Job Purpose

The role is responsible for the provision of quality service in line with standards of nursing practice. As a key member of the senior nursing team, the Nursing Services Manager (NSM) will demonstrate managerial and leadership skills, working collaboratively with the Director of Nursing & Transformation, Senior Management Colleagues, Heads of Departments, Clinical Nurse Managers and Allied Health Professionals. This role also involves communication and collaboration with the Consultants, ensuring efficient and effective care of their patients. To oversee the management of resources including staffing and staff development. The position requires a strategic approach to the development of services and structures, bracing continuous quality improvement and the management of changes necessary to achieve organisational objectives. The role will require some flexibility and will consist of a combination of day and night shifts to ensure continuity of care on a 24hour basis.

Job Background/Context

The Blackrock Health Hermitage Clinic is a 112 bed private hospital providing a full range of medical and surgical care across a broad spectrum of specialities. Each Ward provides a range of services and this role is important in making a significant contribution, developing and maintaining best practice in nursing services.

Key Responsibilities

Operations

• Be responsible for the safe and effective operations of Nursing services towards ensuring patients have safe and timely access to services, expertise and support on a 24 hour basis.
• Provide clinical leadership, support, expertise and managerial advice to all staff in the clinical area
• Ensure that the day-to-day activities and resources of the hospital are managed and co-ordinated throughout, so that a first class patient focused service is delivered
• Be aware of all policies in relation to fire prevention, moving and handling, major emergency, waste management and risk management and implement these.
• Promote and maintain a high standard of nursing care, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all patients and staff and maintain an excellent hospital image at all times. Support service areas in day to day operational delivery of services and manage any professional or operation issues that required action and escalation.
• Provide leadership and support to the nurse managers to enable and empower them to deliver high quality safe patient care and ensure agreed objectives and policies set are achieved. 
• Provide continuous improvement recommendations to the Director of Nursing & Transformation and wider executive team where necessary. 
• Develop effective workforce planning in conjunction with CNM's. Be able to forecast trends regarding skill/case mix to ensure effective short and long term workforce planning.
• Ensure that all nursing and support services are managed to optimise effectiveness, quality, safety and efficiency.
• Ensure co-ordination of staff deployment across service units/wards to meet fluctuations in demand.
• Evaluate the systems of nursing care delivery and recommend changes in nursing procedures, practices and policies in order to reflect an evidence-based practice approach to service delivery working closely with Nursing practice development department in the hospital.
• Participate in inter-disciplinary and inter-service policy planning groups in order to effect optimal clinical and non clinical service delivery to service units/wards.
• Provide reports on matters affecting the implementation and monitoring of the service plans against the targets set.
• Manage and control agency and bank utilisation across the hospital.
• Be responsible for effective Bed utilisation in collaboration with CNM's by reviewing booking forms and highlighting opportunities for maximising utilisation through cost effective patient management and facilitating out of hours and emergency bookings in conjunction with discharge planning.
• Maintain an accurate and timely knowledge of bed availability using the "Hospital Status at a Glance" lean methodology. To ensure real-time patient discharge and admissions is recorded and beds assigned for patient care in accordance with hospital policies.
• To manage the split of urgent/emergency and scheduled/ elective care to effect the daily placement of unscheduled and scheduled admissions efficiently.
• To collaborate with information systems in collating data on the frequency of peaks and troughs of bed usage etc. in order that the hospital management can be better informed and work towards more effective bed utilisation and occupancy
• Participate in internal performance meetings and have a full working knowledge of patient's access in line with service areas.
• Assist with corporate initiatives aimed at cost effectiveness and improving patient flow.
• Support CNM's and Patient Flow Manager in actively managing complex discharge planning situations
• Proactively manage patients lengths of stay
• Support and manage all staff including medical staff, ensuring good systems are in place for annual leave, sick leave and appropriate plans in place for replacing staff including short notice absence.
• Liaise with household services and Infection Control Department to ensure cleaning services are of highest standards and auditing compliance with relevant standards. 
• Conduct audits of charts, daily entries and communication boards.
• Working with the nurse managers to ensure the effective implementation of key projects to agreed timelines and budgets and ensure targets are met.
• Develop a process of effective team work through the nursing function and with multidisciplinary teams. 
• Ensure that an effective working relationship is maintained between nursing departments and support functions.
• Establish collaborative relationships with external stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
• Contribute to relevant committees and working groups as requested by Director of Nursing and Quality.
• Act as an agent of change throughout the organisation to enable the organisation to grow and develop its services.
• Monitor and regularly review the patient journey and staffing requirements to improve productivity. Organise and manage available nursing resources within approved budgetary allocations. Identify potential savings.
• Contribute to investigation of adverse occurrences, medication incidents and patient complaints with accountability for drafting responses and implementing corrective action and preventative actions.
• Attend and report to professional nursing accountability and review/network meetings as directed by the Director of Nursing & Transformation.
• Ensure robust clinical governance and risk management systems are in place and adhered to within the service areas and manage any area of noncompliance regarding governance arrangements and patient safety.
• Participate, lead and assist with the delivery of Quality improvement and cost reduction and transforming nursing care in line with best practice.
• Ensure the clinical areas are provided with advice and information required to formulate policies, decide priorities, set and achieve objectives and monitor progress in collaboration with the Clinical Nurse Managers, Assistant Directors of Nursing and Director of Nursing & Transformation.
• Ensure effective use of equipment, resources and facilities within the division to maximise patient care and services.
• Review the organisation plan within your remit of responsibility and establishment levels and ensure that each is consistent with achieving objectives and recommend change where appropriate.

