Job Specificationand Terms and Conditions

Job Title and Grade / Temporary Registered General Nurse
Care of the Elderly
Competition Reference / 14TRGNWES
Closing Date / Monday 13th October 2014 at 5.00pm
Applications received after 5pm on the closing date will not be accepted.
Proposed Interview Date(s) / To be confirmed
Taking up Appointment / The successful candidate will be required to take up duty no later than three months from date of offer for external applicants or no later than six weeks from date of offer for HSE internal applicants.
Location of Post / Waterford Elderly Services
Organisational Area / HSE – South
Details of Service / The staff appointed to these posts will work within care of the elderly services; working as part of a multi-disciplinary teams delivering a coordinated approach to client care. The RGN will be expected to maintain a high standard of nursing care, to share responsibility with the nursing team for the management of nursing care and the patient’s environment and to maintain a high standard of professional and ethical responsibility.
Reporting Relationship / You will report to the CNMs, Assistant or Director of Nursing or such other officer as determined by the General Manager.
Purpose of the Post / The Registered General Nurse will assess, plan, implement and evaluate care to the highest professional and ethical standards and best practice.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities / Professional Responsibilities
The Registered General Nurse will:
• Practice Nursing according to the Code of Professional Conduct as laid down by the Nursing Board (An Bord Altranais) and Professional Clinical Guidelines
• Comply with national, regional and local Health Service Executive (HSE) guidelines, policies, protocols and legislation
• Work within his/her scope of practice and take measures to develop and maintain the competence necessary for professional practice
• Maintain a high standard of professional behaviour and be accountable for his or her practice
• Be aware of ethical policies and procedures which pertain to his/her area of practice
• Respect and maintain the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of the client / patient subject to the safety, health and welfare of the client/family not being put at risk.
• Follow appropriate lines of authority within the Nurse Management structure
• Be on the An Board Altranais live register for general nursing.
Clinical Practice
The Registered General Nurse will:
  • Fulfil his/her statutory obligations within the legislation and HSE policies as appropriate to the role.
  • Deliver nursing care to clients / patients according to best practice / evidence based framework
  • Manage a caseload as required
  • Promote the health, welfare and social wellbeing of all eligible patients / clients.
  • Actively participate as an multi-disciplinary team member in all aspects of service delivery including case conferences, clinical meetings, team meetings
  • Assess, plan, implement and evaluate individual person centred care programmes within an agreed framework and in accordance with policies procedures and guidelines and established best practice.
  • Develop and promote good interpersonal relationships with clients / patients, their family / social network supports and the multi-disciplinary care team in the promotion of patient centred care
  • Participate in the development, promotion and implementation of infection control guidelines.
  • Endeavour to ensure that care is carried out in an empathetic and ethical manner and that the dignity and spiritual needs of the client / patient are respected
  • Promote and recognise the client / patient social and cultural dimensions of care and the need for links with their local community
  • Collaborate and work closely with the client / patient, his/her family, the multi-disciplinary team, external agencies and services to facilitate discharge planning, continuity of care and specific care requirements
  • Provide education and information to the client / patient, his/her family as required and be an advocate for the individual patient / client and for his / her family
  • Report and consult with senior nursing management on clinical issues as appropriate
  • Maintain appropriate and accurate written nursing records and reports regarding client / patient care in accordance with local / national / professional and confidentiality guidelines
  • Participate in innovation and change management in the approach to client / patient care delivery particularly in relation to new research findings, evidence based practice and advances in treatments
  • Participate in clinical audit and review
  • Participate in community needs assessment and ongoing community involvement
  • Undertake the role of key worker as co-ordinator as part of the team as required.
  • Promote a positive health concept with clients / patients and colleagues and contribute to health promotion and disease prevention initiatives as outlined by the Health Service Executive
  • Delegate and supervise the work of other grades of nursing and nursing support staff within the remit of their role, as appropriate
  • Refer clients to other services as required
