Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist (cCNS)
Overview:
Post Title:
Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist (cCNS) Diabetes
Post Status:
Permanent
Department
Medical Directorate
Location:
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9
Reports to:
CNS Team DDC/ CNM 3 / Directorate Nurse Manager Medical 2
Salary:
Appointment will be made on CNM 1 Payscale (€56,642 - €66,705) at a point in line with Government pay policy for the duration of training.
Hours of work:
Full time, 37.5 hours per week
Closing Date:
Tuesday 21st October 2025 @ 12noon
Please note the hospital reserves the right to close the competition early should a substantial number of applications be received.
Position Summary
This exciting new role has been designed to facilitate nurses with a strong interest in diabetes to begin their pathway to becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in diabetes. The Diabetic cCNS plays a pivotal role in the specialist diabetic nursing team.The post holder will work in the diabetic day centre with the team providing expert care to patients with Type 1 & 2 Diabetes. The role will also encompass providing education and support to staff across all directorates in Beaumont Hospital involved in the care of in patients with diabetes.
The cCNS will play an active role in the hospitals link nurse programme which provides ongoing education and support to staff across Beaumont Hospital.
Responsibilities:
The following duties and responsibilities are in line with the five core concepts of the Clinical Nurse Specialist role – the Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist is expected to use these principles as guidance during their candidacy period in consultation with their mentor/manager.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:The five core concepts are:
- Clinical Focus
- Patient/Client Advocate
- Education and Training
- Audit and Research
- Consultant
The candidate CNS Nurse Specialist will -
Help meet the psychological, emotional and informational needs of patients at the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment. The support should be provided for patients in the following areas-
- Diabetes Day Centre
- Throughout the hospital
- Outpatient department
- Actively participate in planning and carrying care in the Diabetes Day Centre for patients
- Provide support to the family/ significant other, though listening, problem solving and education.
- Provide outreach support for the patient at home
- Attend Diabetic Outpatient Clinic and Diabetes Day Centre and co-ordinate visits for each patient.
- Assess patients regarding their need for referral to specialist services.
- Report such patients promptly to the consultant/ clinical leader and discuss referral.
- Co-ordinate relevant services in preparation for treatment
- Attend multidisciplinary team meetings
- Educate patients re: diagnoses and treatments
- Foster good working relationships with all members of the clinical team, which are both professional and supportive
- Maintain accurate clinical records complying with legislation and best practice.
- Demonstrate specialist knowledge of and clinical expertise in the delivery of patient care.
- Be aware of all hospital policies and procedures and collaborate with other health care professionals to ensure that these are observed
- Be aware of hospital diabetes related policies
- Be actively involved in the preparation and implementation of policies and nursing guidelines in relation to the management of care to diabetic patients.
- Demonstrate leadership ability and good communication skills.
The cCNS will –
- Provide and efficient, effective and high quality service, respecting the needs of each patient.
- Act as a resource/ contact person for patients with diabetes attending other departments within the hospital or outside the hospital for treatment.
- Provide patients and family/ significant others with contact details for the Diabetes nurse specialist and advise for out of hours contact.
- Be aware of existing resources/ services, which help patients and their family/ significant others, eg social services, support groups, entitlements.
- Acts as an advocate for patients undergoing clinical trials, providing information as appropriate and communicating with research staff.
- Participate in team discussions regarding treatment for patients with diabetes
- Facilitate development of information leaflets for patients and families.
The cCNS will –
- Provide support to nursing staff by means of regular group meetings to discuss particular patient cases, which have been found to be stressful
- Assist in the development and delivery of training programmes for nursing staff
- Play an active role in teaching all grades of nursing staff and other disciplines as required.
- Use relevant educational opportunities to maintain the highest standards and up to date care offered to the patients.
The cCNS will –
- Ensure that his/her own practice is compliant and up to date with “best practice”, which is reflected in research and development.
- Participates in the regular audit of his/her own clinical practice
- Ensure the development and maintenance of a quality assurance programme which is patient centered utilising up to date research findings
- Use such research findings to influence care within the specialty.
- Set objectives and develop policies, procedures and standards for the diabetic nursing services based on current nursing research and relevant research from other disciplines.
- Identify areas within the specialty relevant to nursing practice, which would benefit from research.
- Promote an awareness of research-based practice amongst staff.
- Participate in departmental research related to the specialty.
- Provide leadership in clinical practice and act as a resource and role model for Diabetic practice
- Generate and contribute to the development of clinical standards and guidelines, having regard to national and international advancements in Diabetic nursing.
- Establish collegial partnerships and in the context of Diabetes, contribute to the professional development of students, peers, colleagues and others through consultation, education, leadership, mentorship and coaching
- Work with, support, advise and help build up knowledge of expertise of the primary care team in providing an appropriate system of care to meet the needs of the patient and their family/carers
- Develop and maintain good collaborative working relationships and communication with all members of the speciality’s MDT and other health care professionals within and outside the service.
