Clinical Nurse Specialist/c CNS Dementia Care (Permanent, Full Time) The CNSp will have nursing line management, reporting and professional relationship, accountable to the Director of Nursing The CNS (Dementia Care) will work collaboratively with the ANP (Dementia Care) to promote integrated working across acute and community services and sites The operational clinical working relationship will be with the geriatrician(s) leading on dementia services within MUH Responsibilities - The post holder will be responsible for; Provide a specialist nursing service for patients with dementia that requires support and treatment through the continuum of care.
Provide for early identification and assessment of the patient with cognitive impairment.
Undertake a comprehensive patient assessment, including physical psychological, social, and spiritual elements of care utilising validated assessment tools for example: Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and others as appropriate.
Participate in case review with MDT colleagues.
Take a proactive role in the formulation and provision of evidence based PPPGs relating to care of the person with dementia.
Take a lead role in ensuring the service for people with dementia is in line with best practice guidelines and the Standards for Safer Better Healthcare (HIQA, 2012)6.
Communicate, negotiate, and represent patients values and decisions in relation to their condition in collaboration with MDT colleagues.
Develop and support the concept of advocacy particularly in relation to patient participation in decision making thereby enabling informed choice of treatment options in line with the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act.
Maintain clinical competence in the management of people with dementia, keeping up-to-date with relevant research to ensure the implementation of evidence based practice.
Maintain a record of people with dementia within the CNSp caseload across the acute sector and into the community (statutory, voluntary and private providers).
Provide leadership in clinical practice and act as a resource and role model for specialist practice.
Eligibility Criteria: CNS Eligibility Criteria: Be a registered nurse/midwife on the active Register of Nurses and Midwives held by An Bord Altranais and Cnimhseachais na hireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland) or be eligible to be so registered.
And Be registered in the division(s) of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (Bord Altranais agus Cnimhseachais na hireann) Register for which the application is being made or be entitled to be so registered.
And 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 Have a minimum of 1 years experience or an aggregate of 1 years full time experience in specialist area of Dementia And 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 that is relevant to the specialist area of care (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above), 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 that they have achieved the number of ECTS credits equivalent to a Level 9 or higher standard, relevant to the specialist area of care (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above), and in line with the requirements for specialist practice as set out by the National Council for Nursing and Midwifery AND Be required to demonstrate that they have continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to the specialist area.
AND Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional responsibility within his/her scope of practice Candidate CNS Eligibility Criteria: Be a registered nurse/midwife on the active Register of Nurses or Midwives held by An Bord Altranais agus Cnimhseachais na hireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland) or be eligible to be so registered.
And 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 relevant to the specialist area 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.
(Please note, Level 8 educational qualification will be recognised until September 2026) And Have a minimum of 1 years post registration full time experience or an aggregate of 1 years full time experience in the general division of nursing.
And Have a minimum of 1 years experience or an aggregate of 1 years full-time experience in the specialist area.
Or If the applicant does not possess the relevant specialist experience, they will be supported to attain one years clinical specialist experience.
And Demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development relevant to the specialist area or will be supported to obtain the required CPD.
And Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional responsibility within his/her scope of practice All of the above must be achieved within 2 years for this pathway.
The Mercy University Hospital is running a recruitment campaign at Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)and Candidate Clinical Nurse Specialist (c CNS ) campaigns concurrently.
Any posts not filled by CNS appointees may be filled by the Candidate CNS panel created on foot of this campaign, as an interim measure.
The CNS panel will take precedence over Candidate CNS panel.
Please note the salary advertised relates to the CNS payscales Closing date for applications is 1pm Wednesday, 21st January 2026 The MUH reserve the right to create a panel for this post from which permanent, fixed term and specified purpose vacancies of a full or part time duration may be filled.
Skills: CNS Dementia Acute