Nurse Practitioner – Paediatric Palliative Care Service
Unit Profile
The Paediatric Palliative Care Service (PPCS) is a state-wide (including Northern New South Wales) service providing consultancy services directly to patients, primary care teams and communities of care within the patient’s local community. The purpose of the Paediatric Palliative Care Service (PPCS) is to provide holistic care and support to all patients with life limiting conditions and their families. This is achieved through the provision of competent and compassionate care in an appropriate setting for all children engaged with our service. The service makes good use of resources and looks for opportunities to work within established care pathways without replicating resources and carrying inefficiencies. Care takes place in a variety of settings and is delivered according to the patient’s needs and preferences of the family. Where possible, support is provided for families to care for their children at home. At times, patients will require hospitalisation to manage symptoms and end-of-life care. The ability to provide appropriate symptom management and end-of-life cares as an in-patient in hospital, or an in-home setting improves the child’s quality of life when cure may no longer be possible.
Your Opportunity
The Nurse Practitioner (NP) will provide and coordinate comprehensive care of patients using advanced practice skills in the paediatric palliative care.
The role of the Nurse Practitioner PPCS will:
- Function in a collaborative model with the healthcare team to provide assessment, diagnosis, treatment and referral as required.
- Provide safe, quality, cost effective care and practice within the Nurse Practitioner’s approved Practice Scope that is consistent with contemporary standards and evidence-based practice.
This role also offers the opportunity for Nurse Practitioners working in Paediatrics or Adult Palliative Care to gain experience and knowledge in the area of Paediatric Palliative Care. Hours and length of contract (temporary or permanent) negotiable.
Autonomy
- Clear authority for advanced scope of practice in an extended nursing role with autonomous decision making.
- Work autonomously and collaboratively within the multi-disciplinary team. Exercise professional and clinical expertise in collaboration with nursing and multi- disciplinary stakeholders.
- Advanced level decision making.
- Partner with other health professionals to operationalise clinical and corporate governance requirements aligned with the defined scope of practice.
Your Role and Responsibilities
Fulfil the responsibilities of this role in accordance with Schedule 2, Nurses and Midwives (Queensland Health) Award – State 2015 – Generic Level Statements (GLS) Nurse Grade 8 and the Queensland Health and Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service (CHQHHS) commitments and values, in achievement of the organisational goals and Domains of Practice.
Domain 1: Direct comprehensive care or provision of direct care
- Accountable for own standards, actions and outcomes to be in alignment with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice, including professional advice given and activities delegated.
- Responsible for providing safe, compassionate care, integrating the nursing Professional Practice Model, quality frameworks and Planetree philosophy of caring for each patient’s psychological, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical care needs. This supports achievement of best clinical practice and individualised patient care and outcomes.
- Work within current Commonwealth, State and HHS regulations in relation to the expanded authorities of the NP role.
- Provide expert clinical leadership through the application of advanced clinical knowledge, skills and competency according to contemporary practice and standards of care.
- Contribute to organisational key objectives and performance indicators.
- Participates in innovation and change to develop responses to address emerging service trends in collaboration with patients, carers, families and the healthcare team.
- Demonstrate a high level of confidence and clinical proficiency in conducting advanced, holistic health assessments and providing procedures, treatments and interventions and patient education that is evidence-based and informed by specialist knowledge within the speciality paediatric palliative care.
Apply specialist/expert knowledge and skills that are evidence based to:
- Provide comprehensive assessment (inclusive of extended physical examination and diagnosis)
- Plan, implement and evaluate of interventional therapies.
- Interpret diagnostic pathology and radiology.
- Prescribe medication in alignment with the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996.
- Provide clinical expertise in response to changing trends in practice or population demand for the specialty of paediatric palliative care.
Domain 2: Support of Systems
- Accountable for own standards, actions and outcomes to be in alignment with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice, including professional advice given and activities delegated.
- Responsible for providing safe, compassionate care, integrating the nursing Professional Practice Model, quality frameworks and Planetree philosophy of caring for each patient’s psychological, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical care needs. This supports achievement of best clinical practice and individualised patient care and outcomes. Work within current Commonwealth, State and HHS regulations in relation to the expanded authorities of the NP role.
- Provide expert clinical leadership through the application of advanced clinical knowledge, skills and competency according to contemporary practice and standards of care. Contribute to organisational key objectives and performance indicators.
- Participates in innovation and change to develop responses to address emerging service trends in collaboration with patients, carers, families and the healthcare team.
- Demonstrate a high level of confidence and clinical proficiency in conducting advanced, holistic health assessments and providing procedures, treatments and interventions and patient education that is evidence-based and informed by specialist knowledge within the speciality of paediatric palliative care.
- Apply specialist/expert knowledge and skills that are evidence based to: Provide comprehensive assessment (inclusive of extended physical examination and diagnosis) Plan, implement and evaluate of interventional therapies.
- Interpret diagnostic pathology and radiology.
- Prescribe medication in alignment with the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996.
- Provide clinical expertise in response to changing trends in practice or population demand for the specialty of paediatric palliative care. Role Description Page 4 of 8 Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service
Domain 3: Education
- Promote a culture of learning and development within the clinical area of expertise.
- Participate in the strategic development of a work based culture that promotes contemporary evidence-based clinical practice through education, learning, research and workforce development.
- Support and promote professional and clinical growth of other clinicians through ongoing formal and informal education; acting as a mentor to nurses, fostering a culture that strives for excellence in patient care and life-long learning.
Domain 4: Research
- Use contemporary information, research evidence, personal knowledge and experience to translate contemporary evidence into safe, quality and compassionate practice.
- Lead, coordinate and participate in quality improvement initiatives, clinical audits and research activities. Work closely with research partners to identify opportunities for research.
Domain 5: Professional Leadership
- Provide support, guidance, mentoring, preceptorship, role modelling and promote cooperation and collaborative teamwork.
- Lead and manage staff by fostering and committing to patient safety and quality in the delivery of health care by maintaining and evaluating safety and quality practices and initiatives.
- Demonstrate transformational leadership and a strong team commitment through open, effective communication and active participation in the development and achievement of department goals.
- Work collaboratively with patients, their families and the broader HHS healthcare team to achieve desired outcomes by utilising best nursing practice and innovation. Work with and lead multi-disciplinary teams to co-ordinate care for patients with paediatric palliative care needs with complex care requirements.
- Articulate and promote the Nurse Practitioner role in clinical, political and professional contexts to encourage the contribution and advancement of knowledge and skills within scope of practice when engaging with others.
Position Reports To
- This role reports professionally and operationally to Nursing Director, Medical Division
- This role reports functionally to the Director of Paediatric Palliative Care
Enquire to Kerry Gordon
kerry.gordon2@health.qld.gov.au
+61 460 004 729