JOB DESCRIPTION
Nurse Practice Development Co-ordinator – Assistant Director of Nursing
Full time, permanent
Reference No: 03.002 (2023)
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
The Nurse Practice Development Co-ordinator ADON will lead the Nurse Practice Development Department, which will co-ordinate the development of excellence in nurse practice, and will meet set objectives in set time-scales.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. Each candidate must on the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office -:
- Be registered in the General Division of the active Register held by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland or be entitled to be so registered.
- Have 7 years post registration experience and a minimum of 3 years at a minimum of CNM2 grade in an acute care setting.
- Hold a relevant post graduate award at level 9 (Master’s Degree) or higher.
- Have experience working with undergraduate Nursing students in clinical nursing practice or have training experience related to the undergraduate Nursing programme.
- Have the clinical, managerial and administrative capacity to properly discharge the functions of the role.
- Be able to demonstrate the ability to undertake research.
- Have demonstrable ability to analyse, report on, and effect change in nursing practice.
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrate evidence of continuing learning and professional development
- Proven clinical and managerial ability with vision and leadership skills to lead and manage the nursing and services agendas in line with the HSE, SDU and the Dublin Mid Leinster Hospital Group (DMHG) strategic goals and objectives within the areas of responsibility.
Desirable criteria:
- Experience in work measurement, the implementation of quality programmes and the evaluation and re-organisation of nursing practice.
- Experience of the use of contemporary information technology to support nursing practice
2. Age Restrictions In Relation To Applications
Age restriction shall only apply to a candidate where they are not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004). A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the month in which the latest date for receiving completed applications for the office occurs.
3. 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 as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
4. Be of good character.
5. Garda Vetting
Garda Vetting is sought for all employees and prospective employees of Tallaght University Hospital. Given the specialised nature of the services provided, your appointment will be subject to satisfactory Garda Vetting and re-vetting in circumstances where the Hospital deems it appropriate. The Hospital will then process the necessary documentation to endeavour to obtain satisfactory Garda clearance for you. You are obliged to disclose previous and any criminal convictions acquired during the course of your employment. Should the Hospital obtain information from the Garda Vetting Unit to indicate that your Garda clearance report is not satisfactory and / or if you have supplied the hospital with false or misleading information in relation to your Garda clearance status, the Hospital reserves the right to withdraw or terminate this contract in accordance with Tallaght University Hospital Garda Vetting policy.
6. Mandated and Designated Persons under Children First Act 2015
Schedule 2 of the Children First Act 2015 specifies the classes of persons defined as Mandated Persons for the purposes of the Act. This includes a range of disciplines that are employed by the hospital including all medical practitioners, registered nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers and others. This includes staff working in adult services. All mandated persons have two main legal obligations under the Children First Act 2015. Mandated persons, under the legislation are required to report any knowledge, belief or reasonable suspicion that a child has been harmed, is being harmed, or is at risk of being harmed. The Act defines harm as assault, ill-treatment, neglect or sexual abuse, and covers single and multiple instances. Mandated persons are also required to assist Tusla, if requested, in assessing a concern which has been the subject of a mandated report. Designated Officer are required to receive reports of suspected child abuse or neglect from any person who is of the opinion that (a) a child has been or is being assaulted, ill-treated, neglected or sexually abused, or (b) a child’s health, development or welfare has been or is being avoidably impaired or neglected. Full detailed list of mandated and designated staff together with details of their roles and responsibilities can be found on https://www.tusla.ie/children-first. It is the responsibility of all staff employed by TUH to be aware of their roles and responsibilities under the legislation and to complete mandatory Children First Training.
PARTICULARS OF OFFICE
1. The appointment fulltime, permanent and pensionable.
2. Remuneration:
Remuneration is in accordance with the salary scale approved by the Department of Health & Children. Current remuneration with effect from 2nd February 2022 is:
€63,553 by 8 increments to €78,428
Salary scales will be updated in line with nationally agreed pay agreements and will be updated accordingly and retrospective payments applied as applicable.
