfers and Secondments. This update to our Onboarding process is aligned to changes in our monthly/fortnightly payroll and with the launch of our new corporate induction program. This process enhancement ensures that we can thoroughly prepare for your arrival and facilitate a smooth transition in your onboarding journey.

It is important for you to note that if you do not have your pre-employments and mandatory training completed in time, your commencement date will be deferred to the next available date.

Below, you’ll find the list of commencement dates for 2026 for your information.

· 11th May

· 8th June

· 6th July

· 10th August

· 7th September

· 5th October

· 2nd November