Job Title ; Acute Oncology RANP / CANP/CNS
Department ; Cancer Services
Reports to ;Head of Cancer Services
Start Date ;2026
Overall Purpose of Job
The advanced practice service is provided by nurses who practice at a higher level of capability as independent, autonomous and expert advanced practitioners. The overall purpose of the service is to provide safe, timely, evidence-based nurse-led care to patients at an advanced nursing level. This involves undertaking and documenting complete episodes of patient care, which include comprehensively assessing, diagnosing, planning, treating and discharging patients in accordance with collaboratively agreed local policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines and/or service level agreements/ memoranda of understanding. The ANP demonstrates advanced clinical and theoretical knowledge, critical thinking, clinical leadership and complex decision-making abilities.
Service provision by the ANP is described in
- ANP / CNS Role in Acute Oncology Serve (Reviewed yearly)
- Cancer Service Plan for Provision of Care. (Reviewed 2 yearly)
The ANP / CNS practices in accordance with the following documents;
Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives (NMBI 2014)
Scope of Nursing and Midwifery Practice Framework (NMBI 2015)
Advanced Practice (Nursing) Standards and Requirements (NMBI 2017)
Values for Nurses and Midwives in Ireland (Department of Health 2016)
Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation Standards for Hospitals
Local policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines.
Key Working Relationships
Fiona Kirwan Director of Nursing
Martina Farley Head of Cancer Services
Suzanne Byrne CNM 3 Cancer Services
Assistant Directors of Nursing
Medical Oncologists
Radiation Oncologists
Haematologists
Palliative Care team
Urology Consultants
Emergency Department
Clinical Nurse Managers
ANPs and other nursing grades
Prescribing Site Coordinator
NCHDs
Interprofessional colleagues
Patients/service users/families and/or carers
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
Other relevant statutory and non-statutory organisations
Professional Practice Portfolio and Clinical Supervision (RANP Only)
The ANP must maintain a professional practice portfolio, incorporating evidence of learning from continuing professional development, clinical supervision, reflective practice and review of his/her own scope of practice in accordance with regulatory requirements and service need.
The ANP will engage in the following clinical supervision;
1. Conduct a clinical supervision meeting with the Head of cancer services Martin Farley monthly. The agenda for these meetings will include collaborative reflective practice, review of scope of practice and review of the ANP's portfolio
2. Meet with other ANPs and candidate ANPs in the organisation via the Beacon Hospital Advanced Practice Forum
3. Engage with and/or maintain membership of relevant national expert groups for the practice area
4. Conduct audits of nurse prescribing as specified in the ANP's Collaborative Practice Agreement / Beacon Hospital Nurse Prescribing Policy
5. Engage in continuous professional development activities relevant to the role e.g. attendance at scientific meetings, review of scientific literature, reflective practice, mentorship, workshops, e-learning, self-directed learning. Study days must be requested and approved by the ANP's line manager
Key Responsibilities and Deliverables
The post holder's practice is based on the six domains of competence as defined by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (2019) Advanced Practice (Nursing) Standards and Requirements. The domains of competence are;
Professional Values and Conduct
Clinical Decision-Making
Knowledge and Cognitive Competencies
Communication and Interpersonal Competencies
Management and Team Competencies
Leadership and Professional Scholarship Competencies
Main Clinical Goals
Rapid Assessment and Management:
Provide immediate and expert assessment of patients with cancer-related emergencies.
Implement timely and appropriate interventions to manage acute oncological conditions.
Management of Oncological Emergencies within 24hours (or on first review)
Address complications such as neutropenic sepsis, spinal cord compression, hypercalcemia, and tumour lysis syndrome.
Ensure prompt treatment to prevent morbidity and mortality.
Compliance and adherence to the UKONS Acute Oncology Management Guidelines
Coordination of Care:
Facilitate coordination between oncology specialists, primary care providers, and other healthcare professionals.
Ensure seamless transitions between different levels of care, including inpatient, outpatient, and community services.
