Description:

Duties & Responsibilities:

Clinical

• Recognise life threatening and non-life-threatening arrhythmias both within CCU and through the use of telemetry monitoring throughout the hospital.
• Demonstrate expertise in the nursing assessment and management of emergency cardiac admissions and acutely ill cardiac patients including, acute cardiac chest pain patients, administering intravenous opiates and nitrate infusions as prescribed.
• Have the ability to anticipate, recognise and rapidly respond to the unpredictable problems/ complaints of the critically ill cardiac patient.
• Assess and manage all patients fast tracked to the acute chest pain admission bed with the view to thrombolysis.
• Provide a safe and welcoming environment for patients and their relatives in a highly complex and technical area.
• Liaise with the multidisciplinary team in a timely manner to ensure the safe and effective management of the patient flow and robust management of emergency cardiac admissions.
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team fostering good communication and working relationships with colleagues of all disciplines, using specialised practice to improve patient outcomes.
• Plan the safe transport of critically ill patients within the hospital and when transferring to receiving Cardio-Thoracic Centres.
• Assist in complex and invasive interventions, e.g.;
  • Emergency cardiac pacing both external and transvenous
  • Emergency intubation
  • CVP monitoring
  • Cardioversions
• Following training, demonstrate specialised knowledge and skills to perform essential procedures vital to the ongoing care of the cardiac patient.

Quality and Audit

• Participate and lead as required in clinical audit and research activity within the field, promoting a positive attitude towards the implementation of evidence- based practice.
• Undertake research/ clinical audit as necessary, critically analyse and provide written reports of the same.
• Participate in local audits in preparation for annual accreditation.
• Work closely with the Quality and Patient Safety team, ensuring the department is meeting accreditation standards at all times.

Health and Safety

• To uphold the Hospital’s policy requirements in relation to Fire, Infection Control, Radiation Safety and Health and Safety at work regulations and to attend updates.
• Identify potential risks for all staff, patients and visitors and adhere to relevant incident reporting procedures.
• To observe a general duty of care for the health, safety and well-being of self, work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management associated with this post.

Under the direction of the Department Manager the post holder will:

• Provide feedback to nurse managers in the compilation of proficiency assessments for junior nurses in the clinical setting.
  • Contribute to the identification of training needs pertinent to the clinical area.
  • Identify and contribute to the continual enhancement of learning opportunities in the clinical area.
  • Participate in the clinical induction of all new nursing and support staff.
  • Develop leadership ability in order to act as an effective role model.
  • Assume responsibility for own learning and development needs.
• The CCU Staff nurse will embody the Hospitals values in all their day to day activities within the hospital. 

Qualifications and Experience:

The post holder must hold the following to fulfil the requirements of this post:

• Be Registered General Nurse with The Nursing and Midwifery Bord of Ireland (NMBI).
• Minimum of 4 years working in a coronary care setting.
• Competency in ECG interpretation or a willingness to undertake study for same.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• In depth/extensive experience and knowledge of working within a cardiac care setting.

Desirable

• Level 8 Qualification or equivalent and a willingness to undertake same.