Overview

Post Title: Clinical Nurse Specialist – Infection Prevention & Control (18.75 hours per week) / Clinical Practice Development Nurse (18.75 hours per week)Post Status: Specified Purpose ( TBD)Location: St Joseph’s Hospital, Raheny, Dublin 5Reports to: Director of Nursing Salary: Appointment will be made on Clinical Nurse Manager 2 Grade at a point in line with Government pay policyHours of work: Full Time, 37.5 hours per weekClosing Date: 14/05/2026 @ 12:00

Responsibilities

Clinical Nurse Specialist in Infection Prevention and Control (18.75 Hours Per Week)

ROLE SUMMARY:

• To improve the care of patients/ clients by developing services relating to the prevention of infection and to assist overall in optimising quality and continuity of care.

• To identify and implement standards of best practice in order to optimise the use of resources and to ensure compliance with statutory requirements

• To act as manager, clinical consultant, educator, researcher and auditor in all matters relating to the prevention of infection.

• To assist in managing the surveillance programme within the hospital

Clinical Focus:

• The successful candidate will be required to work across the site incorporating all clinical/non clinical areas on campus.

• To provide expert opinion and advice on prevention, surveillance, investigation and control of infection to all hospital staff.

• To work in close co-operation with various departments and act as a liaison between the microbiology laboratory and the clinical area.

• To establish and develop clear referral guidelines and communication links within hospital departments and other health care services involved in the delivery of a quality service to patients with suspected or known infection e.g. public health nurses, GPs, other hospitals and nursing homes.

• Referrals to the Infection Prevention and Control CNS may be directly from any member of staff throughout St Joseph’s Hospital Campus.

• To assess, plan, implement and evaluate the care of patients with suspected or known infection by developing and managing services related to infection control procedures and practices within the hospital.

• To promote and influence patient / carer independence through the relevant teaching and support.

• To take part in development, review and implementation of infection control policies, procedures and guidelines.

• The Infection Prevention and Control Nurse assists in the investigation and control of outbreaks with particular reference to their source and mode of spread and advises management of infected and colonised patients.

• To provide clinical expertise, leadership and be a resource for all hospital staff and patients at both ward and department level.

• To liase with community partners when relevant.

• To follow up discharged patients to ensure early identification if admitted in the future.

Patient Advocate:

• To act as a patient/ staff advocate through the application of ethical, legal and professional knowledge and skills.

• To review and assess referred patients taking into account the patients opinions and decisions.

• To act as a resource to patients at expert level, regarding all aspects of infection control.

• To communicate and negotiate on behalf of the patient within the multidisciplinary team and represents the patient by including them in the decision making process.

Education and Training:

• In consultation with all staff, the Infection Prevention and Control Nurse will ensure a safe environment for the both staff and patients by ensuring the prevention and early detection of infection.

• To co-ordinate and evaluate formal and informal training of staff, patients and carers in relation to infection control.

• To provide both structured and impromptu education for all grades / disciplines of health care workers in the prevention, surveillance, investigation and control of infection.

• To identify and plan, with the support from the Director of Nursing, the Nursing Practice Development Co-ordinator, Microbiologists and the Infection Prevention and Control Team, an education and training plan for all health care workers within the organisation.

• To instruct the nursing and medical staff in the need to detect and report suspected infection.

• To educate, supervise and support junior staff working in the clinical setting to help them attain a level of competency in infection control.

• To orientate and educate junior medical staff rotated to the Microbiology team.

• To accept responsibility for personal professional development and keep up-dated about current trends and strategies for infection control management.

• To attend conferences, courses and study days relevant to infection control – disseminate new information, any changes to clinical practice and how best to integrate them into patient care in St Joseph’s Hospital Campus.

• To maintain a personal record of professional development and to discuss the present performance and future needs with the line manager and Director of Nursing.

• To participate actively in personal development planning process on a regular basis.

Audit and Research:

• To lead in clinical audit relating to infection control issues

• To monitor infection prevention & control measures.

• Implement recognised guidelines, policies and procedures for infection control throughout the hospital and to action plan with the appropriate Managers.

• Constantly critically evaluate research findings and change clinical practice according to international research.

• Contribute to nursing research, when relevant to area of practice. This ensures patient care reaches standards of excellence.

• To facilitate the development of research appreciation and critical awareness of staff demonstrating the application of evidence based practice.

• To participate in relevant collaborative research within the clinical setting and facilitate active involvement of staff.

• To participate in research studies in conjunction with the infection control team.

• To facilitate the development of research appreciation and critical awareness of staff demonstrating the application of evidence-based practice.

• To establish quality criteria against which infection control standards can be measured.

• To carry out internal audits to assess infection control standards of care are maintained.

