L Clinical Nurse Specialist, Neurology

Purpose of the Post

The post holder will have a responsibility

• To provide expertise and specialist nursing services to patients with Neurological conditions and to their families both in the in–patient and out-patient setting.
• To ensure that neurological patients receive timely and appropriate care through assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care delivery.
• To support patients and their families/carers in achieving compliance with treatment plan, self management and optimising their well being and independence.
• To develop and deliver evidence based education programmes in conjunction with members of the MDT to patients, their families/carers and the wider general public.

To involve service users where possible in the management of their care and the development of the Neurology Service.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

The post holder’s practice is based on the five core concepts of Clinical Nurse Specialist role as defined by the NCNM 4th edition (2008) in order to fulfil the role. The concepts are:

• Clinical Focus

• Patient/Client Advocate

• Education and Training

• Audit and Research

• Consultant

Clinical Focus

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neurology) will:

· Manage patient care to ensure the highest professional standards using an evidence based, care planning approach whilst providing a high level of professional and clinical leadership

· Be responsible for the co-ordination, assessment, planning, delivery and review of service user care by all staff in designated area(s).

· Provide safe, comprehensive nursing care to service users within the guidelines laid out by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

· To contribute to a quality patient centred service for patients, their families/carers. The primary focus of this role is to care for patientswith neurological conditions.

· Assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care within agreed interdisciplinary protocols with the aim of achieving patient centred outcomes.

· Carry out regular assessment of neurology patients, monitoring for disease progression and taking appropriate action where necessary.

· Manage a patient caseload and agree treatment plans in consultation with the consultant neurologist and multidisciplinary team; Work towards empowering patients and foster a culture of compliance with treatment and self-management where appropriate.

· Establish and disseminate evidence based education programmes for patients, family members and multidisciplinary team members and other key stakeholders in relation to all aspects of their specific condition and management.

· Work with the multidisciplinary team in primary and secondary care to meet the needs of patients and their families. Institute and evaluate treatment plans for individual patients.

· Provide a high level of professional and clinical leadership and demonstrate innovative practice in the provision of care, in line with the Scope of Practice document (An Bord Altranais, 2000) and service needs.

· Identify and implement health promotion priorities in accordancewith local and national strategies to ensure optimum patient care involving patients and families/carers and the multidisciplinary team.

· Maintain accurate records in accordance with best practice guidelines and legislation both locally and nationally.

· Participate in the development and implementation of strategies for communication between patients/carers and members of the multidisciplinary team in primary and secondary care.

· Work closely with other members of the Nursing Neurology team and assist with each other’s case loads during leave.

Patient/Client Advocate

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neurology)will:

· Communicate, negotiate and represent the patient’s opinions and concerns with other members of the multidisciplinary team and other key agencies.

· Ensure key stakeholders are consulted and their views are represented in planned service development. Actively encourage patients, their families/carers to participate in decisions about their health needs thus increasing the level of their autonomy.

· Implement changes in the care provided to patients both inpatient and outpatient in response to identified needs and which are evidenced based.

· Develop network systems in the community with the patient’s permission.

· Encourage and promote patient responsibility for well being using written information resources and appropriate literature.

· Act as an expert nursing resource in all aspects of this specific area of practice to patients, families/carers, and members of the multidisciplinary team

· Liaise with other nurse specialists, physicians, and allied health professionals within the hospital, community and in other teaching and academic departments in all aspects of service delivery and service development.

· Assist in the development of standards, protocols and guidelines in relation to management of neurological conditions, including referral protocols, in association with the multidisciplinary team.

· Establish links with relevant statutory and non-governmental organisations, at both national and international level.

· Adhere to all nursing and administrative policies and procedures and training as required by the Health Service Executive.

Education and Training

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neurology)will:

· Provide mentorship, preceptorship, teaching and facilitation for the nursing profession at pre and post registration level and act as a clinical resource to the multidisciplinary team.

· Represent the service at clinical education forums for all members of the multidisciplinary team as required.

· Attend in-service and national training sessions and conferences where appropriate ensuring own continual professional development. Be aware of advances and trends within the clinical speciality and the nursing profession as a whole.

· Provide evidence based education programme for patients, family/carers and the multidisciplinary team and other relevant stakeholders.

· Demonstrate an ability to identify potential barriers to patient, family and carers learning such as language, cognition, emotional issues, depression, pain, fatigue, depression and culture.

Audit and Research

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neurology)will:

· Promote evidence-based practice and clinical audit to improve standards of patient care by:

- Developing and agreeing documentation for the audit of care with a multidisciplinary team focus.

