Clinical Nurse Specialist Radiotherapy

Job Purpose

The Radiotherapy CNS will contribute to the delivery of high-quality specialist radiotherapy nursing services, ensuring safe, effective, and patient-centered care. This role is suitable for appointment at CNS level. The post holder will demonstrate advanced clinical knowledge, leadership, and management skills within radiotherapy and will support the coordination and development of services in alignment with organizational goals and evidence-based practice.

As a key member of the Radiotherapy multidisciplinary team, the CNS will facilitate effective communication, promote continuous quality improvement, and actively participate in service development and change management.

The role demands a broad range of professional skills and knowledge as well as skills in communication, leadership, teaching, education, research and counselling all in keeping with the Framework for the Establishment of Clinical Nurse/Midwife Specialist Posts, 4th edition, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (NCNM) 2008.

Job Background/Context

Blackrock Health Hermitage Clinic provides advanced radiotherapy services including stereotactic, external-beam, and image-guided radiotherapy. The Radiotherapy CNS plays a critical role in ensuring the highest standard of nursing practice, contributing to clinical excellence, patient safety, and service enhancement across the department. .

A career in Hermitage Clinic will ensure you are joining a diverse, dynamic and enthusiastic team of professionals, passionate about developing services to ensure we provide the best care in the most modern of facilities.

We offer new recruits an array of supports to ensure you are enabled to develop your career.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Focus

The CNS will have a strong patient focus whereby the specialty defines itself as nursing and subscribes to the overall purpose, functions and ethical standards of nursing. The Radiotherapy CNS role incorporates the core domains of specialist practice (clinical practice, education, leadership, consultation, audit/research) as defined for Clinical Nurse Specialists in Ireland. All responsibilities include elements of both direct and indirect care, patient advocacy, multidisciplinary collaboration and service development.

Direct Care

• Coordinate, assess, plan, implement and evaluate radiotherapy nursing care for patients across inpatient, day-case and outpatient pathways.
• Act as a specialist resource for patients undergoing radiotherapy, managing a defined caseload and initiating changes in management to improve symptom control, treatment tolerance and psychological well-being.
• Provide patient assessment, nurse-led review and consultation services in collaboration with the radiotherapy, oncology or other relevant teams.
• Deliver expert education and support to patients and families regarding treatment, side-effect management and survivorship.
• Maintain a strong patient-centered focus, incorporating advocacy, communication of patient values and involvement in shared decision-making.
• Act as a specialist radiotherapy nursing resource for nursing, medical, and allied health colleagues.
• Establish and maintain clear referral pathways to multidisciplinary and specialist services.
• Support and participate in strategic planning for radiotherapy service expansion and quality initiatives.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive clinical and statistical records, contributing to activity and performance reporting.
• Provide tailored education to patients and families regarding the radiotherapy process, immobilisation devices, skin care, nutrition, fatigue management, sexual health, fertility considerations and survivorship.
• Identify, assess and manage radiotherapy side-effects and complications (e.g., radiation dermatitis, mucositis, dysphagia, nausea/vomiting, bowel/bladder symptoms, fatigue, lymphoedema) using evidence-based interventions and agreed protocols.
• Facilitate shared decision-making and advocacy, ensuring patient values, preferences and concerns are communicated to the MDT.
• Develop, document and update care plans, discharge plans and patient teaching plans for radiotherapy patients.
• Coordinate investigations, treatment therapies and follow-up appointments related to radiotherapy care pathways.
• Organise hospital admission/referral where clinically indicated.
• Promote a safe clinical environment with attention to health and safety, infection prevention and risk-management principles.

Indirect Care

• Provide advice, support and reassurance via telephone/virtual reviews as appropriate.
• Take a proactive role in developing evidence-based policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines (PPPGs) relevant to radiotherapy nursing.
• Complete and maintain documentation accurately and in a timely manner, including radiotherapy nursing records and activity statistics
• Promote a safe clinical environment with attention to infection prevention and control, radiation safety principles
• Maintain records of education, training, and competency assessments.