3. Pension arrangements and retirement age
There are three superannuation schemes currently in operation for staff in Tallaght University Hospital:
(a) Voluntary Hospital Superannuation Scheme (Non-New Entrant)
(b) Voluntary Hospital Superannuation Scheme (New Entrant)
(c) Single Public Service Pension Scheme
Please read carefully the summary of the criteria for the three superannuation schemes below. This will assist you in identifying which scheme membership is applicable to your employment circumstances.
(a) If you have been continually employed in the public service prior to the 1st April 2004 and you have not had a break in service of more than 26 weeks, you will be included in the Voluntary Hospital Superannuation Scheme (Non-New Entrant) with a Minimum Retirement Age of 60 and a Maximum Retirement Age of 65.
(b) If you have been continually employed in the public service post the 1st April 2004 and you have not had a break in service of more than 26 weeks, you will be included in the Voluntary Hospital Superannuation Scheme (New Entrant) with a Minimum Retirement Age of 65. There is no Maximum Retirement Age.
(c) If you have commenced employment in the public service as a new entrant or you are a former public servant, returning to the public service after a break of more than 26 weeks, you will be included in the Single Public Service Pension Scheme effective from the 1st January 2013 with a minimum retirement age of 66 (rising to 67 and 68 in line with state pension changes). The maximum retirement age under this scheme will be age 70.
4. Duties:
The Nurse Practice Development Co-ordinator ADON will perform such duties as are outlined in the attached job description.
5. Hours of work:
Normal working hours are 37.5 worked over 5 days. Your contracted hours of work are liable to change between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm over 7 days to meet the requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement.
6. Probation:
The successful candidate will be appointed initially for a probationary period of 6 months. During the probationary period progress or otherwise will be monitored and at the end of the probationary period the service will (a) be certified as satisfactory and confirmed in writing or if not satisfactory, the probationary period may be extended by 3 months.
7. Annual Leave:
Annual leave entitlement is 28 working days depending on length of service, plus 10 Bank Holidays per annum as they occur. The annual leave year runs from 1st of April to 31st March each year.
8. Sick Leave:
Payment of salary during illness will be in accordance with arrangements as approved from time to time by the Department of Health and Children.
9. Termination of Office:
The employment may be terminated at any time by 3 months’ notice on either side except where circumstances are dictated by the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act 1973/91. The Management’s right under this paragraph shall not be exercised save in circumstances where the Management is of the opinion that the holder of the office has failed to perform satisfactorily the duties of the post or has misconducted himself/herself in relation to the post or is otherwise unfit to hold the appointment.
GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY
- Manage and develop the Nurse Practice Development Department which will evaluate, develop, implement and monitor nursing practice in all areas of the hospital and promote an environment for professional nursing practice which is consistent with the mission, vision, values and strategy of Tallaght University Hospital.
- Oversee the nursing service quality assurance programmes in such a way as to support and ensure the delivery of the highest standard of patient focused nursing care throughout the hospital and ensure a positive patient experience.
- Provide leadership on quality and safety issues and manage and implement an annual nursing service practice development and improvement plan.
- Act as a professional role model which is consistent with the mission, vision, values, and strategic direction of the organisation.
- The post holder will facilitate change and play a key role in promoting the organisational developments and strategies required to sustain innovations in nursing practice.
- Ensure through supervision of the Clinical Placement Co-ordinators that the clinical areas in the hospital to which student nurses are assigned for clinical placements provide optimum learning environments, and are capable of meeting the learning objectives determined by the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Dublin, Trinity College for the undergraduate student nurses.
- Develop patient centred nursing practices through care processes, which enhance clinical effectiveness and patient outcomes.
- Oversee the development of the role of HCAs and the implementation of policy and education to enhance clinical effectiveness.
- Support staff in formulating evidence based policies, protocols, guidelines and procedures that will ensure that the highest standard of patient focused nursing care is provided within available resources
- In partnership with the Centre for Learning and Development, oversee the provision of induction and development programmes for newly registered staff and ensure compliance with in-service supervision to achieve competency.
- Facilitate change and play a key role in promoting the organisational developments and strategies required to initiate and sustain innovation in nursing practice.
- Conduct regular education and training needs assessment for the nursing workforce in collaboration with the Centre for Learning and Development.
- The Nurse Practice Development Co-ordinator reports to the Director of Nursing.
