Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist, Breast Service, University Hospital

Details of Service

Cork University Hospital (CUH) is the largest acute hospital in the country. The hospital is a primary teaching hospital with close alliances to University College Cork (UCC), nursing, medical and allied health professional training. The hospital also plays a central role in the management of co-located services on site.

UCC is the Academic partner of the Cork University Hospital 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 JAG accredited and is a Magnet4Europe Hospital.

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 550,000 served by the HSE Southern area and a supra-regional centre for a total a population of 1.1 million.

In 2022, CUH had 72,928 ED presentations; 265,360 physical out-patient attendances; 38,457 virtual out-patient attendances; 30,379 inpatient discharges and 30,593 day cases.

CUH is one of the nine designated cancer centres of the HSE National Cancer Care Programme (NCCP), one of two centres in the southern region and a designated cancer site. We provide cancer services predominantly to people who live in the counties of Cork, Kerry, South Tipperary, West Waterford and South East Limerick. Our cancer services include Rapid Access Clinic Breast, Lung, Breast and Colorectal services; surgical cancer treatments; Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Haematology Oncology consultation; chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments; and psycho-oncology services.

The rapid access Breast service works on a multi-professional team approach to deliver the NCCP pathway of care for Breast Cancer from referral to discharge. The service includes consultation, biopsy, diagnosis, treatment planning (which may incorporate surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and palliative medicine), evaluation and follow-up care.

Purpose of the Post

As outlined in this job description, the cCNS pathway will facilitate the post holder to be supported to professionally and clinically develop the skills and knowledge required to achieve the competencies of the CNS role.

The cCNSBreast post holder will be enabled to deliver specialist nursing care to patients in line with the five core concepts of the role set out in the Framework for the Establishment of Clinical Nurse Specialist Posts, 4th edition, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (NCNM) 2008.

The successful candidate will work as a key member of the multidisciplinary team providing a patient / client centred quality service to patients / clients and this specialist practice will encompass a major clinical focus which comprises assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of care given to patients / clients and their families.

Caseload

The cCNS Breast will be supported to focus initially on the following patient groups: patients over 16yrs of age attending the Breast service

Informal Enquiries

Name: Jane Shanahan Assistant Director of Nursing

Email: jane.shanahan@hse.ie

Tel: 087-3841436