POSITION DESCRIPTION Clinical Nurse Coordinator for Adult Rehabilitation and Health of Older People Date Produced: August 2008 Position Holder s Name: Position Holder s Signature:... Manager Name:... Manager / Supervisor s Signature:... Date:...
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION This position is responsible for the provision of clinical expertise and leadership for a group of district nurses, health care assistants and community support workers working in a similar geographical area in order to ensure client treatment and care planning is comprehensive. This will be supported by case management and reviews, meetings, performance reviews, clinical assessments and ensuring staff in the group receive regular supervision. The Clinical Nurse Coordinator will also ensure communication with the General Practice teams in line with the vision and values of Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) in relation to the Primary Health Care Strategy. PLACE IN THE ORGANISATION General Manager Adult Rehabilitation and Health of Older People Service Manager Operations Manager Clinical Nurse Director District Nursing Liaison Nurse Clinical Nurse Coordinator for DN s Nurse Educator District Nurse Key: ------------ Professional Accountability Operational Accountability
NATURE AND SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES Key Accountability Standards/Achievements Case management, case review, Leads team and individual reviews of clients by and discharge coordination for facilitating case review meetings District Nursing Clients Leads case reviews, management and care of clients with multiple co-morbidities and multifactorial needs Responsible for the management of clients with acute needs and provides professional guidance as required Liaises with multidisciplinary team, General Practice teams, and DHB professionals to ensure appropriateness and effectiveness of care to improve client outcomes Promotes an interdisciplinary approach to the provision of client care Leads case reviews as educational tool for team members to ensure best clinical outcomes for clients Ensures that multi-disciplinary reviews are carried out for the coordination of client care Collaborates with appropriate health professionals to facilitate admission and discharge planning Co-ordinates and monitors provision of safe and effective nursing practice, using teamwork to deliver care appropriate to the needs of clients and their families Promotes client independence and/or discharge where appropriate Monitors and reviews client acuity using clinical judgment to align workload, nursing skill, and staffing demands, including sick leave and casual cover Professional development for self Participates in professional supervision as per CMDHB policy Attends appropriate professional development to extend knowledge in the clinical and professional domains Maintains currency of own credentialing process, is compliant with the Professional Development Recognition Programme (PDRP) and participates in annual performance review Integrates health promotion and education in practice Actively participates in relevant professional organisations Contributes to presentation and publication of issues related to clinical practice Critiques research findings and uses as the basis for best practice
Key Accountability Professional Development for Team Standards/Achievements Ensures and/or provides for staff in their team regular supervision and mentoring as per CMDHB policy Undertakes clinical assessments for team members Responsible for performance reviews for team members Supports team members to complete requirements of annual PDRP Ensures team are familiar with credentialing requirements and the process for maintaining compliance Identifies deficits in clinical and professional competencies of team members. and works with NE and managers to monitor and address performance issues Promotes and supports educational opportunities for professional, personal, and clinical development of team members Ensures staff are aware of and utilise the appropriate policies and procedures Provides clinical support for the multi-disciplinary team Directs and supports preceptors in the orientation of new staff Provides education to staff within the clinical area and leads the process of reflective practice
Key Accountability Leadership Standards/Achievements Acts as an effective role model by demonstrating high levels of clinical competence, autonomy and professionalism Provides leadership to and promotes an environment of self accountability and responsibility for clinical decision making Demonstrates effective communication, conflict resolution and negotiation skills Liaises with General Practice teams and other health professionals to identify and prioritise client/community needs in alignment with the Primary Health Care strategy Responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care Promotes innovative and specialist clinical expertise in nursing practice and ensures it is validated with evidence based practice Provides clinical and professional guidance to deliver client focused care Uses review process and liaises with other health professionals to ensure that nursing care provided is appropriate, effective, and cost efficient Participates in and leads meetings within the service Provides a point of reference for clients, team members, managers and other health care professionals Enables effective practice by promoting and fostering a supportive and cohesive environment Collaborates with managers and clinical leaders to lead and manage change processes Advocates on behalf of clients/families/colleagues as appropriate and in a culturally safe manner Recognises and values the roles and skills of all members of the health care team and their delivery of care Leads standards of practice, protocols and policies for the service Effectively delegates activities according to individuals knowledge and skill levels Participates in business, nursing and education planning process at a strategic and service level Provides an environment that supports clients to set and achieve their goals Actively encourages day to day reflective practice
Key Accountability Standards/Achievements Quality and Risk Identifies areas for audit and quality Improvement Leads and monitors organisational audits, particularly those concerned with improved client outcomes Participates in the development of relevant specialty protocols/guidelines Monitors and drives effective use of resources for clinical care Works with Health and Safety and Infection Control Representatives to identify and minimise risks to clients and staff in the clinical setting and maintain organisational standards Participates in clinical review of complaints and incidents and works towards resolution and future prevention Follows the NZNO/DHBNZ Partnership agreement for implementation of safe staffing levels and work loads Leads projects that promote best practice and improved client outcomes Liaises with Clinical Nurse Specialists and Resource nurses to ensure uniformity and effectiveness of clinical practice in specialty areas of health care Ensures documentation is accurate and in accordance with CMDHB standards Identifies equipment requirements, leads trials and provides recommendations HEALTH & SAFETY Recognises individual responsibility for workplace Health & Safety under the Health and Safety Act 1992 Ensures a safe working environment and safe working practices Ensures that all accidents/incidents in the workplace are investigated, and that hazards are recognised and adequate controls put in place Workforce Planning Aligns staff skill to acuity of client care Works with Manager to meet staffing requirements Involved in succession planning and development of new staff to meet future skill requirements of the organisation Participates in workforce and development planning
Key Accountability CULTURAL SAFETY Commitment to the principles of Ti Tiriti O Waitangi Honouring Cultural Diversity Standards/Achievements Respect, sensitivity, cultural awareness are evident in interpersonal relationships. Has knowledge of and facilitates links with appropriate ethnic/cultural groups as required Acknowledges our cultural differences by respecting spiritual beliefs, cultural practices and lifestyle choices of clients and their families/whanau. Leads commitment to culturally safe practice Demonstrates in practice the principles of Ti Tiriti o Waitangi of partnership, participation and protection Promotes Tikanga best practice in service delivery Utilise Information Technology Demonstrates ability to access and use available clinical information systems Is conversant with applications required for specific discipline/role. For example, PIMS, Concerto, Outlook, Forms on Line. Demonstrates literacy and computer skills necessary to record, enter, store, retrieve, and organize essential care delivery PROBLEM COMPLEXITY As a generalist specialist, the Clinical Nurse Coordinator (CNC) will be required to provide critical and creative thinking related to clinical and professional outcomes in order to manage complex problems of a wide and varied nature. The CNC will regularly be challenged to troubleshoot issues and problems independently and often under pressure and in acute situations, in order to provide client focused service delivery. The range of problems will be diverse and often highly complex, and require innovative non-routine solutions customised to meet the circumstances of the client. There will be a requirement to prioritise issues and negotiate time frames, while still providing a quality customer service. Failure to do so would impact on the organisation in terms of risk management.
