Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement)

Job Specification & Terms and Conditions

Job Title and Grade / Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement)
(Grade Code 2632)
Campaign Reference / NRS1307
Closing Date / Friday 12th June 2015 @ 12:00 Noon
Proposed Interview date(s) / Week Commencing Monday 06/07/2015
Taking up Appointment / To be indicated at job offer stage
Organisational Area / Health Service Executive (HSE) Dublin Mid Leinster
Location of Post / Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar, Longford Road, Mullingar, Co Westmeath
Ireland East Hospital Group
Details of Service / The Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar provides comprehensive services for the general public.
The following Departments are included Surgical, Medical, ED, Paediatrics, SCBU, Theatre, OPD, antenatal, intra natal and post natal mothers.
The CNS BereavementCounsellor will act as a link between the patients, the Nursing staff,Consultants and the wider Multidisciplinary Team
Informal Enquiries:
Anne Kelly, Director of Nursing
Tel: 044 9394550/551
Email:
Reporting Relationship / The post holder:
  • Is clinically accountable to the Director of Nursing& Midwifery.
  • Will report to the Assistant Director of Nursing or designated officer

Purpose of the Post / The Clinical Nurse Specialist Bereavement role encompasses a large component of counselling across the acute setting. This role includes patient support, working closely withthe wider multidisciplinary team, patient / family support, counselling and support and interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary communication including strong liaison with primary care providers.
The CNS role is a critical one in the advancement of quality care delivery through audit, research and knowledge sharing at local and national levels. The CNS role is also crucial to the strengtheningof strong links between the patient and their families
Principal Duties and Responsibilities / Clinical Focus
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement)will:
  • Work with the multidisciplinary team to develop comprehensive Bereavement Support Service within the Hospital.
  • Co-ordinate and administer activities related to bereavement support and advise on policy related to specific areas of the bereavement service.
  • Work closely with other staff involved in bereavement support including midwives, nurses, chaplains, medical staff, medical social workers and laboratory staff in responding to the emotional impact of bereavement on clients and their families.
  • Actively participate in the formulation, development and implementation of the bereavement service within the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
  • Develop guidelines and procedures in collaboration with the multidisciplinary for the delivery of the bereavement service in accordance with national and local policy.
  • Engage in education, audit and research as an integral part of the role of CMS in bereavement, working as part of the multidisciplinary team.
  • Be responsible for co-ordination of the bereavementeducation programme
  • Act as a resource of information and advice and promote best practice amongst health care staff involved in the provision on bereavement support to families.
  • Deal with matters in a professional and objective manner and adhere to direction when fronted with strong emotional pressures due to stressful interactions.
  • Engage in professional supervision as designated by the organisation within the service or by a designated extern.
  • Develop an awareness of all pertinent legislation in the area of bereavement services.
  • Articulate and demonstrate the concept of nursing specialist practice within the framework of Nursing legislation and the regulatory body of An Bord Altranaisagus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland).
  • Provide safe, comprehensive care for patients and their families within the scope of practice guidelines set out by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.
  • Plan and initiate care and treatment modalities within agreed interdisciplinary protocols to achieve patient/client centred outcomes and evaluate their effectiveness.
  • Utilise evidence based assessment and treatment skills and techniques to determine and manage each patient/family needs.
  • Develop, document and update care, discharge and teaching plans as necessary
  • Complete and maintain relevant documentation in a thorough and accurate manner
  • Plan all care in collaboration with the patient
  • Liaise as appropriate with other members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) regarding any aspect of patient care.
  • Implement changes in health care service in response to patient/client need and service demand.
  • Identify and implement health promotion priorities in the specialist area
  • Maintain effective and appropriate communication and collaboration with other departments, members of the multidisciplinary team, other agencies, colleagues, personnel, patients and their relatives/carers.
Patient/Client Advocate
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement) will:
  • Enable patients and their families/guardians to participate in decision making about their health needs.
  • Articulate and represent patient interests in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team
  • Implement changes in healthcare in response to patient need and service demand
  • Influence practice and promote improved/new standards of care in relation to patients/clients.
  • Respect the dignity and confidentiality of patients, serving as their advocate when necessary.
Education and Training:
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement) will:
  • Provide specialist information and education to patients and their families with regard to improving their understanding, coping and effective management of their loss.