  • Provide a nursing service to relevant and appropriate medical and nurse led clinics
  • Identify and assess the need for the home help service
  • Participate, identify and assess the need for home care attendant services and monitoring of same.
Health &Safety
The Registered General Nurse will:
  • Participate in the development of policies/procedures and guidelines to support compliance with current legal requirements where existing for the safe storage and administration of medicines and other clinical products.
  • Participate in the development of policies/procedures and guidelines with health safety risk and management personnel and participate in their development in conjunction with relevant staff and in compliance with statutory obligations
  • Observe, report and take appropriate action on any matter which may be detrimental to client / patient care or well being.
  • Be aware of the principles of risk management and be individually responsible for risk management/health and safety issues in their area of work
  • Comply with HSE policies to minimise risk with particular reference to infection control, domiciliary visits and lone working.
Education, Training & Development
The Registered General Nurse will:
  • Keep abreast of the latest developments in nursing practice as far as possible.
  • Develop and use reflective practice techniques to inform and guide practice
  • Participate in the clinical / workplace induction of new nursing and support staff
  • Contribute to the identification of training needs pertinent to the clinical area
  • Develop teaching skills and participate in the planning and implementation of orientation, training and teaching programmes for nursing students and the nursing element of education for other health-care staff as appropriate
  • Identify and contribute to the continual enhancement of learning opportunities within a population health framework
  • Provide support guidance and advice to junior colleagues when required within the scope of practice.
  • Participate in regular performance / clinical reviews with his/ her line manager.
Administration
The Registered General Nurse will:
  • Ensure that records are safeguarded and managed as per HSE / local policy and in accordance with relevant legislation
  • Work closely with colleagues in the acute hospital services in order to provide a seamless service delivery to the client within the elderly service structure.
  • Maintain records and submit activity data / furnish appropriate reports to the Director of Public Health Nursing as required
  • Contribute to policy development and formulation, performance monitoring, business planning and budgetary control
  • Maintain professional standards including patient and data confidentiality
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of information sharing protocols, audit systems, referral pathways, individual care plans and shared care arrangements
  • Contribute to ongoing monitoring, audit and evaluation of the service as appropriate
  • Accurately record and report all complaints to appropriate personnel according to local service policy
The above Job Description 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 / Each candidate must on the latest date for receipt of completed application form to this office:
Be registered in the relevant Division of the Register of Nurses kept by An Bord Altranais or be entitled to be so registered bearing in mind Directive 2006/100/EC for those nurses that have trained in one of the other 26 member states in the EU.
Health
A candidate 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
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character
Age
Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation Act, 2004). A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age.
Post Specific Requirements
Skills, competencies and/or knowledge /
  • Demonstrate practitioner competence and professionalism – demonstrates a high level of clinical knowledge to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the role
  • Display evidence-based clinical knowledge in making decisions regarding client care
  • Demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development
  • Demonstrate evidence of effective operations management, planning and organising skills including awareness of resource management and importance of value for money
  • Demonstrate the ability to build and maintain relationships including the ability to work effectively as part of a multi disciplinary team
  • Demonstrate evidence of ability to empathise with and treat patients, relatives and colleagues with dignity and respect
  • Demonstrate leadership and team management skills
  • Demonstrate effective analytical, problem solving and decision making skills
  • Demonstrate initiative and innovation, identifying areas for improvement, implementing and managing change
  • Demonstrate effective communication skills
  • Demonstrate an awareness of the Primary Care Strategy and key developments within the Primary Care service
  • Demonstrate knowledge of current health strategies and HSE policy directives.
  • Demonstrate a willingness to engage and develop IT skills relevant to the role

