Clinical Nurse Specialist - Neurology/MS

About the Hermitage ClinicThe Hermitage Clinic is an acute care hospital with 110 inpatient beds, seven operating theatres, a 7 bed ICU, an Emergency Department, many outpatient services, and a wide range of modern technically complex medical diagnostic and treatment facilities, providing high quality patient care. As a part of the Blackrock Health Group, the Hermitage Clinic offers a range of services in areas such as cardiology, oncology, and urology.Working with Blackrock Health is a unique opportunity. We offer the chance to work at some of Ireland's most advanced hospitals while still enjoying a sustainable work-life balance. We ensure all our people have the support they need to progress their career, and we offer a package of unmatched benefits across our three hospitals and diagnostic clinic. Blackrock Health Hermitage Clinic is a private hospital providing a full range of medical and surgical care across a broad spectrum of specialties. Each Ward provides a range of services and this role is important in making a significant contribution, developing and maintaining best practice in nursing services at clinical areas.A career in Hermitage Clinic will ensure you are joining a diverse, dynamic and enthusiastic team of professionals, passionate about developing services to ensure we provide the best care in the most modern of facilities.  Role SummaryAs a key member of the Nursing team, the post holder will demonstrate excellent clinical skills, quality patient care initiatives and facilitate effective interpersonal communication with colleagues in the unit(s) and hospital. The role will provide comprehensive nursing care to patients using evidence-based practice and adjusting resources to ensure continuity of care. The candidate will act as a role model for excellence in patient care.The role is responsible for providing expertise and specialist nursing to patients with neurological conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Epilepsy, and Migraine both in the inpatient and outpatient settings. To promote and enhance communication between multidisciplinary team members dealing patients with neurological disorders. To work closely with neurological consultants and other medical staff to co-ordinate, support and deliver effective care.The role will provide comprehensive nursing care to patients using evidence-based practice and adjusting resources to ensure continuity of care. The nurse will act as a role model for excellence in patient care and be the clinical nurse lead for neurological nursing, and will develop, deliver and evaluate a comprehensive education programme for neurological nursing. The CNS will communicate and collaborate with the medical/nursing staff teams in the delivery of quality continuing care for the patient, including liaison with other Hospitals North and South of Ireland, Consultants, and GP’s.Key ResponsibilitiesOperationsThe CNS (Neurology) will:Plan and initiate care and treatment modalities within agreed protocols to achieve patient centred outcomes and evaluate their effectiveness.Utilize assessment skills and techniques to determine each patient/family needs.Plan all care in collaboration with the patient.Provide specialist advice to patients on appropriate products to meet their needsLiaise as appropriate with other members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) regarding any aspect of patient careDevelop, document and update care, discharge and teaching plans and documentation as necessary.Evaluate the care/information given and reassess accordinglyMonitor and review data input from this hospital. This facilitates multidisciplinary clinical audit, research, and assist in developing and leading on best practice.Attend to the routine calls from patients by the use of a telephone helpline; provide timely specialist advice or consultation as appropriate.Provide support for the ward staff in managing the care of this patient on the day of their admission / discharge.The role of the CNS (Neurology) will include;Schedule interdisciplinary referrals as required.Run reports as requested by Consultants or hospital leadership.Increase patient satisfaction with the service.Improve patient outcomes through education and health promotion.Attend ward rounds and clinics as requiredThe CNS’ (Neurology) practice is based on the five core concepts of Clinical Nurse Specialist (Neurology) role as defined by the NCNM 4thedition (2008) in order to fulfil the role. The concepts are:Clinical FocusPatient/Client AdvocateEducation and TrainingAudit and ResearchConsultantClinical FocusThe CNS Neurology role may be divided into direct and indirect care. Direct care comprises the assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of care to the patient, family and/or carer. Indirect care relates to activities that influence and support the provision of direct care.Direct CareThe CNS (Neurology) will:Provide a specialist nursing service for patients with a diagnosis of a neurological condition who require support and treatment through the continuum of care.Undertake comprehensive patient assessment to include physical, psychological, social and spiritual elements of care using best evidence based practice in neurology care.Use the outcomes of patient assessment to develop and implement plans of care/case management in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and the patient, family and/or carer as appropriate.Monitor and evaluate the patient’s response to treatment and amend the plan of care accordingly in conjunction with the MDT and patient, family and/or carer as appropriate.Make alterations in the management of patient’s condition in collaboration with the MDT and the patient in line with agreed pathways and policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines (PPPG’s).Accept appropriate referrals from MDT colleagues.Co-ordinate investigations, treatment therapies and patient follow-up.Communicate with patients, family and /or carer as appropriate, to assess patient’s needs and provide relevant support, information, education, advice and counselling as required.Where appropriate work collaboratively with MDT colleagues across Primary and Secondary Care to provide a seamless service delivery to the patient, family and/or carer as appropriate.Participate in medication reconciliation taking cognisance of poly-pharmacy and support medical and pharmacy staff with medication reviews and medication management.Identify and promote specific symptom management strategies as well as the identification of triggers which may cause exacerbation of symptoms. Provide patients with appropriate self-management strategies and escalation pathways.Manage nurse led neurology clinics with MDT input.Identify health promotion priorities for the patient, family and/or carer and support patient self-care in line with best evidence. This will include the provision of educational and health promotion material which is comprehensive, easy to understand and meets patient’s needs.Indirect CareThe CNS (Neurology) will:Identify and agree appropriate referral pathways for patients with neurological conditions.Participate in case review with MDT colleagues.Use a case management approach to patients with complex needs in collaboration with MDT in both Primary and Secondary Care as appropriate.Take a proactive role in the formulation and provision of evidence based PPPG's relating to neurology care.Take a lead role in ensuring the service for patients