Clinical Placement Coordinator

Purpose of the Post

The Nursing Clinical Placement Co-ordinator (CPC)

• Will guide and support pre-registration student nurses in assigned clinical areas to ensure that the clinical placement meets the requirements of the education programme with regard to planned experiences and learning outcomes.
• Will advise, encourage, support and facilitate students to achieve maximum outcome from clinical placements. Ensure that the assessment process is carried out in accordance with agreed procedures and NMBI’s Registered Nurse Programmes Standards 2025

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Professional /Clinical

· The person holding this post is required to support the principle that the care of the patient comes first at all times and will approach their work with the flexibility and enthusiasm necessary to make this principle a reality for every patient to the greatest possible degree.

· Maintain throughout the hospital awareness of the primacy of the patient in relation to all hospital activities.

· Performance management systems are part of role and you will be required to participate in the Group’s performance management programme.

The Nursing Clinical Placement Co-ordinator will:

· Take health service provider responsibility for the management of clinical placement of undergraduate student nurses and coordinate allocations, demonstrating the ability to organise and perform activities related to the role in an efficient and effective manner. He/She will work under the direction of the NPDC, and liaise with CNM’s in St. Columcille’s Hospital, and with the Allocations Function Officer, Department of Nursing, in the relevant Higher Education Institutes (HEI).

· Communicate as necessary with all relevant parties exercising initiative and diplomacy.

· Be aware of the staffing and skill mix available for patients and other learner groups requiring clinical experience and supervision in identified clinical areas.

· Attend relevant and approved meetings where issues related to students are discussed.

· Keep accurate and complete records including those for the finance department, expenses sheets and attendance records.

· Ensure that such data is available for review, investigation, analysis and audit.

· Compile student allocation, attendance, support plans, action plan and appraisal records as necessary.

· Coordinate and organise student clinical issues, including pre and post placement health and Garda screening.

· Organise student occupational health assessments , vaccinations and referrals to health services

· Organise student uniforms and validate student travel and subsistence claims

· Organise student induction programmes

· Maintain computer competence, so as to facilitate the efficient production and maintenance of student placement rosters and other IT based activities core to the role.

Learning Environment

The Nursing Clinical Placement Co-ordinator will:

· Advise, encourage and facilitate students to achieve the maximum outcome from clinical placement.

· Ensure that nursing practice assessments are fairly and accurately carried out by the appropriate registered nurse/ preceptor through effective liaison with preceptors/ associate preceptors, Clinical Nurse Managers.

· Encourage the application of theoretical knowledge to nursing practice in the clinical areas.

• Actively participate as a member of the nursing practice development team.

• Be familiar with, and aware of the clinical experiences required to meet the needs of the educational programme. Understand the need to encourage the application of nursing theory to nursing practice in the clinical area and develop appropriate skills for this purpose.

• Assist in overseeing the nursing practice of students during their clinical placements. Observe students’ performance in the clinical setting and discuss strengths and weaknesses with the student, preceptor and Clinical Nurse Manager. Advise Clinical Nurse Manager and preceptors on the learning needs of individual students.

• Assist the Clinical Nurse Manager and staff nurses in ensuring that students are assigned to patient care in an appropriate and effective learning way.

• Maintain appropriate records and at all times be aware of the assigned student’s progress. Create a climate in which students feel free to express themselves and seek assistance, support and advice. Provide guidance to students and registered nurses on any issues relating to students clinical placements which arise in the clinical areas.

• Ensure that each student is assessed by the designated preceptor /Clinical Nurse Manager or in accordance with agreed procedures and the rules of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

• Assist in creating a clinical environment, which enhances and increases the student’s clinical competence. Give encouragement and support to assigned students during the clinical placement and help build students confidence.

• Observe and report to Nurse Practice Development Coordinator and Assistant Director of Nursing/Site Manager (ADON/SM) any practices, procedures or behaviour in the clinical areas which would create a poor learning environment for student nurses and might adversely affect their performance. Assist in formulating corrective measures for discussion with appropriate nursing personnel.

• Arrange and conduct formal placement area audits and report same to the DON, ADON/SM’s and NPDC.

• Assist with induction programmes for student nurses, newly appointed registered nurses and Healthcare Assistants.

• Liaise with Link Lecturers assigned to the clinical areas and discuss individual students’ performance and learning needs. Act as liaison between the students, the clinical placement areas and the HEI. Support Clinical Nurse Manager and preceptors in their teaching role and in ensuring that the students learning objectives and required competencies are achieved.

• Ensure that students at all times meet the requirements of the stated dress and behaviour code in the clinical areas. Advise and guide students in relation to these areas and if necessary, prepare and submit written reports on non-compliance to the CNM and the link lecturer.

• Take responsibility for all documentation relating to the student nurse, which is assigned to the Clinical Placement Coordinator by the Director of Nursing.

• Ensure that students comply with the Sick Leave policy. Advise and monitor students in relation to attendance, and if necessary, prepare and submit written reports on non-compliance to the DON and the Head of Nursing in the relevant HEI.

Note: The role of the Clinical Placement Coordinator is not that of a Clinical Teacher. The primary focus for all teaching in the clinical areas must be the clinical practitioners, i.e. Clinical Nurse Manager. Clinical Nurse Specialists, Link Lecturers and staff nurses.

