Clinical Practice Support Nurse

Confined Competition - Internal Applicants Only

Position Summary:

The Clinical Practice Support Nurse (CPSN) is a key member of the Nursing Management Team within the Neurosciences Directorate (NeuroCent). The role centres on the identification support and provision of learning needs developmental opportunities and excellence in clinical nursing practice. Additional functions include the identification and distribution of suitable teaching interventions supervising performance assessing competence auditing practice and putting actions in place to address substandard or unsafe practice. Always a role model the CPSN will work alongside registered nurses and learners in practice whilst planning implementing and supervising learning activities.

The CPSN is responsible for promoting best practice through staff development and education. The CPSN acts as a resource and facilitator through supporting staff to reach their full potential at each stage of development. The ultimate aim is to support the development and capability of nursing staff to a competent proficient and confident level so as to be able to care for the multiple care needs of patients within the neuro specialities. The successful candidate must have appropriate interpersonal communication and negotiation skills to perform the role effectively. Additionally the candidate must be prepared to disseminate a variety of formal and informal teaching methods using multiple and simultaneous mediums.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical Practice

Ensure all staff practice nursing within the code of practice set by NMBI (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland). Specific responsibilities of the Clinical Practise Support Nurse include but are not limited to:

Orientation of new nurses
Assist the facilitation of mandatory education training and learning
Provide clinical support and ongoing education of nurses and other members of the
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)
Assessment of nurses using clinical competencies

Identify and respond to the learning needs of individuals and the service
Evaluation of the effectiveness of education within the Neurosciences Directorate
Collaborate with Clinical Nurse Managers to ensure Staff Nurses are allocated a broad range of experiences and thus develop their skills
Develops evidence-based educational materials and evaluate their effectiveness and regularly update same to reflect best practice
Take charge of shift with a learner to promote their development and to facilitate other Clinical Nurse Managers (CNMs) to maintain their clinical skills or to relieve them to perform their allocated management duties
Adopt a flexible approach to personal duty roster
Assist in updating Policies Procedures Protocols and Standards in the Directorate following collaboration with key stakeholders
Act as a positive role model by adhering to unit and hospital Policies procedure and guidelines
Supports recruitment and retention initiatives
Operate within a safe defined and informed scope of practice guided by policies protocols policies and guidelines
Use a variety of communication mediums employed in healthcare settings (e.g. IT systems remote communication platforms)

Education and Development

Assess and identify individual staff nurses learning and development needs and develop and implement training programmes to meet these needs in liaison with the Clinical Nurse Manager 2 or 3.
Carry out and document the progress of staff giving feedback regarding strengths and weaknesses in collaboration with CNM 2s and the Clinical Nurse Manager 3
Provision of training to nurse learners to enable them to integrate theory with practice and to acquire the knowledge and nursing skills to deliver quality patient care
Identifies the individual and collective learning needs of the delivery of formal and informal education
Acts as a role model by demonstrating and providing skilled safe and evidence-based nursing care
Encourage staff to participate in development programme
Develops methods of assessing the quality and effectiveness of the training / education programmes
Liaise with the Clinical Nurse Manager 2 or 3 in relation to poor performance issues of individual
staff members as required (escalate as appropriate to Directorate Nurse Manager)
Coordinate the orientation / induction programme for new staff in collaboration with the Clinical Nurse Managers 3 & 2s Neuro Foundation Course Coordinator and the Centre of Education
Work alongside nurse learners clinically to ensure they receive theoretical and practical training to make them safe practitioners
Contribute to the nursing education component of the strategic plan of the organisation
Collaborate with intra-hospital and external (e.g. RCSI- Royal College of Surgeons Ireland) stakeholders CPSNs and course coordinators to develop effective and supportive networks

Self Development

Actively pursue opportunities to advance own professional knowledge and skill and participate in relevant ongoing professional development programs
Maintain and update knowledge and keep abreast of relevant professional development and all current trends within the speciality of Intensive Care Nursing
Develop and maintain personal and practical skills within neurosciences through direct patient care provision enquiry based learning and completion of required training
Discuss personal performance and future needs with the Clinical Nurse Manager 3
Participate in performance / appraisal review with Clinical Nurse Manager 3 or Directorate Nurse Manager
Ensures the ongoing assessment of nurses in accordance with NMBI (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland)