- Collecting and analysing patient information and documentation, working in collaboration with the neurology team and the service.

- Using agreed indicators to facilitate outcomes measurement.

- Disseminate findings to the multidisciplinary team and initiate changes in practice as necessary.

· Promote evidence-based practice that improves quality of life for the patient and enhances service delivery.

· Participate in the development and management of a database for neurology patients. Contribute to all aspects of service planning and service development in this specific area.

· Evaluate audit results and research findings to identify areas for quality improvement in collaboration with nursing management and MDT colleagues (Primary and Secondary Care).

Consultant

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neurology)will:

· Provide leadership in clinical practice and act as a resource and role model for neurology services

· Generate and contribute to the development of clinical standards and guidelines and support implementation

· Use specialist knowledge to support and enhance general nursing practice.

· Liaise with other health service providers in the development and on-going delivery of the National Neurology Programme model of care.

· Network with other Clinical Nurse Specialist’s Neurology care and in related professional associations.

Management

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neurology)will:

· Exercise authority in the running of the assigned area(s) and provide the necessary supervision, co-ordination and deployment of nursing and support staff to ensure the optimum delivery of care in the designated area(s).

· Manage communication at departmental level and facilitate team building, provide staff leadership and motivation which is conducive to good working relations and work performance.

· Promote a culture that values diversity and respect in the workplace.

· Formulate, implement and evaluate service plans and annual report. Be responsible for budgets in co-operation with the wider healthcare team.

· Ensure compliance with legal requirements, policies and procedures affecting service users, staff and other hospital matters.

· Manage and promote liaisons with internal / external bodies as appropriate e.g. intra-hospital service and the community.

· Maintain all necessary clinical and administrative records and reporting arrangements, engage in IT developments as they apply to service user and service administration.

KPI’s

• 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.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING GENERAL CONDITIONS:

· Employees must attend fire lectures annually and must observe fire orders.

· All accidents within the Department must be reported immediately.

· Infection Control Policies must be adhered to.

· In line with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 all staff must comply with all safety regulations and audits.

· In line with the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004, smoking within the Hospital Buildings is not permitted.

· Hospital uniform code must be adhered to.

· Provide information that meets the need of Senior Management.

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

Risk Management, Infection Control, Hygiene Services and Health & Safety

· The management of Risk, Infection Control, Hygiene Services and Health & Safety is the responsibility of everyone and will be achieved within a progressive, honest and open environment.

· The post holder must be familiar with the necessary education, training and support to enable them to meet this responsibility.

· The post holder has a duty to familiarise themselves with the relevant Organisational Policies, Procedures & Standards and attend training as appropriate in the following areas:

o Continuous Quality Improvement Initiatives

o Document Control Information Management Systems

o Risk Management Strategy and Policies

o Hygiene Related Policies, Procedures and Standards

o Decontamination Code of Practice

o Infection Control Policies

o Safety Statement, Health & Safety Policies and Fire Procedure

o Data Protection and confidentiality Policies

· The post holder is responsible for ensuring that they become familiar with the requirements stated within the Risk Management Strategy and that they comply with the Group’s Risk Management Incident/Near miss reporting Policies and Procedures.

The post holder is responsible for ensuring that they comply with hygiene services requirements in your area of responsibility. Hygiene Services incorporates environment and facilities, hand hygiene, catering, cleaning, the management of laundry, waste,

· sharps and equipment.

· The post holder must foster and support a quality improvement culture through-out your area of responsibility in relation to hygiene services.

· It is the post holders’ specific responsibility for Quality & Risk Management, Hygiene Services and Health & Safety will be clarified to you in the induction process and by your line manager.

· The post holder must take reasonable care for his or her own actions and the effect that these may have upon the safety of others.

· The post holder must cooperate with management, attend Health & Safety related training and not undertake any task for which they have not been authorised and adequately trained.

· The post holder is required to bring to the attention of a responsible person any perceived shortcoming in our safety arrangements or any defects in work equipment.

· It is the post holder’s responsibility to be aware of and comply with the HSEHealth Care Records Management/Integrated Discharge Planning (HCRM / IDP) Code of Practice.

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.

****** Please Note CV’s will not be accepted for this campaign ******

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Completed Applications Forms to be returned by REZOOMO only.

Please ensure you read the instructions for the completion of this Application Form and complete all areas, in full. Failure to complete all areas of the Application Form will result in you not being brought forward to the interview stage of the selection process.