Haematology Nurse Specialist
Job Title
Location of Post
Eligibility criteria
Qualifications/and
or experience
Nurse Specialist –Haematology (CNM2 grade with intent to seek CNS status approval when
eligible to do so)
Temple Street Children’s University Hospital
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Registered Children’s Nurse.
Five years post registration experience in Children’s Nursing.
Two years recent paediatric Haematology/Oncology experience.
Proven track record in continuing professional development.
Higher Diploma (Level 8) with specialist modules specific to Haematology/Oncology or
higher or willingness to work towards.
Reporting
Relationship
Reporting to Directorate Nurse Manager
Accountable to Director of Nursing
Objectives of the
Post
The purpose of the Haematology NS role is to provide a comprehensive family and personcentred care for children with serious benign haematology disorders including severe chronic
neutropenia, bone marrow failure syndromes, immune thrombocytopenia, and venous
thromboembolism on anticoagulation.
Will be a key member of the inter-disciplinary clinical team responsible for the care of
haematology patients.
The Haematology nurse should liaise closely with all clinicians involved in the diagnosis,
management and ongoing care of all patients referred to haematology services. He/she will
liaise with other health care professionals involved in patient care within the hospital, with
other health care agencies as appropriate and with community services.
The post holder will have an important educational role within the inter-disciplinary team and
will play a role in the development of quality initiatives.
Duties and
Responsibilities
The NS is a defined area of nursing practice that requires the application of speciality focused
knowledge and skills, which are both in demand and required to improve the quality of patient
care and meet service needs.
The Haematology Nurse Specialist is responsible for:
 The management of the child during in-patient treatment follow up outpatient review.
 Assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care and treatments. The NS will
work with families including group work with the children on occasions, counselling,
family therapies and education to ensure comprehensive and effective care.
 Develop and implement individual plans of nursing care in consultation with the
multidisciplinary team based on the individual need of the patient.
 Co-ordinate care and support to the family with the multidisciplinary team. Liaise with
other members of medical and nursing teams re treatment programmes and feedback.
 Acting as an expert resource to colleagues, members of the multidisciplinary team in
the ward, out-patients and community including GP’s, PHN’s, parents and other
centres.
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Acting as a role model, demonstrating knowledge, skill and abilities at an advanced
level. Providing support, counselling and education to families.
Developing communication channels that allow for a free flow of information and clear
referral channels.
Clinical focus - Indirect care:
 Maintain accurate and complete nursing records and ensure confidentiality
 Assist in the development of patient data base specifically monitoring and collaborating
information to contribute to the quarterly clinical audit, department reports for the
CEO. DON and the TSCH annual report.
 Develop policies, protocols, guidelines and systems of care in collaboration with the
multidisciplinary team.
 Contribute to the overall standards of nursing care in TSCH by promoting research and
developing nursing expertise. Participate in research with other members of the
department, nursing, national and international bodies.
 Develop links with other centres to establish support networks and nursing links.
Patient advocacy focus:
 The NS will be involved in communication, negotiation and collaboration with the
multidisciplinary team to ensure the patients values are represented in decisions about
their care. The NS will be present during important clinic consultations to represent the
child and family and to follow through with explanations and counselling as required.
 Discuss ethical issues with the team and support parents when they are faced with
ethical decisions.
 Ensure patient and parents are counselled adequately about their child’s condition and
proposed treatment prior to giving consent.
 Actively support the psychological, emotional and informational needs of haematology
patients in inpatient, dayward and outpatient setting.
 Be a point of contact for enquiries from patients and their families who are at home
during working hours.
 With the multidisciplinary team and Consultant, assess patients regarding their need for
referral to specialist services (e.g., nutritional, pyschological, other medical specialty)
 Attend multidisciplinary team meetings.
 Foster professional and supportive working relationships with all members of the
clinical team involved in active care of the patient, including the public health nurses
and GPs.
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Maintain accurate clinical records complying with legislation and best practice.
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Demonstrate specialist knowledge of and clinical expertise in the delivery of patient
care.
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Be aware of all hospital policies and procedures and collaborate with other health care
professionals to ensure that these are observed
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Be actively involved in the preparation and implementation of policies and nursing
guidelines in relation to the management of care to haematology patients.
Demonstrate leadership ability and good communication skills
Provide an efficient, effective and high quality service, respecting the needs of each
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patient.
Be aware of existing resources/services, which help patients and their
families/significant others, e.g. social services, support groups, entitlements.
Act as an advocate for patients participating in international disease registries,
providing information as appropriate and communicating with research staff.
Participate in team discussions regarding treatment for haematology patients.
Managerial:
 Support the provision of effective communication between all members of the
multidisciplinary team, other hospital departments, relatives and visitors.
 Ensure quality care is given, by being familiar with agreed departmental and Hospital
standards of care.
