CNS ; Breast Care

Job Title ; Breast Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

Department ; Breast Centre

Reports to ; Breast Care Programme Manager

Date ; 2024

An overview of Breast Care Service at Beacon Hospital

The aim of the Breast care service at Beacon Hospital is to provide a high standard of treatment and care to breast care patients with benign breast disease, a diagnosis of breast cancer and a family risk of breast cancer.

The Clinical Nurse Specialist will provide a professional nursing service to meet the needs of the patients who are referred to the breast care service. The CNS will deliver specialist nursing care in line with the five core concepts of the Clinical Nurse Specialist role outlined in The Framework for The Establishment of CNS posts, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery(NCNM,2008)

The CNS carries out a central role in the assessment, counselling, surveillance and support of patients with malignant,benign and family risk of breast cancer.

Main role, duties and responsibilities of the Breast care Clinical Nurse Specialist:

§ To provide specialist knowledge, expertise and care to breast care patients.

§ To offer advice and support recognising the differences in the psychosocial impact of a breast cancer diagnosis.

§ To ensure continual optimal care for inpatients and out-patients and their families.

§ To assess, plan, implement and evaluate all aspects of the patient’s physical, psychological and social needs. 

§ Monitor patients on an ongoing basis, to evaluate outcomes and adjust nursing care practice to ensure optimum co-ordination and delivery of care. 

§ The Breast care CNS shall provide pre and post operative counselling, fitting of prosthesis both temporary and permanent when required.

§ To provide pre and post treatment care and support including in-depth information re; treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine treatment.

§ To assess, plan, implement, and evaluate all aspects of the patient’s physical, psychological and social needs maintaining autonomous practice.

§ To develop and participate in family history clinics, follow-up and results clinics.

§ Provide practical information on all aspects of altered image, which can be caused by the disease and treatment e.g. surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.

§ To keep accurate, legible records and be aware of the legal implications of these documents.

§ To review Breast Care referrals in collaboration with the Lead Consultant.

§ To liaise closely with the patient’s primary health care teams.

§ To demonstrate ability to participate in multi-disciplinary conferences with all professionals involved in delivery of patient care. The Breast care CNS shall act as a patient advocate in their absence, using knowledge and skills to co-ordinate continuity of care.

§ To establish and monitor standards of nursing practice in relation to ensuring best practice.

§ To attend the Triple Assessment Clinic as necessary

§ To work in collaboration with the Surgical, Medical and Radiation Oncology Teams to develop care pathways, implement best practice guidelines and standards of care.

§ Provides leadership in clinical practice and acts as a resource and role model for specialist practice.

Management

§ To independently manage own caseload of patients and associated responsibilities.

§ To ensure that policies, protocols, and guidelines for Breast cancer and Non Cancer patients are developed and implemented.

§ To identify the service development needs on six monthly bases. Development needs to be submitted to Oncology Unit Manager for service planning purposes.

§ To ensure a safe and healthy environment is maintained for patients and staff involved with Breast care service at UPMC Beacon Hospital.

Personal and Professional Development

§ To develop the required skills and knowledge to support the service needs within the scope of professional practice.

§ To undertake appropriate further training to enhance nursing practice within the specialist area.

§ Identifies own continuing professional development needs and engages accordingly.

Education

§ To possess highly specialised knowledge regarding breast disease. This knowledge shall be acquired through relevant study and experience.

§ To provide an educational service for patients and their families, formally and informally.

§ To incorporate health promotion principles into all aspects of nursing care.

§ To participate in teaching programmes and in-service training programmes for all staff.

§ To ensure adequate patient education material is available and contribute to developing new educational material where required.

§ Recognise the opportunity for clinical supervision and access if appropriate.

Quality Assurance, Audit and Research

§ To initiate and audit the clinical effectiveness of the Breast care services in conjunction with the Medical Oncology Team.

§ Ensure that relevant statistics are collected, collated, updated and highlighted, pertinent to individual caseloads and referral to breast care service.

§ Ensure that clinical practice, procedures and standards of care are evidence based and remain dynamic, ensuring quality service development to meet patient’s needs.

§ Encourage, imitate and participate in nursing research where appropriate.

§ To evaluate findings and assist with implementation of necessary change to improve the service.

§ To maintain awareness of current developments in the areas of Breast Care.

§ To provide updates of service reports to the Oncology Unit Manager and Consultants.

§ Contributes to service planning and budgetary processes through use of audit, data and specialist knowledge.

Governance

The post holder will operate at all times to high standards of probity. This will include compliance with:

§ Health and safety regulations

§ All policies and procedures approved by Beacon Hospital

§ Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act

§ Work within limitations of the role.

§ An Bord Altranais Professional Code of Conduct

§ National Cancer Strategy and the O’Higgins Report

For the purpose of this post the post holder will have achieved competence in the CNS domains as regulated by the National Council for Nursing and Midwifery.

The post holder will be expected to:

§ Support the aims and vision of Beacon Hospital and the Beacon Hospital Cancer Centre

§ Act with honesty and integrity at all times

§ Be a positive ambassador for the hospital

§ Demonstrate high standards of personal conduct

§ Value and respect colleagues, other members of staff and patients.

§ Work with others to develop and improve our services

This job description is not intended to be a complete list of duties and responsibilities but is a guide for information to the job. The post holder may be required, after consultation, to carry out other related tasks, which may not be specifically mentioned above.

Employee Profile for the Post of Clinical Nurse Specialist – Breast care

Core Domain

Essential

Desirable

Qualifications

Professional

Training and

Development

Skills,

Knowledge,

Abilities

Interest & motivatio,Commitment

 NMBI Registration

Minimum of 5 years post registration experience.

§ 2 years within specialist area

§ Excellent communications skills

§ Excellent time management and organisational skills.

§ Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team

§ Ability to work alone and organise own caseload.

§ Ability to work under pressure

§ Ability to initiate and manage change

§ Good IT and computer skills

 Interest in Breast care services and development of service for future.

Flexible towards working hours.

BNS

H.Dip in Oncology Nursing (Breast care) preferred

§ Management Development

§ 2 years in the area of medical oncology/breast surgery

§ Course in teaching and assessing in clinical practice.

§ Experience in research

This job description is intended to be an outline of the areas of responsibility and deliverables at the time of its writing. As the Hospital and the post holder develop, this job description may be subject to review in light of the changing needs of the Hospital.

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