Job Title:                Cancer Nurse – Support Line

Department:          Services

Reporting to:         Support Line Team Leader 

Contract Type:       Permanent

Hours of work:       Part time 14hrs per week - 9am – 5pm

Set days of work:   Thursday & Friday, but some evening and weekend work will be required, with plenty of notice

Location:                This is a hybrid role & office attendance days (Dublin 4 office) will be arranged as required with the manager. This can be flexible. 

Salary:                    €54,000 FTE per annum (Full time Equivalent)

                               €21,600 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 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 Support Line

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 Support Line is a free service where anyone affected by cancer can talk to a cancer nurse. Our enquiries come primarily by phone, email, or via the ‘Ask the Nurse’ section of the Irish Cancer Society’s Online Community. We facilitate video calls so that Service Users can see a nurse from the comfort of their own homes. We also answer enquiries via social media and other digital channels as we introduce them.

The range of free advice, information and support is broad-based, ranging from:

• cancer prevention and early detection
• diagnosis
• cancer treatments and related side-effects
• end of life services
• support and psychological care 
• practical entitlements and services available.

YOU WILL

• Provide specialist information, education, and support to anyone affected by cancer – 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.
• Support the maintenance of information resources available for the team, and the wider department.
• Deliver Irish Cancer Society patient education programmes.

Main duties and responsibilities

Support Line 

• Respond to queries in a supportive timely manner ensuring service user dignity.
• 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.
• Deal with queries received via email and on-line and meeting walk-in callers when based in the Irish Cancer Society’s main offices.
• Make every effort to ensure that evidence-based information is given to enquirers, both verbal and written, is from reliable sources.
• Forward information to service users (e.g. leaflets, booklets, etc.), refer them to relevant areas of the Irish Cancer Society, or signpost to other relevant health care professionals or organisations.

Information Development, and Patient Education

• Update, maintain and develop as needed, information about cancer types, cancer treatments and other clinical and related content for delivery in a range of formats for people affected by cancer and the general public.
• Deliver the Society’s patient education programme locally in groups and online as required.
• Contribute to the content and updating of the Society’s patient education programmes.

Communication and Promotion of the Support Line

• Keep informed and participate in Irish Cancer Society campaigns as required and events, which may impact on Support Line activity e.g. an increased number of calls or emails on a specific issue.
• Present to various internal and 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
• 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.
• Develop and maintain close links with the Services Team and all other relevant departments of the Irish Cancer Society.

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 Team Meetings, journal clubs and other training and education opportunities as provided by the Society and the hospital.
• Participate in clinical supervision.

General

• Provide cover as and when required in Hospital or Community Daffodil Centres. 
• Support with Irish Cancer Society events. These may be in the evenings and/or at weekends.

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.

WHO YOU ARE

The right candidate for this role is:

• A great communicator: you can communicate effectively across multiple channels (digital, face-to-face, written) and adopt your style to meet the audience where they are. 
• Technologically savvy: you’re comfortable using digital and technology tools for the management and delivery of the service and identifying new ways that technology can support your work. You know your way around the Microsoft platform.
• 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.
• Wonderfully Organised: you can manage lots of different tasks at the same time, keep things ‘going as planned’ and take pride in your work. 
• Flexible: you are willing to be a team player and provide cover in our Daffodil Centres 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
• Educational Assistance (Study and Examination Leave)
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Optional Flu vaccine provided