Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist, Palliative Care, 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 centers of the HSE National Cancer Care Programme (NCCP), one of two centre 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 Palliative Care, Lung, Palliative Care and Colorectal services; surgical cancer treatments; Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Haematology Oncology consultation; chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments; and psycho-oncology services.

The Palliative Care Nursing team work closely with the Consultants and Non consultant hospital doctors who work between CUH and Marymount Hospital and part of the multidisciplinary team caring for patients with life limiting conditions.

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of people facing the problems associated with life-limiting illness. The palliative care approach focuses on the prevention and relief of suffering by means of assessing and treating pain and other symptoms physical, psychological or spiritual problems. The aim of palliative care is to enhance quality of life and wherever possible to positively influence the course of illness. Palliative care also extends support to families to help them cope with their family members’ illness and their own experience of grief and loss.

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 cCNS (Palliative Care) 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.

Caseload

The cCNS Palliative Care will be supported to focus initially on the following patient groups: patients over 16yrs of age attending the Palliative Care service. The caseload will include patients with life limiting conditions requiring specialist palliative care. Although a very small cohort, the role may also include the provision of support and advice to paediatric patients should the need arise.

The cCNS clinical role is based on the five core concepts and associated competencies for the Clinical Nurse Specialist role as defined by the NCNM 4th edition (2008) in order to fulfil the role. The concepts are:

• Clinical Focus (Direct and Indirect Care)

• Service user/Service User Advocacy

• Education and Training

• Audit and Research

• Consultancy (including leadership in clinical practice)

Informal Enquiries

Name: Jane Shanahan Assistant Director of Nursing

Email: jane.shanahan@hse.ie

Tel: 087-3841436