Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

Colorectal Service

Permanent Contract, Full Time Hours.

The CNS Colorectal Service is:

• Accountable to the Director of Nursing
• Professionally Accountable to the Assistant Director of Nursing

Responsibilities:

• Undertake comprehensive patient assessment to include physical, psychological, social and spiritual elements of care using best evidence-based practice in colorectal care.
• Undertake a lead role in planning, coordinating, delivering and evaluating the service provided to patients.
• Provide a specialist nursing service for patients with a Benign/Malignant Colorectal conditions, who require support and treatment through the continuum of care.
• Use the outcomes of patient assessment to develop and implement plans of care/case management in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and the patient, family and/or carer as appropriate.
• Participate in case review with MDT colleagues.
• Use a case management approach to patients with complex needs in collaboration with MDT in both Primary and Secondary Care as appropriate.
• Take a proactive role in the formulation and provision of evidence based PPPGs relating to colorectal care.
• Communicate, negotiate and represent patient's family and/or carer values and decisions in relation to their condition in collaboration with MDT colleagues in both Primary and Secondary Care as appropriate.
• Develop and support the concept of advocacy, particularly in relation to patient participation in decision making, thereby enabling informed choice of treatment options.
• Provide specialist expert knowledge and intervention acting as a resource to staff at point of care.
• Ensure the clinical environment is conducive to supporting the learning and education of all staff.
• To be aware of his/her role as a professional and to undertake practice within the relevant framework.
• To act as a role model for staff.
• Liaise with Tumour conference Coordinator to ensure timely discussion of relevant patients and follow up on outcomes.
• Maintain a record of clinically relevant data to ongoing treatments.
• Liaise with Colorectal data manager who ensures timely and accurate National Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) as directed and Clinical Care programmes.
• To develop quality assurance and audit systems to ensure that standards of care are met.
• Provide leadership in clinical practice and act as a resource and role model.
• Generate and contribute to the development of clinical standards and guidelines and support implementation.

Eligibility Criteria - Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition for CNS:

• Be a registered nurse/midwife on the active Register of Nurses and Midwives held by An Bord Altranais and Cnaimhseachais na hEireann (NMBI/Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland).
• Have a minimum of 5 years' post registration full time (surgical nursing) experience or CNM2 experience or an aggregate of 3 years' full time experience in the division of the register in which the application is being made.
• Have a minimum of 1 years' experience or an aggregate of 1 years' full time experience in specialist area of Colorectal.
• Have successfully completed a post registration programme of study, as certified by the education provider which verifies that the applicant has achieved a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major academic Level 9 or higher award that is relevant to the specialist area of care (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above), and in line with the requirements for specialist practice as set out by the National Council for Nursing and Midwifery 4th ed (2008). Alternatively provide written evidence from the Higher Education Institute that they have achieved the number of ECTS credits equivalent to a Level 9 or higher standard, relevant to the specialist area of care (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above), and in line with the requirements for specialist practice as set out by the National Council for Nursing and Midwifery 4th ed (2008).
• Be required to demonstrate that they have continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to the specialist area.
• Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional responsibility within his/her scope of practice.

Closing date for applications is 1pm on Thursday 31st July 2025.

MUH reserve the right to create a panel for this post from which permanent, fixed term and specified purpose vacancies of a full or part time duration may be filled.

Mercy University Hospital (MUH):

MUH is a growing voluntary hospital in the heart of Cork City. We have over 1,500 staff providing complex diagnostic, medical and surgical care through our inpatient, day patient, outpatient and emergency services.

We are a teaching hospital, a centre of national and international excellence, and are renowned for our research and tertiary services. Providing 24/7 acute surgical, acute medical and critical care, MUH now has multiple sites across the city and continues to expand.

We support staff development with approx. 100 promotions annually. We prioritise work life balance with 28% of our team working part time hours. We offer nationally agreed enhanced Salary Scales, Pension Scheme, excellent holidays, canteen, and Study Leave and Assistance.

From Cardiac Care to Intensive Care, our varied specialist services offer real career choice to our team. For fully registered NMBI recognised nurses, we offer a generous relocation package (if coming from abroad). We live by our Core Values of Compassion, Excellence, Justice, Respect and Team Spirit.