Patient and Family Support:
Provide psychological and emotional support to patients and their families.
Offer counselling and support services to help patients and families cope with the diagnosis and treatment.
Education and Training:
Educate healthcare professionals about the recognition and management of oncological emergencies.
Provide training to staff to enhance their skills in managing acute oncology patients.
ANP CNS to be Trained to advanced - expert Level within UKONs Training program (Acute Oncology Management Guidelines) Competency for ANP / CNS to be signed off by clinical lead for Acute Oncology, however one of the privileged Medical Oncology Consultant's may sign off in Clinical Leads absence.
Prevention of Unplanned Admissions:
Implement strategies to reduce unplanned hospital admissions through early intervention and proactive management.
Provide oversight of KPIs within Beacon UKONs Dashboard, monitoring compliance and performance through compliance of UKONS Triage forms.
Develop and follow pathways and protocols to manage common oncological emergencies in the outpatient setting when appropriate.
Clinical Governance and Quality Improvement:
Monitor and evaluate the quality of care provided to ensure adherence to clinical guidelines and best practices.
Engage in continuous quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient outcomes and service efficiency
Domain 1: Professional Values and Conduct
The ANP / CNS will apply ethically sound solutions to complex issues related to individuals and populations by;
Demonstrating accountability and responsibility for professional practice as a lead healthcare professional in the care of patients. The initial caseload and scope of practice for the ANP is agreed as follows;
Articulating safe boundaries and engaging in timely referral and collaboration for those areas outside his/her scope of practice, experience, and competence using established referral pathways as per locally agreed policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines
Demonstrating leadership by practising compassionately to facilitate, optimise, promote and support the health, comfort, quality of life and wellbeing of persons whose lives are affected by altered health, chronic disorders, disability, distress or life-limiting conditions. The ANP practices according to a professional practice model that provides him/her latitude to control his/her own practice, focusing on person-centred care, interpersonal interactions and the promotion of healing environments
Articulating and promoting the ANP role in clinical, political and professional contexts by contributing to the department's annual report, contributing to department and hospital quality improvement projects, and participating in local and national committees to ensure best practice.
Domain 2: Clinical Decision-Making Competencies
The ANP will utilise advanced knowledge, skills, and abilities to engage in senior clinical decision making by;
Conducting a comprehensive holistic health assessment using evidenced-based frameworks, policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines to determine diagnoses and inform autonomous advanced nursing care including but not exclusive to the UKONS Acute Oncology Guidelines and NCCP.
Synthesising and interpreting assessment information particularly history including prior treatment outcomes, physical findings and diagnostic data to identify normal, at risk and subnormal states of health
Demonstrating timely use of diagnostic investigations/additional evidence-based advanced assessments to inform clinical-decision making
Exhibiting comprehensive knowledge of therapeutic interventions including pharmacological and non-pharmacological advanced nursing interventions, supported by evidence-based policies, procedures, protocols, and guidelines, relevant legislation, and relevant professional regulatory standards and requirements
Initiating and implementing health promotion activities and self-management plans in accordance with the wider public health agenda
Discharging patients from the service as per an agreed supporting policy, procedure, protocols, guidelines and referral pathways.
Domain 3: Knowledge and Cognitive Competencies
The ANP will actively contribute to the professional body of knowledge related to his/her area of advanced practice by;
Providing leadership in the translation of new knowledge to clinical practice (for example, through clinical and classroom education, mentorship, participation in audit, participation in quality management)
Educating others using an advanced expert knowledge base derived from clinical experience, on-going reflection, clinical supervision and engagement in continuous professional development
Demonstrating a vision for advanced practice nursing based on service need and a competent expert knowledge base that is developed through research, critical thinking, and experiential learning
UKONs Training Program for Acute Oncology Guidelines
Domain 4: Communication and Interpersonal Competencies
The ANP will negotiate and advocate with other health professionals to ensure the beliefs, rights and wishes of the person are respected by;
Communicating effectively with the healthcare team through sharing of information in accordance with legal, professional and regulatory requirements
Demonstrating leadership in professional practice by using professional language (verbally and in writing) that represents the plan of care, which is developed in collaboration with the person and shared with the other members of the inter-professional team as per the organisation's policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines
Facilitating clinical supervision and mentorship through utilising one's expert knowledge and clinical competences
Utilising information technology, in accordance with legislation and organisational policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines to record all aspects of advanced nursing care.
