Job Title:                    Cancer Nurse Role

Department:              Services

Reporting to:             Community and Hospital Services Manager, Irish Cancer Society

Location:                    Dublin – St. Vincents University Hospital

Days & Hours:           Thursday and Friday - 08:00am-16:00pm (14hrs per week) 

Contract Type:           Permanent

Key Relationships:     Irish Cancer Society: Services Department

Hospital: Department of Nursing/Cancer Services Clinical Staff 

Salary role:                 €56,600 (FTE) Full Time Equivalent. €22,640 Pro rata salary for part time hours

WHO WE ARE

The Irish Cancer Society is a community of patients, survivors, volunteers, supporters, health and social care professionals and researchers. Together, we are working to save lives and improve the lives of people affected by cancer. 

By 2025, 3 out of 4 Irish cancer patients will survive their diagnosis and everyone affected by the disease will have access to world-class treatment, care and support.

Our Cancer Information Services are available for anyone affected by cancer. Our team of specialist cancer nurses provide cancer related information and education on a wide range of topics, emotional support and signposting to sources of support via our Support Line and in Daffodil Centres. This empowers and enables enquirers to the service to get the information and support they need from a trusted source at a time and place that suits them.

If you are looking for an opportunity to use your cancer nursing skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on anyone affected by cancer this role is for you.

Irish Cancer Society Daffodil Centres

A cancer diagnosis impacts all areas of a person’s life. At the Irish Cancer Society, we aim to reduce this burden of cancer and improve the quality of life for everyone affected by cancer.

Our Daffodil Centre at St. Vincents University Hospital is one of 13 Daffodil Centres across Ireland. It is a friendly and welcoming, purpose built unit, staffed by a specialist cancer nurse and volunteers. 

YOU WILL

• Be responsible for the leadership/management of the Daffodil Centre, including promotion and continuous development of the service and for raising awareness of its availability, both within the hospital and in the local community.
• Provide specialist information, education and support to anyone affected by cancer that visits or contacts the centre – this could be a person with a diagnosis, friend/relative/carer, someone concerned about symptoms or seeking cancer prevention/health promotion material or a health care professional.
• Develop and maintain information resources available within the centre for service users
• Deliver Irish Cancer Society patient education programmes
• Manage and mentor the Daffodil Centre volunteers 

Main duties and responsibilities

The post holder must be a registered nurse with cancer care knowledge and experience who is able to discuss and assess complex cancer needs as well as related practical and emotional matters with anyone who presents themselves at the centre or contacts the centre by phone, email or via the Society’s Social Media channels. They must have the leadership and organisational skills to manage and develop the centre and the people skills to interact with enquirers as well as with internal and external stakeholders.

Delivering person centred care and education

• Be responsive in understanding and addressing the needs of service users and complete a Needs Assessment with them, if appropriate.
• Provide comprehensive cancer information, advice and support to patients, carers, the general public and healthcare professionals. Answering queries about all aspects of cancer (face-to-face, telephone, email and written).
• Signpost/refer enquirers them to other services within the Irish Cancer Society, as well as to other relevant health care professionals and/or organisations
• Deliver the Society’s patient education programme locally in groups and online as required.
• Act as a resource to the multidisciplinary teams in the hospital on information, supports and services available to cancer patients and their supporters.
• Present to various external groups on aspects of cancer, from cancer prevention to cancer treatments, side-effects and follow-up care, as well as the different services available from the Irish Cancer Society

Leadership of the Daffodil Centre and volunteer management  

• Work with managers in both the hospital and the Irish Cancer Society to integrate, develop and manage the Daffodil Centre, ensuring that it is open as advertised, providing accessibility and a high-quality professional service.
• Implement operational procedures with due regard to those of the hospital and the Irish Cancer Society.
• Continually seek out ways to develop our services and supports and improve the efficiency and effectiveness the work of the centre.
• Submit a monthly report to relevant stakeholders, detailing the activities of the centre with the report template
• Work with the Team Lead, and Services Coordination Team to prepare annual centre activity reports.
• Keep informed and participate in Irish Cancer Society campaigns as required and events, which may impact on centre activity e.g. an increased number of calls or emails on a specific issue.
• Work with the Society’s Volunteer Office and the Daffodil Centre Team Leaders to recruit, interview and train volunteers. 
• Manage and be responsible for the competence of volunteers working in the Daffodil Centre.
• Provide the volunteers with ongoing support and supervision. 
• Report any concerns regarding volunteers to the Daffodil Centre Team Leaders.