Competition Specific Selection process / 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 Commissioners 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 Codes also specifies the responsibilities placed on candidates, feedback facilitates for applicants 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


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HEALTH SERVICES EXECUTIVE

Terms and Conditions of Employment

Temporary Registered General Nurse

Tenure / The appointment is temporary and pensionable.
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 per 01/07/2013) for the post is:
€27,211 x11 annual increments to €42,469. LSI €43,800
Payment will be made by the Pay Path System. Incremental Credit may be granted in respect of previous approved service. Employees will be paid fortnightly on a Thursday and 11 days in arrears
Working Week / The standard working week applying to the post is:39 hours
Annual Leave / The annual leave associated with the post is: 24 – 27 days pa
Superannuation / All pensionable staff become members of the pension scheme.
Probation / Every appointment of a person who is not already an employee of the Health Service Executive or of a Local Authority shall be subject to a probationary period of 12 months as stipulated in the Department of Health Circular No.10/71.
Training / The HSE is committed to education and life long learning which enables staff to improve their performance and professional competence. In this regard the HSE encourages and supports staff to seek opportunities for their own development. In addition the HSE provides education and training opportunities for staff on a regional basis. The HSE’s Education/Training Guidelines sets out the range of support available for staff undertaking further education.
Confidentiality / In the course of your employment you may have access to, or hear information concerning, the medical or personal affairs of patients and/or staff, or other health service business. Such records and information are strictly confidential and, unless acting on the instructions of an authorised officer, on no account must information concerning staff, patients or other health service business be divulged or discussed except in the performance of normal duty. In addition, records must never be left in such a manner that unauthorised persons can obtain access to them and must be left in safe custody when no longer required.
Please note the following General Conditions: /
  • Employee must attend fire lectures and drills periodically and must observe fire orders.
  • All accidents within the department must be reported immediately in line with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 and 2005, and all staff must comply with all safety regulations and the General Application Regulations 1994 S144
  • In line with the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts 2002 & 2004, smoking within buildings of the Health Service Executive is not permitted.

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 officer will on receiving a report of child abuse formally notify the Principal Social Worker in the community care area in which the child is living. An information pack containing more specific details will be issued on appointment to the post.

Appendix 3 to SOP R2002 20th August 2007

Code of Practice Information for Applicants

Review procedures in relation to the Recruitment and Selection process,

The Health Service Executive

The Health Service Executive (HSE) came into operation on the 1st January 2005 following the enactment of the Health Act, 2004. The Act established the Health Service Executive and provided for the dissolution of the Health Boards, the Eastern Region Health Authority (ERHA) and other agencies.

With effect from the 1st April 2005 recruitment for appointments to positions in the HSE is subject to the provisions of the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 (the Act) and is regulated by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA)

Code of Practice: Appointments to positions in the Health Service Executive, apart from those positions which are subject to the Local Authorities (Officers and Employees) Act 1926, are subject to the Codes of Practice published by the CPSA. Appointments in the HSE are governed by Code of PracticeforAppointment to Positions in the Civil Service and Public Service, Code of Practice for Emergency Short-Term Appointments to positions in the Health Service Executive and Code of Practice Appointment of Persons with a Disability in the Civil Service and Certain Public Bodies. The Codes of Practice set out how the core principles of probity, merit, equity and fairness, the need to ensure that candidates are selected on the basis of merit, and the implementation of best practice might be applied on a principle basis.

Confidentiality

Applications will be treated in strict confidence, subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 and other provisions that have been identified in the published documentation.

Obligations Placed on Candidates who Participate in The Recruitment Process

The Act makes very specific provisions in relation to the responsibilities placed on candidates who participate in recruitment campaigns and these are detailed in Section 5 of the Code of Practice. These obligations are as follows:

  • Candidates should note that canvassing will disqualify and will result in their exclusion from the process.
  • Candidates must not:
  • knowingly or recklessly provide false information
  • canvass any person, with or without inducements
  • personate a candidate at any stage of the process
  • interfere with or compromise the process in any way
  • Any person who contravenes the above provisions, or who assists another person in contravening the above provisions, is guilty of an offence. A person who is found guilty of an offence is liable to a fine and / or imprisonment.
  • In addition, where a person found guilty of an offence was or is a candidate at a recruitment / selection process, then:
  • Where he / she has not been appointed to a post, he / she will be disqualified as a candidate; and
  • Where he / she has been appointed as a result of that process, he / she shall forfeit that appointment

Review procedures in relation to the Recruitment and Selection process and Allegations of Breach of the Code of Practice