Advanced Nurse Practitioner, candidate, Kidney Supportive Care Services, Cork University Hospital

Details of Service

Cork University Hospital (CUH) has approximately 800 beds and this will increase further to 1000 beds on completion of the transfer of additional services to the CUH campus. CUH currently employs approximately 4571 (WTE) staff of multiple professions and is the primary teaching hospital for the Faculty of Health and Science in University College Cork (UCC). UCC is the Academic partner of the South/South West Hospital Group. CUH 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 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 approx. 550000 served by the HSE Southern area and a supra-regional centre for a total a population of 1.2 million.

Six Health Regions have been established within the HSE on the basis of the geographical boundaries agreed by the Government in July 2019 and they will be operational from 2024.

Each Health Region will be tasked with population specific planning resourcing and delivery of health and social care services for the needs of its unique population. This will result in improved accountability and governance in terms of finance and performance while also bringing decision-making closer to the frontline.

Health Regions will enable and empower staff to provide services that are:

Integrated locally planned and delivered

Easier to access and navigate

Available closer to home

Health Regions are geographically-based units with clearly defined populations. They align community and hospital services within specific areas. The HSE will retain a strong but leaner central organisation with more service provision developed at a local level.

The HSE South West health region will manage and deliver all public health and social care services in Cork and Kerry. HSE South West includes all hospital and community healthcare services in the region.

This includes:

South / South West Hospital Group S/SWHG

Cork Kerry Community Healthcare CKCH

Midlands Louth Meath Community Health Organisation

Community Healthcare Organisation Dublin North City and County

The Department of Population and Public Health is also now aligned with this health region

Services in the South West health region:

HSE Services working within this region include:

Acute Hospitals

Primary care services

Community services

Social care services

Health and social care professionals

Voluntary sector services

South / South West Hospital Group and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare will become part of HSE South West health region from 3rd March 2025.

Purpose of the Post

The main purpose of the post is to develop the job description and supporting documentation under the direction of the Health Care Providers Advanced Practice Stakeholder Governance Group to enable the individual nurse to meet the NMBI Criteria for Registration as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner as set out in Advanced Practice (Nursing) Standards and Requirements (NMBI 2017).

The individual will undertake the academic preparation and develop the clinical and leadership skills competencies and knowledge required to meet the criteria to be registered as a RANP with NMBI. The scope of the cANP role must reflect the incremental development of expertise and as such the cANP cannot deliver care as an autonomous practitioner.

The individual will complete and submit the necessary documentation for registration as an RANP with NMBI.

The value of the nursing contribution as a distinct profession must be safeguarded and articulated in the development of new services led by advanced nurse practitioners complementing rather than replacing current services delivered by doctors (NMBI 2017 p.9).

The overall purpose of the post is to provide safe timely evidenced based nurse-led care to patients at an advanced nursing level. This involves undertaking and documenting a complete episode of patient care (assess diagnose plan treat and discharge patients) according to collaboratively agreed protocols and scope of practice in the clinical setting demonstrating advanced clinical and theoretical knowledge critical thinking clinical leadership and decision making skills.

The advanced practice role demonstrates a high degree of knowledge skill and experience that is applied within the nurse-patient/client relationship to achieve optimal outcomes through critical analysis problem solving and accurate decision making (NMBI 2017).

Central to this is the provision of quality care a safe environment and processes for patients by the use of evidence based clinical guidelines that address patient expectations promote wellness and evaluate care given.

The role will provide clinical leadership and professional scholarship in order to develop nursing practice and health policy at local regional and national level.

The role will contribute to nursing research to shape and advance nursing practice education and health care policy at local national and international levels.

The role of the cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services

The cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services will provide support to patients reaching the end of their dialysis treatment journey whilst helping assess the best possible clinical pathway and treatment option for the patient.

The cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services will undertake continuing assessment of prescribed treatment in collaboration with dialysis/conservative treatment teams as required.

The cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services will work in conjunction regionally with cANPs/ RANPs from other Renal and Palliative service sites in the delivery and support of clinical care to patients.

The cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services will collaborate in providing care to patients accepted under the Renal or Renal Supportive Care services within the emergency department or adjacent units that potentially require assessment for progression to a more conservative treatment plan.

The cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services will work regionally with other health care sites as the service expands to provide a more collaborative and comprehensive support network to eligible patients.

The cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services will operate in both hospital and community settings participating in community outreach clinics in conjunction with Palliative and Renal services and participating in home visits of eligible patients when necessary and provide the appropriate referrals.

The cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services will support the establishment of a Supportive Care Register within the group.

The cANP Kidney Supportive Care Services will coordinate monthly MDT meetings in conjunction with both services.

Informal Enquiries

We welcome enquiries about the role.

Contact Ciaran Sweeney Assistant Director of Nursing /- for further information about the role

Contact Dr Aoife Lowney Palliative Care Consultant /- for further information about the role

Contact Ann-Marie OKeeffe- People Resourcing for enquiries relating to the recruitment process