• To conduct investigations to assess and monitor the quality of infection control standards.

• To carry out surveillance on an ongoing basis.

• To ensure that statistical information is provided to management on a regular basis or as required.

• To present own researched work at infection control conferences.

• To maintain accurate records, documentation and co-ordinate the dissemination of information related to infection control issues.• To advise on the use of new/ trial equipment, products and recommend subsequent purchases.• The Infection Prevention and Control Nurse will be responsible for the evaluation of the role on an annual, which in turn will then be reported to the Director of Nursing.

• Submit annual report on the IPC service and development plan for the following year.

Nurse Consultant:

• To consult with all staff within the hospital regarding infection prevention and control issues and participate in multidisciplinary team meetings as required.

• To play a leading role in the development implementation and evaluation of an infection control management strategy within St Joseph’s Hospital Campus and Beaumont Hospital.

• To be available as a resource and support to all health professionals within the hospital at ward level.

• To establish and maintain a good working relationship with management and staff in the hospital to optimise quality care.

• To be an active member of the infection control committee and serve on other committees as required.

• To establish an appropriate network with other clinical nurse specialists and incorporate international, national and local initiatives and standard of practice where appropriate.

• To participate on local/ national and international meetings regarding infection control

• To liase with project development and hospital building projects.

• To network to establish contacts and links within the specialist field.

• To endeavour to establish links with the community as appropriate.

• To be a member of relevant professional groups e.g. Infection Prevention Society.

• To maintain active membership of relevant professional associations.

Clinical Practice Development Nurse (18.75 Hours Per Week)

ROLE SUMMARY:

• To lead out in consultation with the Nursing Practice Development Co-ordinator (NPDC) with the design, implementation, evaluation of practice development projects and development of educational programmes for nurses in line with the Nursing Strategy for Beaumont and St Joseph’s Hospital.• To co-ordinate educational programmes, liaising with Education Co-ordinator relevant to the learning needs of all grades of nursing staff on the campus.• To work with the Nursing Practice Development team and collaborate with the CPSN in RCNU to ensure standards are implemented across the site. • To develop a Clinical Learning Environment and support nurses in St Joseph’s Hospital.

CLINICAL FOCUS:

1. To be an effective Practitioner able to establish and maintain high quality evidence based nursing service.

2. Direct, supervise and support the nursing staff in the management of nursing care i.e. provide professional and specialist advice on the provision of nursing care and participate in the delivery of care.

3. Ensure clinical competency of nursing staff in performing clinical procedures and introduce new clinical practices and techniques in an appropriate manner.

4. Using a model of nursing consistent with Hospital Nursing Policy assess the health status of individual patients and deliver safe care.

5. Collaborate with the medical team and other healthcare professionals with regard to the effectiveness of care in the department.

6. Review patient care plans for appropriate patient goals, problems, approaches and revise based on nursing needs.

7. Ensure the provision of timely and complete information and education for individual patients aimed at promoting independence, prevention of illness and promotion of health.

MANAGERIAL:

1. Maintain effective communication and professional relationships within the St Joseph’s Campus Directorate, and all associated clinical and administrative areas within Beaumont Hospital.

2. Guide, support and supervise the nursing staff to enable them to deliver the highest possible standard of nursing care.

3. Lead and motivate staff and influence change in response to a changing health service environment. Assist nurses with their development.

4. Ensure that the agreed hospital and specialist policies and procedures are known to and understood by staff and are implemented.

5. Ensure the maintenance of a suitable environment for patients and staff with particular emphasis on Health and Safety. This will require that relationships with the Infection Control Team, Occupational Health Department, Fire Officer, Technical and Bio-engineering staff and providers of equipment will need to be established and maintained.

6. Investigate incidents and accidents involving patients, staff and visitors in accordance with hospital policy and report these verbally and in writing to CNM III and implement corrective action when necessary.

7. Establish effective communication with clinical support Departments (i.e. Pathology, Radiology, Wards) and allied health professionals to ensure that the services required for individual patients are co-ordinated and timely delivered.

8. Ensure that staff are up to date with all mandatory training and are familiar with the hospital internal disaster and major disaster plans.

9. Ensure the implementation of effective maintenance systems for medical equipment in use i.e. maintaining inventory of equipment, trialling new equipment and checking equipment before use, ensuring adequate training of staff in the correct use and care of equipment.

10. Ensure that verbal and written nursing reporting systems are accurate and adequate and that nursing reports accompany patients who are being transferred to other units and wards.

11. Contribute to the development of operational and strategic plans to St. Joseph’s Campus.

12. Convene regular Theatre meetings to encourage a positive staff environment and participation within the department.

STANDARDS & QUALITY OF CARE:

1. Takes all steps possible to safeguard the welfare of patients through actively leading in:- Quality initiatives within the Unit with the aim of improving patient care and promoting the further development of Nursing within the speciality.

