NSS CNM Breast Care Nurse

Purpose of the Post - The post of Clinical Nurse Manager 2 (Breast Care Nurse) has a pivotal role in service planning, co-ordinating and managing patient care activity in conjunction with existing Breast Care Nurses (CNM2’s) in the unit. The main responsibilities are to provide consultative nursing, educational expertise in all areas of the speciality, quality assurance, resource management, staff development, practice development, facilitating communication and professional / clinical leadership.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities -

Professional / Clinical

The Clinical Nurse Manager 2 (Breast Care) will:

• Provide optimal health care to those who have or fear they may have breast cancer and to their families and friends.
• Improve the capability of others involved in health care to provide care for this group of patients.
• Provide a continuing service to patients and their families.
• Provide a specialist nursing service for those who have or feel they may have breast cancer and benign breast problems originating from breast cancer screening. A high standard of nursing care is required to encompass the holistic needs of these patients.
• Liaise with multi-disciplinary team to provide a service which meets the needs of patients and their families. Evaluate clinical problems in conjunction with other team members, co-ordinate investigations and therapies and patient follow-up.
• Develop and support the concept of advocacy, particularly in relation to patient participation in decision-making, thereby enabling informed choice of treatment options.
• Actively promote liaison and co-ordination of care for patients between the screening unit, the hospital, the symptomatic breast clinic and the community.
• Communicate with patients and their families. Assess needs and provide relevant support, information, education and advice when and where necessary.
• Identify the physical, social and psychological needs of patients that may require referral to other agencies or health care professionals.
• Pre and post-operative supportive care including the fitting of prostheses if and when required.
• Act as a resource in providing specialist knowledge, expertise and care in liaison with the multi-disciplinary team.
• Identify and utilise professional and other resources and facilities at a local and national level by direct and indirect referral.
• Maintain patient advocacy, dignity and confidentiality at all times.
• Manage patient care to ensure the highest professional standards using an evidence based, care planning approach.
• Provide 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 according to the Code of Professional Conduct as laid down by the Nursing Midwifery Board Ireland (Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) and Professional Clinical Guidelines
• The Manager will practice nursing according to

- Professional Clinical Guidelines

- National and Area Health Service Executive (HSE guidelines).

- Local policies, protocols and guidelines

- Current legislation

• Manage own caseload in accordance with the needs of the post.
• Participate in teams / meetings / committees as appropriate, communicating and working in co-operation with other team members.
• Facilitate co-ordination, co-operation and liaison across healthcare teams and programmes.
• Collaborate with service users, family, carers and other staff in treatment / care planning and in the provision of support and advice.
• Communicate verbally and / or in writing results of assessments, treatment / care programmes and recommendations to the team and relevant others in accordance with service policy.
• Plan discharge or transition of the service user between services as appropriate.
• Ensure that service users and others are treated with dignity and respect.
• Maintain nursing records in accordance with local service and professional standards and ensure they meet all legal requirements.
• Adhere to and contribute to the development and maintenance of nursing standards, protocols and guidelines consistent with the highest standards of patient care.
• Evaluate and manage the implementation of best practice policy and procedures e.g. admission and discharge procedures, control and usage of stocks and equipment, grievance and disciplinary procedures.
• Maintain professional standards in relation to confidentiality, ethics and legislation.
• In consultation with the Clinical Director and other disciplines, implement and assess quality management programmes.
• Participate in clinical audits as required.
• Initiate and participate in research studies as appropriate.
• Devise and implement Health Promotion Programmes for service users as relevant to the post.
• Operate within the scope of practice - seek advice and assistance from his / her manager with any cases or issues that prove to be beyond the scope of his / her professional competence in line with principles of best practice and clinical governance.

Health & Safety

The Clinical Nurse Manager 2 (Breast Care) will:

• Ensure that effective safety procedures are developed and managed to comply with statutory obligations, in conjunction with relevant staff e.g. health and safety procedures, emergency procedures.
• Observe, report and take appropriate action on any matter which may be detrimental to staff and/or service user care or well-being / may be inhibiting the efficient provision of care.
• Assist 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.
• Ensure completion of incident / near miss forms / clinical risk reporting
• Adhere to department policies in relation to the care and safety of any equipment supplied for the fulfilment of duty.
• Liaise with other relevant staff e.g. CNS infection control Occupational Therapist re appropriateness for procurement.
• 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.

Education and Training

The Clinical Nurse Manager 2 (Breast Care) will:

• Take responsibility for personal, professional development and continuing education within the scope of the professional practice.
• Promote the role of Breast Care Nursing Service amongst appropriate health care professionals.
• Raise consciousness concerning educational needs of women and their families to cancer and breast awareness.
• Teaching and participation in organisational and university seminars and study days.
• Actively promote the National Breast Screening Programme.
• 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.
• Be familiar with the curriculum training programme for student nurses and be aware of the clinical experience required to meet the needs of the programme.
• Participate in the identification, development and delivery of induction, education, training and development programmes for nursing and non-nursing staff.
• Provide support and supportive supervision to Nursing Staff and front-line staff where appropriate.
• Supervise and assess student nurses and foster a clinical learning environment.
• Engage in performance review processes including personal development planning as appropriate.

Research

The Clinical Nurse Manager 2 (Breast Care) will:

• Appreciate and utilise existing research findings that affect physical, social and psychological care.
• Initiate, promote and participate in on-going nursing and associated research in this specialist area.
• Promote an awareness of current trials, their protocols and surrounding issues.

Management

The Clinical Nurse Manager 2 (Breast Care) will:

• Manage individual patient caseload.
• Exercise authority in the running of the assigned area(s) as deputised by the Clinical Director.
• 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 within the Unitand at the 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 budgets in co-operation with the wider healthcare team.
• Manage all resources efficiently and effectively within agreed budget.
• Lead on practice development within the clinical area.
• Lead and implement change.
• Promote, facilitate and participate in the development of nursing policies and procedures. Monitor as appropriate and lead on proactive improvement.
• Contribute to the formulation, development and implementation of policies and procedures at area and hospital level.
• 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.
• Actively participate in the Nursing Management structure by ‘acting up’ when required.
• Maintain all necessary clinical and administrative records and reporting arrangements.
• Engage in IT developments as they apply to service user and service administration.

The above Job Specification 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.