  • Provide both formal and informal teaching to a number of people; patients/clients, families, health care providers, including student and trained nurses, and healthcare assistants. Take part in in-house multidisciplinary presentations and teaching to staff in the various acute hospitals.
  • Be self-directed in his/her learning to ensure continued professional credibility. Identify own Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs and engage accordingly.
  • Identify areas where scope of practice can be advanced
  • Provide 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 placement
  • Plan and deliver staff teaching in relation to individual setting.
Audit and Research
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement) will:
  • Identify, critically analyse, disseminate and integrate nursing and other evidence into the management of patients/clients.
  • Establish, implement and evaluate audit programmes of the service, the quality of care and the Clinical Nurse Specialist current practice, in line with local and regional developments, to include monitoring and health promotion programmes as relevant.
  • Use the outcomes of audit to improve service provision
  • Contribute to service planning and budgetary processes through use of audit data and specialist knowledge.
  • Review policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols in relation to the specialist service to ensure they are continually updated in line with best practice evidence.
  • Monitor, access, utilise and disseminate current relevant research to advise and ensure the provision of informed evidence based practice in the management of patients/clients.
  • Understand the need for nursing research and be able to implement this process to contribute to the development of services provided.
  • Develop and promote research awareness among all staff in relation tothe specialist area.
  • Involved in the preparation of an annual report
Consultant
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement) will:
  • Provide leadership in clinical practice relating to the specialist area and act as a role model to staff nurses who work in the acute services or in the community.
  • Network with other CNS’ in the specialistarea and other associations
  • Generate and contribute to the development of clinical standards and guidelines
  • Uses specialist knowledge to support and enhance generalist nursing practice
  • Liaise with multi-disciplinary team within the acute hospitals and community based to create a seamless service.
  • Contribute to nursing quality assurance by assisting in identification of recurring nursing problems and data collection.
Health and Safety
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement) will:
  • Contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.
  • Have a working knowledge of HIQA Standards as they apply to the role, for example Standards for Healthcare, Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards, and comply with associated HSE 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.
Management
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement) will:
  • Provide and efficient, effective, and high quality service, respecting the needs of each patient.
  • Effectively manage time and caseload in order to meet the needs of a changing and developing service.
  • Continually monitor the service to ensure it reflects current needs
  • Implement and manage identified changes
  • Ensure that confidentially in relation to patient records is maintained
  • Maintain accurate and up to date statistics of the service provided, including audit of patient contacts.
  • Represent the specialist service at local and national levels as required
  • Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records / data on matters pertaining to the planning, management, delivery and evaluation of the service in line with HSE requirements.
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.
Eligibility Criteria
Qualifications and/ or experience / Candidates must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms for the post:
  • Be registered in the General Division and Midwives Division of the Register of Nurses & Midwives maintained by Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland) or be entitled to be so registered
and
  • Have at least 5 years post registration experience in the division of the register in which the applicant is currently practising
and
  • Have a minimum of 2 years in the specialist area of bereavement counselling or acute nursing where dealing with bereavement is part of the role
and
  • Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional responsibility within his / her scope of practice
and
  • Must demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development
and
  • From the 1st September 2010 must have a level 8 (or higher) post-registration National Qualifications Authority of Ireland major academic award relevant to the specialist area of bereavement or equivalent qualification
Age
No age restriction shall only apply to a candidate except where he/she is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004). In this case the candidate must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the month in which the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office occurs.
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.
Character
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
Please note that appointment to and continuation in posts that require statutory registration is dependent upon the post holder maintaining annual registration in the relevant division of the register maintained by Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing Midwifery Board Ireland)
Post Specific Requirements /
  • Demonstrate depth and breadth of experience in bereavement counselling as relevant to the role
  • Demonstrate interest in and/ or experience of developing a bereavement service within a maternity unit and acute hospital area