2. Have an awareness of the strategic objectives of Beaumont Hospital

3. Identifying areas of practice which require review and update and lead in the development of evidence based practice in consultation with staff.

4. Actively participate in the formulation of nursing guidelines and standard operating procedures.

5. Attend regular Directorate meetings and provide feedback to staff.

6. Ensure the establishment of clinical standards within realistic targets and explicit limits as set by Director of Nursing.

7. Assess the quality of work provided by individual members of the nursing team.

8. Play an active role in ensuring the clinical environment meets standards expected with regard to Hygiene, Decontamination and the Prevention and Control of Infection, in particular the prevention of Blood Borne Viruses.

EDUCATION - STAFF DEVELOPMENT:1. Create and maintain an environment conducive to evidence based teaching, learning and practice.

2. Act as an effective role model, mentor and leader of staff.

3. Take all possible steps to promote the development of staff nurses with the aim of facilitating nurses to be autonomous and expert practitioners.

4. Identify training and development needs of individual staff assigned to the Unit and set objectives for such learning in collaboration with the ward/units CNM II.

5. Facilitate appropriate study days for nursing and support staff in accordance with Department of Nursing policy.

6. Identify and utilise teaching, learning and practice opportunities in the clinical setting and encourage problem based learning strategies based on patient health problems.

7. Participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of Induction/Orientation Training Programmes, Continuing Education Programmes and the Post Graduate and Foundation Theatre Nursing Programme.

8. Ensure the availability of appropriate information/educational resources for staff and families aiming to encourage independence, the prevention of illness and the promotion of health for all patients.

9. Participate actively with research opportunities within the Unit.PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT:1. Maintain a high level of staff morale, promoting team spirit and job satisfaction among nursing, multidisciplinary and support staff within the practice area.

2. Ensure that all staff practice nursing within the code set for the profession by An Bord Altranais/ NMBI.

3. Take all possible steps to safeguard the welfare and safety of the staff.

4. Receive with courtesy, visiting professionals and lay visitors to the Campus.

5. Handle staff complaints, grievances and disciplinary matters in accordance with hospital policy and report to CNM III/DON as necessary on serious or unresolved issues.

6. Carrying out development and performance review interviews with individual post-graduate nursing staff, using job performance review in accordance with unit policy.

7. Ensures that the work of the clerical staff is carried out to the required standard and liaises with the Clerical Supervisor with regard to training and development needs of staff.SELF DEVELOPMENT:1. Have a creative outlook enabling progress to be made towards the ultimate objective of reaching standards of excellence in the delivery of nursing care and in the co-ordination of multi-disciplinary care.

2. Maintain and update knowledge of relevant professional development and all current trends in the speciality of peri operative nursing, and an awareness of future trends.

3. Develop personal skills in peri operative nursing with "hands on" nursing commitment.

4. Attend and participate in staff development programmes and represent peri operative nursing as a speciality at meetings and conferences, as required.

5. Discuss present performance and future needs with Director of Nursing using Job Performance Review in accordance with hospital policy.ADMINISTRATIVE:1. Ensure the correct completion of records and reports.

2. Actively promote the utilisation and further development of clinical and administrative computerisation.

3. Assist in the preparation of the Annual Departmental Report.

4. Participate in the administration of unit budgetary/management.

Qualifications

The job description represents the main functions of the role and is subject to review and amendment to reflect the needs of the service as directed by the Clinical Nurse Manager III & Director of Nursing.

Mandatory Requirements: 1. To be registered with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) in the General Division of the Register.2. To have name maintained on the Live Register with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) 3. To have a minimum of five years Post Registration experience., three of which must be in an acute care setting 4. Have attained a post graduate qualification or be willing to undertake one. 5. Candidates must demonstrate evidence of continuous professional development 6. Applicants for this post must have the requisite knowledge and management ability for the proper discharge of the duties of the post.

Desirable Requirements:

1. Post Graduate qualification in Infection Prevention & Control is desirable. 2. A management course is desirable.

If an appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and that appointee is entitled to or in receipt of a pension from the Civil or Public Service or where a Civil/ Public Service pension comes into payment during the appointee’s re-employment that pension will be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012.

Please note: In applying for this position you are acknowledging that you understand that the abatement provisions, where relevant, will apply. It is not envisaged that the employing Department/ Office/ Body will support an application for an abatement waiver in respect of appointments to this position

Informal Enquiries to:

Name: Elaine HanaphyTitle: Clinical Nurse Manager IIIEmail address: elainehanaphy2@beaumont.ieTelephone: 01 850 5680

Clinical Nurse Manager II

Job Description