Practice Development

The Nursing Clinical Placement Co-ordinator will:

• At the direction of the Nurse Practice Development Coordinator (NPDC); participate in practice development programmes, patient quality and patient safety initiatives with regard to evidence based practice, quality, research, policy development and audit / evaluation.

• Report to Nurse Practice Development Coordinator and the Assistant Director of Nursing/Site Manager any practices, procedures or behaviour in the clinical areas that could create a poor clinical environment for patients, staff and students. Assist in formulating corrective measures for discussion with appropriate nursing personnel.

• Document and disseminate learning from initiatives and practice development

• Engage in performance management programmes

• Identify professional development goals and agree programme of development through professional development planning with the NPDC.

General

The Nursing Clinical Placement Co-ordinator will:

• In order to remain up-to-date in clinical practice, the post holder may be required to undertake clinical practice for periods of time in order to maintain competencies required to be retained on the register of nurses and midwives.

• The Clinical Placement Coordinator will be rostered to meet student and service needs as determined by the NPDC in consultation with the DON

• Ensure compliance with all HSE and regulatory body policies, guidelines and procedures

• Take responsibility for own professional development and attendance at mandatory education and training programmes provided by the HSE in accordance with development needs jointly identified and agreed with the NPDC.

· Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc.and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.

· Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

KPIs

· The identification and development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which are congruent with the hospital’s service plan targets.

· The development of Action Plans to address KPI targets.

· Driving and promoting a Performance Management culture.

· In conjunction with line manager assist in the development of a Performance Management system for your profession.

· The management and delivery of KPIs as a routine and core business objective.

Health & Safety

The Nursing Clinical Placement Co-ordinator will:

· Have a working knowledge of HIQA Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards and record keeping.

· Assist Clinical Nurse Managers / nursing staff in their development in observing and ensuring implementation and adherence to established policies and procedures e.g. health and safety, infection control, storage and use of controlled drugs etc.

· Adhere to department policies in relation to the care and safety of any equipment supplied for the fulfilment of duty.

· Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

Education and Training

The Nursing Clinical Placement Co-ordinator will:

• Work with the multidisciplinary team in establishing and maintaining a quality clinical learning environment.

· Engage in continuing professional development by keeping up to date with nursing literature, recent nursing research and new developments in nursing management, education and practice and to attend staff study days as considered appropriate.

• Engage in performance review processes including personal development planning as appropriate.

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Eligibility Criteria

Qualifications and/ or experience

Each candidate must at the latest date for receipt of completed application forms for the post:

· Be registered in the General Divisionof the Register of Nurses & Midwives maintained by Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland) or be entitled to be so registered

And

· Have at least 5 years post registration experience of which 2 must be in the areas of general medical or surgical nursing in an acute hospital setting.

And

· Have the clinical, managerial and administrative capacity to properly discharge the functions of the role.

And

· Demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development at the appropriate level

Health

A candidate 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.

Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Age

Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation Act, 2004). A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the month in which the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office occurs.

Please note that appointment to and continuation in posts that require statutory registration is dependent upon the post holder maintaining annual registration in the relevant division of the register maintained by Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland)

Post

Specific Requirements

N/A

Other requirements specific to the post

The Clinical Placement Coordinator will have a working knowledge of the Safer Staffing Framework and will support the CNM’s in its use.

Skills, competencies and/or knowledge

Candidates must:

• Demonstrate a good knowledge of the Health Service with particular reference to professional development issues, nurse education and practice development.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of requirements and standards that underpin the Nurse Undergraduate Programme
• Demonstrate broad knowledge of the developments in nurse education and practice.
• Demonstrate theoretical and clinical knowledge appropriate to the complexities of the post.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal and communication skills especially with regard to facilitation skills and counselling skills,
• Demonstrate effective communication skills including the ability to present information in a clear and concise manner; ability to facilitate and manage groups through the learning process; the ability to give constructive feedback to support learning
• Demonstrate evidence of reflective practice.
• Demonstrate effective organisational skills including time management.
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability.
• Demonstrate leadership/personal motivation skills.
• Demonstrate commitment and responsibility towards students learning outcomes and a focus on quality outcomes.
• Demonstrate commitment to professional and personal self development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and/or experience of change management.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of Audit.
• Demonstrate evidence of computer skills including Microsoft Word, excel and use of email etc.

Campaign Specific Selection Process

Ranking/Shortlisting / Interview

A ranking and/or shortlisting exercise may be carried out on the basis of information supplied in your application form. The criteria for ranking and/or shortlisting are based on the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you think about your experience in light of those requirements.

Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being called forward to the next stage of the selection process.

Those successful at the ranking stage of this process (where applied) will be placed on an order of merit and will be called to interview in ‘bands’ depending on the service needs of the organisation.

Code of Practice

The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of Practice prepared by the Commissioners for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The Code of Practice sets out how the core principles of probity, merit, equity and fairness might be applied on a principle basis. The Code also specifies the responsibilities placed on candidates, feedback facilitates for applicants on matters relating to their application when requested, and outlines procedures in relation to requests for a review of the recruitment and selection process and review in relation to allegations of a breach of the Code of Practice. Additional information on the HSE’s review process is available in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, information for candidates.

Codes of practice are published by the CPSA and are available on www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, information for candidates or on www.cpsa.ie.

The reform programme outlined for the Health Services may impact on this role and as structures change the job description may be reviewed.

This job description is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to the post holder. It is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive and is subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.

PLEASE COMPLETE AND UPLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM ATTACHED TO THE JOB ADVERT CVs WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS POSITION