SCOPE FOR ACTION The CNC provides the direct clinical support for the, making decisions relating to the clinical management of clients within the Service. The CNC utilises initiative and innovative approaches to problem solving to deal with issues that arise. They will need to negotiate with and co-ordinate a variety of staff, frequently needing to develop individual solutions for each issue and problem. The CNC provides leadership to through: Role modelling Promotion of clinical standards Professional accountability Supervision and mentorship Change management Support to The CNC actively develops relationships with internal and external agencies to reduce duplication of services and deliver seamless transition of care. The CNCs are generalist specialists who deal with a variety of increasingly complex clinical situations. They are involved in the development and implementation of policy, procedures, and guidelines. They bring new initiatives and ideas to improve organisational efficiency and improved client outcomes. The CNC has an understanding of budgetary requirements, contracts with external services, and resources available to the service. The CNC plans and prioritises workload and ensures safe staffing and skill mix which is a continual challenge in the current climate of escalating demand for and acuity within the service. There is a need for commitment to the vision and values of CMDHB, and to client focused service. This is a unique and autonomous role which provides leadership to a group of nurses, frequently working in a low socio-economic area of cultural diversity.
COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS The CNC will have excellent communication and negotiation skills to coordinate appropriate and timely clinical care. The CNC will be required to demonstrate problem solving and analytical skills and have a proven ability to respond calmly and effectively when managing unpredictable situations. In conflict situations the CNC will be required to exercise sound judgement, negotiation, and persuasiveness skills, toward facilitating a workable outcome. Situations may often call for tact, diplomacy and will require information to be handled in a discreet and sensitive manner. The CNC will communicate with a variety of internal staff as well as organisations external to CMDHB. Regular Contacts Internal Service Manager Operations Manager Clinical Nurse Director District Nursing Liaison Nurse Nurse Educator Nurse Specialists Community Support Workers Health Assistants Medical Specialists Allied Health Section Heads Multidisciplinary team Clerical staff Cultural Support Resource Other Clinical Nurse Coordinators for DNs Other health care professionals Hospital Pharmacy External Hospice staff Palliative Care Team GPs/PHOs/Practice Nurses NASC Other health care providers Interpreting service Clients Families/Whanau Health care professionals from other DHB and NGO wards and hospital departments Residential care staff Tertiary educational providers Community pharmacy ACC Case Managers
DIMENSION OF THE POSITION The CNC is professionally responsible to the Clinical Nurse Director District Nursing and responsible to the Operations Manager for achievement of objectives and goals for the Home Health Care service. The CNC will provide an expert contribution and will make recommendations for improvement in clinical practice within the service related to quality, resource and performance issues. This includes effective liaison with staff and appropriate external parties and groups, co-ordination of available resources, optimisation of staff skills and effective training and development. POSITIONS REPORTING Directly Indirectly Group of DNs Support staff, nursing students.
PERSON SPECIFICATION EDUCATION EXPERIENCE/ KNOWLEDGE SPECIFIC SKILLS PERSONAL and PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES MINIMUM Registered Nurse/ Registered Comprehensive Nurse Current Annual Practicing Certificate Has achieved Post Graduate qualification or equivalent in relevant clinical area. A minimum of three to five years recent clinical experience in area of practice. Functioning at Proficient level on the PDRP working towards Expert level. The ability to work independently and be a member of a team. Knowledge of current sociopolitical issues within nursing and in their specialty area. Basic Knowledge and understanding of medico/legal and ethical responsibilities. Experience in problem solving, priority setting, and planning. Negotiation/conflict management skills. Ability to self evaluate and reflect on practice. Ability to critique research and use it as the basis of practice. Clean and Full NZ Driver s Licence A strong customer focus. A strong commitment and genuine interest in quality and service. Demonstrates strong clinical leadership. Commitment to the development of the nursing profession within CMDHB Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of staff and develop relevant networks. Demonstrates cultural competence. Active involvement in relevant, professional/other organisations. A passion for improving nursing practice and standards of care. PREFERRED Has achieved Post Graduate qualification or equivalent in management or leadership. Functioning at Expert level on the PDRP Demonstrated ability in the development and management of staff. Knowledge of the ACC and MOH contracts.