- Participate in the implementation of the national clinical care programmes and their agreed models of care for patients and their families as they relate to the role
- Use specialist knowledge to support and enhance general nursing practice
The job description indicates the main function and responsibilities of the post and is subject to review and amendment. Other specific work not covered in this job description may also be assigned by the Director of Nursing or Consultant Immunologists from time to time.
Qualifications:
Selection Criteria:Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post.
Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.
Mandatory:
- Statutory Registration, Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc
(a) Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition: (i) Be a registered nurse/midwife on the active Register of Nurses and Midwives
held by An Bord Altranais and Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing andMidwifery Board of Ireland) or be eligible to be so registered
AND
(ii) Be registered in the division(s) of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
(Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) Register for which the
application is being made or be entitled to be so registered.
OR
In exceptional circumstances, which will be assessed on a case by case basis
be registered in another Division of the register of Nurses and Midwives.
AND
(iii) Have a minimum of 1 years’ post registration full time experience or an
aggregate of 1 years’ full time experience in the division of the register in which
the application is being made
AND
(iv) Have a minimum of 1 years’ experience or an aggregate of 1 years’ full time
experience in specialist area of Diabetes.
OR
If the applicant does not possess the relevant specialist experience, they will be
supported to attain one year’s clinical specialist experience
AND(v) Have successfully completed a post registration programme of study, as
certified by the education provider which verifies that the applicant has achieved
a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), National Framework of Qualifications
(NFQ) major academic Level 9 or higher award (equivalent to 60 ECTS or
above) that is relevant to the specialist area of care and in line with the
requirements for specialist practice as set out by the National Council for
Nursing and Midwifery 4th ed (2008).
Alternatively provide written evidence from the Higher Education Institute thatthey have achieved the number of ECTS credits equivalent to a Level 9 or higher
standard (60 ECTS or above), relevant to the specialist area of care and in line
with the requirements for specialist practice as set out by the National Council
for Nursing and Midwifery 4th ed (2008). Diabetes of care prior to
application* (See **Note below).
OR
If the applicant does not possess the relevant QQI NFQ Level 9 qualification, the applicant will be supported to undertake the required postgraduate
education, at QQI NFQ level 9 qualification (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above)
relevant to the specialist area.
AND
(vi) Be required to demonstrate that they have continuing professional development
(CPD) relevant to the specialist area or will be supported to obtain the required
CPD.
AND
(vii) Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional
responsibility within his/her scope of practice.
**Note: For Nurses/Midwives who express an interest in CNS/CMS roles and who
currently hold a level 8 educational qualification in the specialist area(equivalent to 60 ECTS or above), this qualification will be recognised up to
September 2026. The clinical experience requirements for this cohort of
nurses/midwives remain consistent with the DoH (2019) policy, i.e. a minimum
of 1 years’ experience in practice and a minimum of 1 years’ experience in the
specialist area and they could be supported to progress on a candidate
CNS/CMS Pathway.
All of the above must be achieved within 2 years for this pathway.
And
(b) Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, including a high standard of
suitability and clinical, professional and administrative capacity for the proper discharge of the
duties of the office.
- Annual registration
(i) Practitioners must maintain live annual registration on the appropriate/relevant Division
of the register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Boardof Ireland (Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) for the role.
And
(ii) Confirm annual registration with NMBI to the HSE by way of the annual Service userSafety Assurance Certificate (PSAC).
Please note that appointment to and continuation in posts that require statutory registration is
dependent upon the post holder maintaining annual registration in the relevant division of the
register maintained by Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing &
Midwifery Board of Ireland) by way of the Service user Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC)
- Health
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of
undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate areasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
- Character
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
Applicants will be required to complete the post graduate diploma in Diabetes Nursing as part of this role enabling registration as a CNS within a two year time frame.
If an appointee has previously been employed in the Civil or Public Service and that appointee is entitled to or in receipt of a pension from the Civil or Public Service or where a Civil/ Public Service pension comes into payment during the appointee’s re-employment that pension will be subject to abatement in accordance with Section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012.
Please note: In applying for this position you are acknowledging that you understand that the abatement provisions, where relevant, will apply. It is not envisaged that the employing Department/ Office/ Body will support an application for an abatement waiver in respect of appointments to this position
Further Information for Candidates
Supplementary information:
The Hospital
www.beaumont.ie
Management Unit:
www.beaumont.ie/hr
Informal Enquiries ONLY to: (No applications will be accepted through this email address)
Name:
Alan Healy-Cunningham
Title:
Directorate Nurse Manager
Email address:
alanhealycunningham@beaumont.ie
Telephone:
01 8528196