 Manage allocated resources effectively and efficiently. This includes utilisation of time
and equipment.
 Assist in ensuring the safety of the department, and the risk management process by
actively participating in clinical audit, clinical risk and quality issues, including the
managing and reporting of incidents.
 To ensure that all staff know where and how to access hospital policies and that staff
adhere to these at all times.
 Ensure compliance with the Medication Management Policy within the Hospital.
 Actively participate in change management and development.
 Be familiar with Departmental Major Disaster Plan and its implementation.
 Active participation on various committees in TSCH.
 Represent the specialty at meetings and conferences national and international and sub
committees as appropriate
Education/Professional Development:
 Support ward nursing staff by meeting to provide support and education concerning the
needs of haematology inpatients.
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Participating and instigating various educational programmes for parents, staff,
community care teams and local hospitals as required.
Developing education material e.g., information leaflets and booklets for parents and
children and community care workers. These should include disorder information and
treatment programmes.
Set objectives and develop policies, procedures and standards for the haematology
nursing service based on current nursing research and relevant research from other
disciplines.
Attend study days and conferences in order to update knowledge in the field and
related subjects.
Liaising with line manager in ensuring that own professional growth and development
needs are facilitated and met.
Be accountable for one’s own actions in accordance with the Code of Practice.
To be knowledgeable in the broader aspects of Children’s nursing and child and
adolescent development.
Audit/ Research/ Information Technology:
 Contribute to the development of nursing policies and protocols relevant to area of
clinical expertise.
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Specific
Responsibility for
Best Practice
Hygiene
General
Foster a sense of research through undertaking research appropriate to the child and
adolescent speciality.
Carry out literature searches for new information and disseminate to relevant staff.
Participate in approved data collection, clinical studies and trials.
Publish work related research and personal projects.
Identify and implement operational processes to the standards of best practice in order
to optimise use of resources and to ensure compliance with statutory requirements.
Interpret and analyse relevant research and disseminate to staff.
Show an interest in learning new techniques and skills and apply these to practice.
Set up clinical standards of care and ensure they are appropriately audited.
Identify clinical issues of interest and ensure they are incorporated into clinical practice
through teaching and example.
Continuously monitor and evaluate the role of the NS.
Hygiene in healthcare is defined as “the practice that serves to keep people and the environment
clean and prevent infection. It involves preserving ones health, preventing the spread of disease
and recognizing, evaluating and controlling health hazards.”
 It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure compliance with hospital hygiene standards,
guidelines and practices, including bare below elbows.
 Department heads/ managers have overall responsibility for best practice in hygiene in
their area
 It is mandatory to attend hand hygiene on an annual basis and sharps awareness
workshops as appropriate.
 The post holder is accountable, responsible and has authority as appropriate to their
grade for delivering a quality service and ensuring patient safety
 Adhere to Department and all Hospital policies at all times.
 Adherence to procedures and guidelines in relation to Child Protection
 Embrace and support any changes in technology and to assist in the implementation
and operation of these changes.
 Perform such other duties appropriate to the post as may be assigned from time to
time by the Manager or a nominee.
 You will be required to be completely flexible in relation to the performance of your
duties.
 Participate and cooperate with legislative and regulatory requirements with regard to
Quality, Risk, Health and Safety.
 Participate and cooperate with internal and external evaluations of hospital structures,
services and processes as required, including but not limited to:
- National Standards for the prevention and control of Healthcare Associated
Infections.
 To initiate, support and implement quality improvement initiatives in their area which
are in keeping with the hospitals continuous quality improvement programme.
It is the responsibility of all managers to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements for
Quality, Safety and Risk with their area / department.
Person Specification
Qualification
and
Experience:
Skills:
Essential
Desirable
 Registered Children’s Nurse.
 RCN 5 years post graduate experience 2 of which
are in the Haematology/ Oncology specialty
 Proven track record in continuing professional
development.
Higher Diploma (Level
8) with specialist
modules specific to
Haematology/Oncology
or higher.
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Experience in
managing
organizational and
professional change.
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Knowledge:
Management:
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Personal
Attributes:
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Assertiveness and excellent interpersonal skills
Good communication skills
Ability to liaise with other hospitals
Teaching and training
Leadership skills
Ability to represent the views of others
Identify and facilitate nursing and clinical audit
Be proactive in staff, parent/child education
Promote family cantered person centred care
Incorporate nursing research into clinical
practice and policy formation
Participate in department and hospital
committees
Familiarity of other areas in the hospital
Awareness of paediatric issues
Competent handling of complaints
Identify and facilitate nursing and clinical audit
Be proactive in staff, parent/child education
Promote person centred and family centred care
Incorporate nursing research into clinical
practice and policy formation
Participate in department and hospital
committees
Positive attitude to working in a team
Motivated and flexible
Calm under pressure
Ability to manage own workload