Domain 5: Management and Team Competencies
The ANP will manage risk to those who access the service through promotion of a safe environment by;
Supporting the principle that person-centred care comes first at all times, and ensuring the effective, efficient and resourceful planning, organisation and delivery of the ANP nursing service with the flexibility and enthusiasm necessary to make this principle a reality for every patient
Participating in the development of the overall service plan and in the monitoring and review of ANP activity against the plan
Providing innovative and effective leadership, support, and advice, to nursing and allied staff at all levels related to their area of practice
Participating and engaging in projects and service developments by representing senior nursing on committees and groups as relevant to the ANP nursing service
Participating in the organisation's JCI accreditation process, through such activities as participating in working groups and the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee
Promoting a culture of quality care
Proactively seeking quantitative and qualitative feedback from stakeholders on their experiences of the service, analysing same and making suggestions for improvement
Implementing practice changes using negotiation and consensus building, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team and stakeholders.
Domain 6: Leadership and Professional Scholarship Competencies
The ANP will lead in multidisciplinary team planning for transitions across the continuum of care by;
Demonstrating clinical leadership in the design and evaluation of services (for example findings from research, audit, new evidence)
Engaging in policy development, implementation, and evaluation (for example key performance indicators from national clinical and integrated care programme/HSE National Service Plan/local service need to influence and shape the future development and direction of advanced practice)
Identifying gaps in the provision of care and services and expand the service to enhance the quality, effectiveness and safety of the service in response to emerging healthcare needs
Leading in managing and implementing change.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Be registered in the Advanced Nurse Practitioner division of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland Register or as a CNS be willing to progress to ANP
Be registered in the Nurse Prescribers division of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland Register
Hold a Master of Science Degree (National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Level 9 major academic award or equivalent) relevant to the clinical speciality at CNS Grade
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.
Experience
Have extensive experience and clinical expertise i.e. a minimum of 5 years' (full-time or an aggregate of 5 years' full time) post-registration experience
Have a minimum of 2 years' experience in the specialist area
Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional responsibility within his/her scope of practice
Have evidence of continuing professional development.
Job Specific Competencies and
Knowledge
Teamwork
Demonstrate ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Demonstrate motivation and an innovative approach to job.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills
The ANP will demonstrate:
Effective communication skills
The ability to build and maintain relationships, particularly in the context of MDT working
The ability to present information in a clear and concise manner
The ability to manage groups through the learning process
The ability to provide constructive feedback to encourage future learning
Effective presentation skills.
Planning & Organising
The ANP will demonstrate:
Evidence of effective organisational skills including awareness of appropriate resource management
The ability to attain designated targets, manage deadlines and multiple tasks
The ability to be self-directed and work on own initiative
A willingness to be flexible in response to changing local/organisational requirements.
Building & Maintaining Relationships including Team and Leadership skills
The ANP will demonstrate:
Leadership, change management and team management skills including the ability to work with MDT colleagues.
Commitment to Providing a Quality Service
The ANP will demonstrate:
Awareness and respect for the patient's views in relation to their care
Evidence of providing quality improvement programmes
Evidence of conducting audit
Evidence of motivation by ongoing professional development.
Analysing and Decision-Making
The ANP will demonstrate:
Effective analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills.
Personal Competencies
All posts in Beacon Hospital require a high level of flexibility to ensure the delivery of an effective and efficient service. Therefore, the post holder will be required to demonstrate flexibility as and when required by their manager or hospital management.
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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