People Management

• Provide clinical and management leadership and ensure an effective learning environment for the multidisciplinary team and taking an active part in the delivery of care as appropriate.
• Work within the code of Professional Conduct for Nurses, participation in the development of the Scope of Practice and provide strong professional leadership and direction for nursing services.
• Promote an environment that is conducive to the development of best practice, enhances staff retention and promotes good industrial relations.
• Maintain a high level of staff morale, promoting good communication, team spirit and job satisfaction among members of the multidisciplinary team. Strive to ensure that staff are accountable, responsible and have authority to practice and manage within their roles.
• Play a role in the recruitment and selection of nursing and support staff for the service.
• Ensure that all new nursing and support staff receive an adequate orientation and induction programme, have a clear understanding of their duties, responsibilities and standards of performance at all times.
• Ensure that staff nurses are effectively supported with annual reviews and the development of personal development plans.
• Oversee the provision of a duty roster that ensures resources are deployed effectively and efficiently to cope with fluctuations in workload, case complexity, adequate skills mix, planned Unit/Ward activity or staff absence difficulties.
• Liaise with the ADON's with respect to issues/ challenges around staff allocation and skill mix, whilst assisting the ADON's in managing staff allocation across the hospital at all times, maintaining site safety and reducing risks associated with same, demonstrating an appropriate and measured response to such challenges.
• Comply with all HR system and policy requirements including recording of relevant data
• Establish a formal mechanism for communication among the nursing team including schedules for staff meetings.
• Maintain good employee relations and promote good communication with all relevant staff

Learning and Education

• Contribute to the requirements of NMBI for the practice of professional nursing are met and upheld including the development of an expanded scope of nursing practice.
• Take personal responsibility for own professional development and keep up to date with evidence based practice and research.
• Act as practice supervisor and assessor (where appropriate) for nursing staff undertaking training to expand their clinical skills, professional and leadership development.
• Ensure ongoing professional development for nursing staff and that they have a clear understanding of the care and environmental standards they are expected to maintain and take prompt corrective action to rectify poor performance.
• Attend and participate in development programmes on an ongoing basis and sharing knowledge with other members of the nursing team.
• Assist with the orientation and induction of new staff and be available to provide orientation as deemed necessary, helping them to integrate as members of the team.
• Assist in the training of nursing support staff.
• Identify and inform the Learning and Education Team of any training and professional development requirements.
• Attend all mandatory training days and ensure that all mandatary training is in date.
• Comply with all HR system and policy requirements.

Quality Improvement and Risk Management

• Ensure that there is compliance with all relevant Blackrock Health Hermitage Clinic guidelines, policies, procedures and relevant legislation and regulatory requirements. This includes responsibility for dealing with regulatory or professional bodies and inspections.
• Promote patient centred care at all times and ensure compliance with hourly rounding and other initiatives to enhance care
• Support the principle that the care of the patient comes first at all times and will approach their work with the flexibility and enthusiasm necessary to make this principle a reality for every patient to the greatest possible degree.
• Ensure compliance with JCI standards and take leadership role with implementation of change and quality improvement initiatives as required. Lead out on relevant standards as indicated by Head of Quality, Risk and Accreditation. 
• Assist in the evaluation and implementation of corrective action, where required, to ensure compliance with other national standards, e.g. JCI, HIQA, JAG, QA programmes, etc.
• Encourage continuous review and evaluation of policies, guidelines and existing practices through regular audit programmes and review engaging with the multi-disciplinary team where required.
• Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement across the department involving the team in continuous improvement initiatives and encouraging innovation. 
• Participate fully in the requirement of the hospital's risk management programme.
• Promote the delivery of a high standard of care to all patients. Encourage evidence-based practice and assist in the dissemination and implementation of research findings.
• Provide clinical nursing leadership in proactively addressing ethical and quality of service issues with multidisciplinary team members and hospital management.
• Develop a culture of safety, promoting positive reporting of incidents and near misses; investigate and take remedial action on incidents or near misses involving patients and staff according to hospital policies, protocols and guidelines.
• Maintain a feedback mechanism and report to Director of Nursing & Transformation and senior management when appropriate.
• Work in a safe manner with due care and attention to the safety of self and others

Essential Criteria

Knowledge/Experience

• Be registered in the general division of the Register of Nurses maintained by NMBI
• 5 years' experience in an acute hospital setting
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the development and delivery of a comprehensive service, meeting a full range of key targets and making significant improvements
• Worked with a diverse range of stakeholders internal and external to achieve successful outcomes
•  A proactive hands on 'can do' attitude
• Demonstrated capability in change management
• Hold an up to date ACLS course or a willingness to undertake same.
•  A health care management qualification is desirable at third level/ or level 9 on the National Qualification Authority of Ireland (NQAI.)
• Previous Management Experience

Skills/ Competencies (As per the HMC Competency Framework)

•   Technical & Professional Expertise
•       Management & Leadership
•       IT skills
•       Commitment to Quality
•       Resource Management
•       Building and Maintaining Relationships
•       Communication and Interpersonal Skills
•      Problem Solving & Decision Making

This Job Description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the position and is subject to regular review and amendment. The role holder will be required to be flexible in this position and is expected to facilitate working additional hours on occasion, when requested.

Blackrock Health Hermitage Clinic is an Equal Opportunities Employer