Candidate Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Role Title:Candidate Advanced Nurse Practitioner (cANP): Out Patient Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) Job Reference Number:001795 Closing Date: Sunday, 16th November 2025 Purpose of the Role: The main purpose of the Candidate Advanced Nurse Practitioner (cANP) post is to develop the job description and supporting documentation under the direction of the Health Care Providers Advanced Practice Stakeholder Governance Group, to enable the individual nurse to meet the NMBI Criteria for Registration as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner as set out in Advanced Practice (Nursing) Standards and Requirements (NMBI, 2017). The individual will undertake the academic preparation and develop the clinical and leadership skills, competencies and knowledge required to meet the criteria to be registered as a RANP with NMBI. The scope of the cANP role must reflect the incremental development of expertise and as such, the cANP cannot deliver care as an autonomous practitioner. The individual will complete and submit the necessary documentation for registration as an RANP with NMBI. The value of the nursing contribution as a distinct profession must be safeguarded and articulated in the development of new services led by advanced nurse practitioners, complementing rather than replacing current services delivered by doctors (NMBI 2017 p.9). Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) is the administration of intravenous antimicrobials to patients through HOPAT where a nurse calls to the patients home daily and administers the antibiotic, or SOPAT where the patient is trained to self-administer the antibiotic, or as co-OPAT where the patient is in a stepdown facility e.g. St Lukes hospital or a nursing home setting. A key part of this role will support the development of scope to include both PICC line and midline insertion. OPAT is governed through the Infectious Diseases service in St Jamess Hospital, the current lead is Prof Susie Clarke. The OPAT team operate through the governance of the National OPAT programme and conforms to all guidelines. The service manages referrals from inpatients, outpatients, the ED, and community referrals through GPs. The OPAT ANP as part of a team will provide a service to an adult population and provides services which include but are not limited to the following examples of commonly referred conditions: Osteomyelitis Abscess care Septic arthritis Post-surgical wound infection Pyelonephritis Prosthetic joint infection Cellulitis The overall purpose of the post is to provide safe, timely, evidenced based nurse-led care to patients at an advanced nursing level. This involves undertaking and documenting a complete episode of patient care (assess, diagnose, plan, treat, and discharge patients) according to collaboratively agreed protocols and scope of practice in the clinical setting; demonstrating advanced clinical and theoretical knowledge, critical thinking, clinical leadership, and decision making skills. The advanced practice role demonstrates a high degree of knowledge, skill, and experience which is applied within the nurse-patient/client relationship to achieve optimal outcomes through critical analysis, problem solving, and accurate decision making (NMBI, 2017). Central to this is the provision of quality care, a safe environment and processes for patients by the use of evidence based clinical guidelines which address patient expectations, promote wellness, and evaluate care given. The role will provide clinical leadership and professional scholarship in order to develop nursing practice and health policy at local, regional, and national level. The role will contribute to nursing research to shape and advance nursing practice, education, and health care policy at local, national, and international levels. Required: Be a Registered Nurse on the NMBIs Active Register or entitled to be so registered. And Be registered in the division of NMBIs Active Register for which the application is being made or in recognition of services which span several patient/client groups and/or registrations, provide evidence of validated competencies relevant to the context of practice. Or In recognition of services that span several patient/client groups and/or divisions(s) of the register, provide evidence of validated competencies relevant to the context of practice. And Have a broad base of clinical experience relevant to the advanced field of practice. And Be eligible to undertake a Masters Degree (or higher) in Nursing or a Masters Degree, which is relevant or applicable to the advance field of practice they are working in. The Masters programme must be at Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (Quality & Qualifications Ireland), or equivalent. Educational preparation must include at least three modular components pertaining to the relevant area of advanced practice, in addition to clinical practicum. Or Be currently undertaking a Masters Degree in Nursing (Advanced Practice Pathway) or be eligible to register to undertake additional Level 9 National Framework of Qualifications (Quality and Qualifications Ireland) specific modules of a Masters Degree in Nursing (Advanced Practice Pathway) within an agreed timeframe. Educational preparation must include at least three modular components pertaining to the relevant area of advanced practice, in addition to clinical practicum. Or Possess a Masters Degree (or higher) in Nursing or a Masters Degree which is relevant, or applicable, to the advanced field of practice. The Masters programme must be at Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (Quality & Qualifications Ireland), or equivalent. Educational preparation must include at least three modular components pertaining to the relevant area of advanced practice, in addition to clinical practicum. And Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability including a high standard of suitability and clinical, professional and administrative capacity to properly discharge the functions of the role. The Candidate Advanced Nurse Practitioner is required to have progressed to being eligible to be registered as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner with NMBI within 3 years of commencement in the post. Demonstrate I.T. skills including excellent keyboard skills. Experience in teaching and assessing junior staff/nursing students. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and clinical expertise in the management of patients with infectious disease and/or anti-microbial stewardship. Desired: Working knowledge of healthcare patient record systems. Research/poster/publication.