Communication, relationship management and promotion of the Daffodil Centre and the Irish Cancer Society

• Establish and maintain good working relationships with the multidisciplinary teams involved in the delivery of cancer care within the hospital.
• Develop and maintain close links with the Services Team and all other relevant departments of the Irish Cancer Society.
• Work to expand the reach and impact of the Daffodil Centre in the community within the hospital catchment area.
• Work with the Daffodil Centre Team Leaders to ensure you have the appropriate promotional materials/resources for the centre and an adequate supply. 
• Present to various internal and external groups on the various services the Irish Cancer Society provide. 
• Participate and assist with the Irish Cancer Society exhibition stands at various workshops /conferences for both patients and health care professionals
• Take part in media relations activity on behalf of the Irish Cancer Society.

Information Development 

• Maintain a comprehensive resource of high-quality up-to-date, relevant information, encompassing all aspects of cancer, care and support.
• Be responsible for maintaining stock levels of patient information materials, including Irish Cancer Society materials (booklets/factsheets), which will be displayed in the Daffodil Centre as well as online links to evidenced based patient information relating to cancer.
• Work with the Society’s Information Development team to develop and update information about cancer types, cancer treatments and other patient information resources created by the Irish Cancer Society.
• Contribute to the content and updating of the Society’s patient education programmes.

Professional Development

• Maintain a knowledge base on developments in cancer care and of resources/services for cancer patients, particularly in the hospital catchment area.
• Participate in courses/workshops/conferences/online education resources as appropriate to maintain own knowledge and awareness of cancer and related issues.
• Attend relevant courses/workshops/conferences as appropriate to maintain own knowledge and awareness of cancer and related issues. Participate in Cancer Information Services Team Meetings, journal clubs and other training and education opportunities as provided by the Society and the hospital.
• Participate in clinical supervision.

Governance

• Comply with the need for service user confidentiality, including requirements of GDPR/Data Protection Act.
• Assist in the maintenance and monitoring of an appropriate and acceptable environment for enquirers, reporting and taking necessary action on any hazards.
• Record and report all incidents/complaints involving staff and/or service users and assist in any investigation as required in accordance with Irish Cancer Society’s Complaints Procedure and that of the hospital.
• Undertake and ensure that both you and the volunteers attend mandatory training and refresher training as required by the Irish Cancer Society and the hospital.
• Use data gathered, as well as other sources such as monthly activity reports, to monitor the usage of the Daffodil Centre to identify areas for change/improvement.

General

• Provide cover as and when required in other Daffodil Centres and Support Line.
• Support with Irish Cancer Society events. These may be in the evenings and/or at weekends but plenty of notice will be given.

The list of duties in this job description is not exhaustive and is intended to outline the main activities of the post holder. Duties and responsibilities may be subject to change taking into account the development needs of the service.

While the post-holder will be an employee of the Irish Cancer Society he/she will work in the St. Vincents University Hospital and will be located there. The post holder must adhere to general conditions as outlined by the hospital in relation to Health and Safety, Infection Control, Dress Code and adhere to guidelines/requirements in relation to Risk Management, Hygiene Services and Health and Safety. (Full details will be provided upon commencement of employment.)

WHO YOU ARE

The right candidate for this role is:

• A people person: whether it’s supporting patients and enquirers, working with colleagues and volunteers, or engaging with clinicians you understand what makes people tick, and create effective relationships.
• A great communicator: you are able to communicate effectively across multiple channels (face-to-face, written, digital) and adopt your style to meet the audience where they are. 
• A superb leader: you are able to positively lead people to meet their goals, delegate when needed and support a team in a developing service. You know the value of the people who work for you. 
• Wonderfully Organised: you are able to manage lots of different tasks at the same time, keep things ‘going as planned’ and take pride in running a tight ship. 
• Technologically savvy: you’re comfortable using digital and technology tools for the management and delivery of programmes, and identifying new ways that technology can support your work. You know your way around the Microsoft platform.
• Flexible and open to travel: you are willing to be a team player and provide cover on our Support Line, online supports and services, or community supports and services, as required and get involved with other events in the organisation such as Roadshows, Daffodil Day or training events and this may mean travelling to different locations on occasion 

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Registered General Nurse, on the active register of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)
• Post registration qualification in cancer nursing (minimum of diploma level qualification)
• Three years’ recent experience in cancer nursing
• The clinical knowledge, leadership and organisational capacity to properly discharge the functions of the role
• Demonstrated evidence of continuing professional development at the appropriate level.

Some of our benefits:

• 23 days Annual Leave a year or Pro Rata equivalent, plus public holidays, 
• Service Days - Additional days awarded to reflect long service with the Society.
• Sick Pay Scheme (following Probationary period)
• Defined Contribution Pension Scheme (after 6 months)
• Group membership for VHI and HSF (health plans)
• Bus/Rail Ticket Scheme and Cycle to Work Scheme
• Death In Service Benefit (from commencement of employment)
• Paid Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity, Adoptive, Force Majeure and compassionate Leave)
• Learning and Development Programmes
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Optional Flu vaccine provided