- The Nurse Practice Development Co-ordinator is a key member of the Senior Nursing Executive.
SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITY
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- Lead the Nurse Practice Development Department, which will co-ordinate the development of excellence in nurse practice, and will meet set objectives in set time-scales.
- Collaborate with nurse managers and the nursing service to implement nurse practice developments throughout the hospital and monitor their effectiveness.
- Provide leadership on quality issues and nursing innovation by developing and implementing systems relating to quality improvement and co-ordinating associated monitoring/audit mechanisms.
- Support staff in formulating policies, procedures protocols and guidelines that will ensure that the highest standard of patient focused nursing care is provided within available resources.
- Set achievable, safe standards of nursing care across the broad spectrum of patient categories and collaborate with multidisciplinary approaches to standard setting.
- Lead the Nurse Practice Development team in the delivery of clinical facilitation and support for new and existing nursing staff in clinical areas.
- Collaborate with multi-disciplinary colleagues to support and enable practice development across the disciplines.
- Ensure relevant National Nursing Policy’s are implemented in TUH
- Evaluate existing nursing records and documentation throughout the hospital and where necessary implement changes which meet legal requirements and facilitates the best recording standard.
- Collaborate with the ICT Department in the development and implementation of the Electronic Patient Record.
Undergraduate Nursing related responsibilities:
- Ensure that the clinical areas in the hospital where undergraduate student nurses are assigned for clinical placements provide the optimum learning/teaching environments and are conductive to the learning requirements of the students as specified by the School of Nursing and Midwifery TCD and the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland.
- Provide support and guidance for undergraduate student nurses during clinical placements through the effective leadership and supervision of the Clinical Placement Co-ordinators and the Student Allocation Liaison Officer.
- Regularly evaluate the quality of the clinical placements provided for undergraduate student nurses and submit evaluation reports to the Director of Nursing and The Head of School, TCD.
Management responsibilities
- Lead a team of Clinical Placement Coordinators, Student Allocation Liaison Officer, Clinical facilitators, Informatics CNM to actively contribute to the pursuit of excellent in nursing care in Tallaght University Hospital.
- Actively participate in various meetings/forums with the Senior Nurse Executive and Nurse Practice Development Department personnel, Clinical Nurse Managers, and other key stakeholders including multidisciplinary colleagues.
- Actively participate in meetings with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, TCD, and other relevant Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in relation to undergraduate and other relevant matters.
- Work with the Centre for Learning and Development and HEIs in the delivery, monitoring, evaluation and change to training and development programmes
- Ensure HR management related functions relevant to the department and students are in place.
- Ensure all staff in the Nurse Practice Development Department undertake hospital determined mandatory training and other relevant education required in the execution of their roles.
- Recommend staff for membership of committees or discreet work programmes and development opportunities.
- Have a working knowledge of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc. and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards.
- Foster good working relationships between colleagues and other staff by maintaining a high professional standard. Develop and deliver programmes relating to practice development and nursing care initiatives as part of an overall practice development strategy.
- Undertake any other duties assigned by the Director of Nursing
Specialist and Advanced Practice
- Provide support to Clinical Nurse Specialists/Nurses in Specialist posts in achieving ONMSD accreditation, practice development, innovation and publications.
- Provide support to candidate Advanced Nurse Practitioners on their academic and clinical journey to registration.
- Provide support to Advanced Nurse Practitioners in practice development, innovation and publications.
- Act as Prescribing Site Coordinator in overseeing the implementation and monitoring of nurse prescribing of medicinal products and nurse referring of radiological procedures.
Education and Training
- Work in collaboration with third level institutions to develop and implement educational frameworks for clinical programmes.
- Collaborate with the Head of the Centre for Learning and Development in the development and delivery of educational programmes that reflect policy and service need.
- Liaise with service and education providers in facilitating the delivery of workshops to support staff in their role as assessors of students of nursing, under-graduate, graduate and post-graduate.
- Through provision of support and supervision of the Clinical Placement Co-ordinators, ensure that the clinical areas, to which undergraduate student nurses are assigned for clinical placements, provide optimum learning environments and are capable of meeting the learning objectives set by the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland and the Third Level Education Provider.