Standards and Quality of Work

Leads nursing staff on achieving key quality indicators against which clinical practice can be measured
Initiates regular audit of nursing practices and procedures through discussion with Consultants CNMs Staff Nurses and Patients through approved audit tools
Continuously risk assess potential for harm and instigate appropriate actions/interventions to remove hazards from patients and staff
Report adverse incidents and events using the local electronic reporting system it may be a requirement to support a local investigation of these events if deemed appropriate by local management
Create maintain and update local competency and orientation documents to ensure that they are current and evidence-based
Maintain accurate records in the delivery of patient care
Ensure that there is a high standard of documentation practice which accounts for support offered to nurse learners pertinent discussions action plans or performance summaries
Escalate concerns of underperformance or substandard practice to CNMs and Directorate Nurse Manager
Ensures the agreed Hospital specialist administrative and clinical policies and procedures are known to and understood by the staff and are implemented
Introduces new clinical practices or techniques in an appropriate manner and with reference to local national and international guidance
Support (where appropriate) research quality improvement and audit initiatives
Ensure that there is a cost containment approach with regards to staff and resource allocation

Health and Safety

Ensure that effective safety procedures are developed and managed to comply with statutory obligations in conjunction with relevant staff (e.g. health and safety team)
Observe report and take appropriate action on any matter that jeopardises patient/staff well being or safety
Support CNMs to implement and maintain established policies and procedures with regards to health and safety (e.g. infection control moving and handling)
Follow departmental policies and procedures for equipment or devices within the remit of intensive care nursing
Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role (e.g. Standards for Healthcare National Standards for the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections Hygiene Standards) and comply with associated HSE (Health Safety Executive) protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards
Support promote and actively participate in sustainable energy water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable low carbon and efficient health service.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Effective communication skills
Ability to build and maintain relationships particularly in the context of MDT working
Ability to present information in a clear and concise manner
Ability to manage groups through the learning process
Ability to provide constructive feedback to encourage future learning
Effective presentation skills.

Organisation and Management Skills

Evidence of effective organisational skills including awareness of appropriate resource management
Ability to attain designated targets manage deadlines and multiple tasks
Ability to be self-directed work on own initiative
A willingness to be flexible in response to changing local/organisational requirements

Building & Maintaining Relationships including Team and Leadership skills

Leadership change management and team management skills including the ability to work with MDT colleagues

Commitment to providing a quality service:

Awareness and respect for the patients views in relation to their care
Evidence of supporting quality improvement programmes
Evidence of conducting audit or service evaluation initiatives
Evidence of motivation by ongoing professional development

The job description indicates the main functions and responsibilities of the post and is subject to review and amendment. Other specific work not covered in this job description may also be assigned by the Director of Nursing or the Directorate Nurse Manager contingent on service needs.

Selection Criteria:
Selection criteria outline the qualifications skills knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post.
Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

Mandatory:

1. Statutory Registration Professional Qualifications Experience etc
(a) Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition:
(i) Are registered in the relevant division of the Register of Nurses & Midwives
maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland NMBI (Bord
Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) or entitled to be so registered.

(ii) Have at least 5 years post registration experience (or an aggregrate of 5 years
fulltime post registration experience) of which 2 years must be in the speciality
or related area.

(iii) Have the clinical managerial and administrative capacity to properly discharge
the functions of the role.

(iv) Candidates must demonstrate evidence of continuous professional development.

(b) Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability including a high standard of
suitability and clinical managerial and administrative capacity to properly discharge the
functions of the role.

2. Annual registration
(i) On appointment practitioners must maintain live annual registration on the relevant
division of the Register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the Nursing and
Midwifery Board of Ireland (Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann).

(ii) Confirm annual registration with NMBI to the HSE by way of the annual Patient
Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC).

3. Health
Candidates 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.

4. Character
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Desirable

Candidates must have completed a post graduate level 8 or above (or equivalent) specialist neurosciences programme (or commitment to complete the same within 18-24 months following post start date)

If an appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and that appointee is entitled to or in receipt of a pension from the Civil or Public Service or where a Civil/ Public Service pension comes into payment during the appointees re-employment that pension will be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012.

Please note: In applying for this position you are acknowledging that you understand that the abatement provisions where relevant will apply. It is not envisaged that the employing Department/ Office/ Body will support an application for an abatement waiver in respect of appointments to this position