Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist, Rheumatology, University Hospital

Background to the cCNS pathway

The Policy on the Development of Graduate to Advanced Nursing and Midwifery Practice (DOH, 2019) outlines a pathway to support a change for specialist practice to develop and meet service need, including the revised eligibility criteria for CNS as follows:

· A minimum of 1 years’ experience in practice prior to completing the required post graduate qualification in the specialist area at level 9 (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above)

· Recognition as a CNS to meet service needs therefore requires the completion of a postgraduate qualification together with a minimum of 1 years’ specialist experience

· This is in addition to meeting the requirements set by the HSE to ensure the delivery of safe, effective practice to meet service demands

In response to an identified service need a candidate CNS pathway has been established and sets out the following:

(a) A recruitment campaign will be organised by the CHO/HG between local HR and services.

(b) Nurses who are successful at interview for candidate CNS post will:

Ø be offered a contract for a candidate CNS post (Rheumatology) at CNM1 grade with a job description outlining the cCNS competencies to be achieved.

Ø be required to demonstrate their specialist experience or if they do not possess the relevant specialist experience, they will be supported to attain one year’s clinical specialist experience

Ø be required to demonstrate that they have completed the required postgraduate education, or agree and are supported to undertake the required postgraduate education, at level 9 qualification (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above) relevant to the specialist area.

Ø be required to demonstrate that they have continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to the specialist area or will be supported to obtain the required CPD.

(c) All of the above must be achieved within 2 years from appointment for this pathway.

The clinical experience requirements for this cohort of nurses remain consistent with the DoH (2019) policy, i.e. a minimum of 1 years’ experience in practice and a minimum of 1 years’ experience in the specialist area and they could be supported to progress on a candidate CNS Pathway.

The above pathway is valid from May 2023 to September 2026

Details of Service

Rheumatology is the medical speciality caring for patients with musculoskeletal disease. Rheumatology services are essentially ambulatory and out-patient based with small numbers of in-patient beds required for acute rheumatic diseases and for patients requiring intensive periods of rehabilitation. The Rheumatology service provides out-patient facilities with a full time on call rheumatology service, two procedure areas and a dedicated ultrasound clinic area. In CUH the Rheumatology service have dedicated day-patient beds in the Ambulatory Care Facility for patients who require infusions to manage their disease.

The rheumatology department is led by 3 Consultant Rheumatologists with a commitment to general internal medicine. The nursing service will comprise of 1 ANP and 2 CNS posts (inclusive of this post) in the future. The rheumatology multidisciplinary team includes a rheumatology radiologist, an advanced MSK physiotherapist and a specialised physiotherapist with whom there is constant collaboration.

Informal Enquiries

Nora Twomey, Assistant Director of Nursing

Mobile: 087 2186170

Email: Nora.twomey@hse.ie