Audit and Research
- Maintain a culture of audit and evaluation both within the NPDD and across the nursing service. Support the nursing service in examining the quality of their practice.
- Oversee the Nursing Instrument of Quality Assurance or other mechanism that examine standards of care in the clinical area. Examine and disseminate results and oversee actions plans if improvements required.
- Oversee the completion of audits in relation to nurse prescribing of medicinal products and nurse referring of radiological procedures as per hospital policy.
- Work collaboratively with nursing colleagues, the Trinity Centre for Practice and Healthcare Innovation and the Healthcare Researcher to initiate, facilitate and take part in relevant nursing research, promote nurses to undertake research and research awareness within the nursing service of the hospital.
- Keep up to date with nursing literature, present nursing research and new developments in nurse practice, management and conferences relating to nursing issues as required by the Director of Nursing.
Information Technology
- Ensure that the team makes the most effective and efficient use of developments in information technology for both patient care and administrative support in a manner, which integrates well with systems throughout the organisation.
- Ensure that all staff are trained in the use of computer systems, which are used in the management of patient episodes in the Hospital, e.g.: EPR, Pims, Order comms, Symphony, sap, core.
Health & Safety
- Ensure the compliance of all your staff with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005.
- Comply and enact Health and Safety responsibilities as outlined in Hospital policies, protocols and procedures relevant to your area.
- Prepare risk assessments and departmental safety statements as required.
Hygiene/Infection Control
- Ensure you are aware of your responsibility for Hygiene awareness. Hygiene is defined as “The practice that serves to keep people and environments clean and prevent infection.”
- Act as a role model and actively promote infection control and prevention and ensure that staff in your area familiarise themselves with the hospital infection control policies and guidelines as outlined in the Infection Control Manual.
- Ensure that staff in your area are aware that they work in an area where there is potential for transmission of infection.
- Ensure that all your staff are advised that they have a responsibility to prevent the transmission of infection particularly in relation to hand hygiene.
Quality, safety and risk management
- Support the delivery of the Quality, Safety and Risk Management Programme, including the appropriate identification, reporting and management of risks and incidents throughout the hospital.
Confidentiality
- You will be aware of the confidential nature of Hospital work and in particular, the right of patients to confidentiality. To this end, you will not discuss workings of the Hospital or its patients or disclose any information of a confidential nature except as required to do so in the course of your work. No records, documents or property of the Hospital may be removed from the premises of the Hospital without prior authorisation. You must return to the Hospital upon request and, in any event, upon the termination of your employment, all documents or other property of the Hospital which are in your possession or under your control.
Data Management
- Ensure compliance with the obligations required by the Data Protection Act 2018.
Development of Hospital Groups
- The Hospital Structure is currently under review and therefore, reporting relationships may change. The development of Hospital Groups may require the post-holder to adopt a different reporting relationship and additional accountabilities. Full consultation will take place in advance of any such change.
NOTE: The extent and speed of change in the delivery of health care is such that adaptability is essential at this level of appointment. The appointee will be required to maintain, enhance and develop their knowledge, skills and aptitudes necessary to respond to this changing environment. They will also be required to participate in and support the Hospital’s Digital transformation strategy which may impact work processes and role profiles in the future. The Job Description must therefore be regarded as an outline of the major areas of accountability at the present time, which will be reviewed and assessed on an on-going basis as advancements and developments evolve.
GENERAL
Applications can be submitted ‘on-line’ at www.tuh.ie/careers by completing the application form and attaching your CV.
Candidates should be aware that, when applying for a post through the 'On-Line' Application System (Candidate Manager) they will receive an automated replying acknowledging receipt of their application. Should you for any reason, not receive this automated acknowledgement, you should notify the Human Resources Department, before the closing date, otherwise your application will not be considered.
If you are shortlisted for interview you may be asked to make a presentation to the interview panel lasting no longer than 10 minutes. The title of the presentation will be advised to you if you are being invited to interview.
Closing Date: Before close of business on 29th March 2023
Informal enquiries to Ms Sandra McCarthy, Interim Director of Nursing & Integrated Care, telephone (01) 414 2154 or email sandra.mccarthy@tuh.ie
All candidates should note that, in order to maintain a timely process, the closing date and time for receipt of applications will be strictly adhered to