Other requirements specific to the post / n/a
Skills, competencies and/or knowledge / Candidates must demonstrate:
  • Practitioner competence and professional credibility – demonstrates a high level of clinical knowledge to effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities of the role
  • The ability to lead on clinical practice and service quality
  • Promotion of evidence-based decision making; evidence-based clinical knowledge in making decisions regarding patient / client care
  • The ability to plan and manage resource effectively
  • Effective analytical, problem solving and decision making skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to build and maintain relationships
  • Effective communication and influencing skills
  • Initiative and innovation in the delivery of service
  • Resilience and composure
  • Openness to change
  • Integrity and an ethical stance
  • A commitment to continuing professional development
  • The ability to relate nursing research to nursing practice
  • Knowledge of quality assurance practices and their application to nursing procedures
  • Awareness of relevant legislation and policy e.g. legislation relevant to the service area, health and safety, infection control etc.
  • Awareness of current and emerging nursing strategies and policies in relation to the clinical / designated area
  • Awareness of the Health Service Transformation Programme
  • A willingness to develop IT skills relevant to the role

Competition Specific Selection Process
Shortlisting / Interview / Short listing may be carried out on the basis of information supplied in your application form. The criteria for short listing are based on the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you think about your experience in light of those requirements.
Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being called forward to the next stage of the selection process.
Those successful at the shortlisting stage of this process (where applied) will be called forward to interview.
Code of Practice / The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of Practice prepared by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The Code of Practice sets out how the core principles of probity, merit, equity and fairness might be applied on a principle basis. The Code also specifies the responsibilities placed on candidates, feedback facilities for candidates on matters relating to their application, when requested, and outlines procedures in relation to requests for a review of the recruitment and selection process, and review in relation to allegations of a breach of the Code of Practice. Additional information on the HSE’s review process is available in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code Of Practice, Information For Candidates”.
Codes of Practice are published by the CPSA and are available on in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, Information For Candidates” or on
The reform programme outlined for the Health Services may impact on this role and as structures change the job description may be reviewed.
This job description is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to the post holder. It is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive and is subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (Bereavement)

Terms and Conditions of Employment

Tenure / The initial vacancy for this post is permanent and whole time. This post is pensionable. A panel may be created from which permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part time duration may be filled. The tenure of these posts will be indicated at “expression of interest” stage.
Appointment as an employee of the Health Service Executive is governed by the Health Act 2004 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointment) Act 2004.
Remuneration / The Salary Scale (as at 01/01/10) for the post is:
Euro 47,089 – 47,886 – 48,559 – 49,659 – 50,874 – 52,067 – 53,260 – 54,604 – 55,852 (pro rata)
Working Week / The standard working week is 39 hours per week (pro rata)
HSE Circular 003-2009 “Matching Working Patterns to Service Needs (Extended Working Day / Week Arrangements); Framework for Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016” applies. Under the terms of this circular, all new entrants and staff appointed to promotional posts from Dec 16th 2008 will be required to work agreed roster / on call arrangements as advised by their line manager. Contracted hours of work are liable to change between the hours of 8am-8pm over seven days to meet the requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement (Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016).
Annual Leave / The annual leave associated with the post will be confirmed at Job Offer stage.
Superannuation / This is a pensionable position with the HSE. The successful candidate will upon appointment become a member of the appropriate pension scheme. Pension scheme membership will be notified within the contract of employment. Members of pre-existing pension schemes who transferred to the HSE on the 01st January 2005 pursuant to Section 60 of the Health Act 2004 are entitled to superannuation benefit terms under the HSE Scheme which are no less favourable to those which they were entitled to at 31st December 2004.
Probation / Every appointment of a person who is not already a permanent officer of the Health Service Executive or of a Local Authority shall be subject to a probationary period of 12 months.
Protection of Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 / This post is one of those designated in accordance with Section 2 of the Protection of Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998. You will remain a designated officer for the duration of your appointment in this post or for the duration of your appointment to such other post as is included in the categories specified in the Ministerial Direction. Such officers will, on receiving a report of child abuse, formally notify the Senior Social Worker in the community care area in which the child is living.
Infection Control / Have a working knowledge of 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.

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