Patient/client advocate

• Promote advocacy and patient participation in decision-making, enabling informed choice regarding treatment options.
• Use a patient-centred approach in all aspects of practice, ascertaining and respecting patient views and preferences.
• Liaise with other departments/services to ensure high quality and seamless radiotherapy care.
• Contribute to the development and review of patient information materials specific to radiotherapy pathways and tumour sites.
• Respect dignity and confidentiality of patients, advocating on their behalf when required.
• Contribute to improved patient outcomes through education, health promotion and early identification of complications.

Audit, Research and Quality

• Identify, critically analyse, disseminate and integrate nursing and other evidence into radiotherapy nursing practice.
• Establish, implement and evaluate audit programmes for radiotherapy nursing service and CNS practice.
• Record patient/service information electronically to support audit and quality reporting.
• Monitor and disseminate current research relevant to radiotherapy supportive care and symptom management.
• Contribute to service planning and pathway redesign through audit findings and specialist knowledge.
• Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement and innovation in the radiotherapy service.
• Ensure compliance with Hermitage Clinic guidelines, policies, procedures, radiation protection requirements and relevant legislation/regulatory standards.
• Participate fully in accreditation processes and the hospital risk management programme.
• Investigate and take remedial action on incidents/near misses involving patients or staff in accordance with hospital policies; disseminate learning.
• Ensure compliance with all Hermitage Clinic policies, guidelines, regulatory standards, and radiotherapy specific requirements.
• Engage in continuous audit cycles, service evaluation, and quality initiatives.
• Promote a culture of quality improvement and encourage staff participation in innovation.
• Monitor and evaluate departmental KPIs and contribute to annual reporting.
• Participate in accreditation and risk management programmes.
• Lead or support investigations of incidents and near misses, ensuring appropriate corrective actions and learning dissemination.
• Promote safe, ethical, evidence based radiotherapy nursing care.

Consultant

• Provide leadership in clinical practice and act as a role model to nursing staff within the radiotherapy service.
• Network with other CNS posts within the hospital and nationally to support benchmarking and service development.
• Generate and contribute to development of clinical standards and guidelines for radiotherapy nursing practice.
• Use specialist knowledge to support and enhance nursing practice within radiotherapy and across the wider organisation.
• Contribute to nursing quality assurance through identification of recurring issues, data collection and feedback to the MDT and leadership.

Learning and Education

• Develop and deliver a comprehensive education programme in radiotherapy nursing (including competencies) in conjunction with relevant personnel.
• Maintain clinical, nursing and managerial competence in radiotherapy and oncology care through ongoing CPD and engagement with current evidence.
• Identify own learning needs with line manager and maintain an up-to-date professional development portfolio in line with NMBI requirements.
• Create an environment conducive to learning and development for self and others; provide clinical advice and education to nursing and healthcare staff.
• Support orientation and induction of new staff and assess competency of student nurses and staff on placement.
• Provide education and supportive care to patients and families throughout the radiotherapy journey.
• Attend mandatory training and participate in in-service education.
• Identify areas where scope of practice can be advanced within radiotherapy services (subject to governance and NMBI guidance).
• Provide mentorship/preceptorship and clinical supervision where appropriate.

Other Duties

• The Radiotherapy CNS will undertake additional duties appropriate to the role as assigned by the Radiotherapy Services Manager or ADON.

Essential Criteria

Knowledge / Experience

• Be registered in the general division of the Register of Nurses maintained by NMBI
• Have at least five years recent relevant post-registration nursing experience (full-time or equivalent hours part-time) in an acute hospital setting and a minimum of two years nursing experience in the specialist area
• Have acquired a level 8 post registration Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major academic award relevant to the specialist area of radiotherapy/ oncology nursing or be willing to complete within one year of taking up post.

Skills/ Competencies

• Clinical Skills
• IT skills
• Quality focus
• Risk Management
• Clinical audit
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Desireable Skills

Knowledge/ Experience

• Postgraduate qualification in oncology, radiotherapy or another relevant specialty.
• Experience in service development or project leadership.

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.

Hiring organisation: Blackrock Health Hermitage Clinic

addressLocality: Lucan, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Country: Ireland

Employment type: fulltime