with a neurological condition is in line with best practice guidelines and the Safer Better Healthcare Standards (HIQA, 2012).Patient/Client AdvocateThe CNS (Neurology) will:Communicate, negotiate and represent patient’s family and/or carer values and decisions in relation to their condition in collaboration with MDT colleagues in both Primary and Secondary Care as appropriate.Develop and support the concept of advocacy, particularly in relation to patient participation in decision making, thereby enabling informed choice of treatment optionsRespect and maintain the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of the patient, family and/or carer.Establish, maintain and improve procedures for collaboration and cooperation between Acute Services, Primary Care and Voluntary Organizations as appropriate.Proactively challenge any interaction which fails to deliver a quality service to patients.Education & Training:The CNS (Neurology)will:Develop and deliver a comprehensive education program in neurology nursing, including the development and evaluation of competencies, in conjunction with other relevant personnel.Maintain clinical, nursing and managerial competence in the field of Orthopedic nursing, including keeping up to-date with relevant research to ensure evidence-based practice and research utilization.Be responsible for identifying his/her own training development needs in consultation with the line manager in order to keep professionally and clinically updated.To be responsible for creating an environment that is conducive to learning and development of self and others. To provide professional, clinical and education advice to nursing and other healthcare staff as appropriate. This includes the assessment of competency of student nurses, and other staff on placement to the specialist area, as appropriate, and providing assistance with the orientation and induction of new staff.Educate and provide supportive care to patients, their families/their carers through all stages of their disease.Attend all mandatory training days.Keep abreast of current trends in Orthopedic nursing through reading, attending seminars and having thorough knowledge of nursing policy and standardsParticipate in in-service education. Take personal responsibility for own professional development and keep up to date with evidence based practice and research.Identify areas where scope of practice can be advancedProvide mentorship, preceptor ship, teaching, facilitation and professional supervisory skills for nurses and other health care workers.Act as preceptor to undergraduate and post-graduate student nurses on placementPlan and deliver staff teaching in relation to individual setting.Maintain and update a personal development portfolioAudit, Research and QualityThe CNS (Neurology) will:Identify, critically analyze, disseminate and integrate nursing and other evidence into the area of Orthopedic nursingContribute to service planning through use of audit data and specialist knowledge.Record information on patients electronically, which will provide data for auditing the service.Monitor, access, utilize and disseminate current relevant research to advise and ensure the provision of informed evidence based practice in Orthopedic nursingUnderstand the need for nursing research and be able to implement this process to contribute to the development of services provided.Ensure that there is compliance with all relevant Hermitage Clinic guidelines, policies, procedures and relevant legislation and regulatory requirements. This includes responsibility for dealing with regulatory or professional bodies and inspections.Encourage continuous review and evaluation of policies, guidelines and existing practices through regular audit programs and review engaging with the multi-disciplinary team where required.Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement across the department involving the team in continuous improvement initiatives and encouraging innovation.Set and monitor core objectives, standards and key performance indicators for the service and monitor performance against these standards through internal and (where applicable) external audit.Lead out on the requirements of the hospitals accreditation process.Participate fully in the requirement of the hospital’s risk management program.Promote the delivery of a high standard of care to all patients.Encourage evidence-based practice and assist in the dissemination and implementation of research findings.Work with members of the Multidisciplinary team in devising Standard Operating ProceduresProvide clinical nursing leadership in proactively addressing ethical and quality of service issues with multidisciplinary team members and hospital management.Develop a culture of safety, promoting positive reporting of incidents and near misses; investigate and take remedial action on incidents or near misses involving patients and staff according to hospital policies, protocols and guidelines.Identification and development of Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) which are congruent with the Orthopedic service and hospital performanceDevelop Action Plans to address KPI targets.The management and delivery of KPI's as a routine and core business objectiveConsultantThe CNS (Neurology) will:Provide leadership in clinical practice and act as a role model to staff nurses who work in the acute services or in the communityNetwork with other CNS’ in the hospital, nationally and other organizations.Generate and contribute to the development of clinical standards and guidelines.Use specialist knowledge to support and enhance nursing practice.Contribute to nursing quality assurance by assisting in identification of recurring nursing problems and data collectionEssential CriteriaBe registered in the general division of the Register of Nurses maintained by NMBI.Have at least five years recent relevant post-registration nursing experience (full-time or equivalent hours part-time) in an acute hospital setting and a minimum of two years nursing experience in neuroscience nursing.Have acquired a level 8 post registration Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major academic award relevant to the specialist area- Neurology Nursing (or similar) or be willing to complete one in the next eighteen months.Experience in teaching & assessing and experience with JCI standards is desirable for this role.Clinical SkillsManagement SkillsLeadership SkillsIT SkillsQuality FocusRisk ManagementClinical AuditExcellent interpersonal and communication skillsWhy work at the Hermitage Clinic?The Hermitage Clinic are passionate about our people and believe in their development and growth. As a member of the Hermitage Clinic team you can benefit from: An Education Support ProgrammeDevelopment opportunitiesOpportunities for career progressionAccess to a Pension SchemeSubsidised RestaurantFree staff car parkingEmployee Assistance ProgrammeLife Assurance  This Job Description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the position and is subject to regular review and amendment. The role holder will be required to be flexible in this position and is expected to facilitate working additional hours on occasion, when requested.The Hermitage Clinic is an Equal Opportunities Employer with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion and equality at all levels of the organisation. If you require assistance due to a disability during the recruitment process, please email hr@hermitageclinic.com