Profession specialist nurse

Specialist nurses promote and restore people's health, and diagnose and care within a specific branch of the nursing field. Examples of such specialist nursing jobs include but are not restricted to; ambulatory care nurse, advanced practice nurse, cardiac nurse, dental nurse, community health nurse, forensic nurse, gastroenterology nurse, hospice and palliative care nurse, paediatric nurse, public health nurse, rehabilitation nurse, renal nurse and school nurse. Specialist nurses are general care nurses prepared beyond the level of a nurse generalist and authorised to practice as specialists with specific expertise in a branch of the nursing field.  

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Personality Type

• Social / Investigative

Knowledge

• Specialist nursing care

  The analysis of complex clinical problems, the diagnosis, initiation and evaluation treatment for patients in a multi-professional arena, within the field of specialisation.

• Impact of social contexts on health

  The social and cultural contexts of individuals` behaviours, and the impact on their health within their social and cultural context.

Skills

• Interact with healthcare users

  Communicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguarding confidentiality.

• Evaluation in specialised nursing care

  Evaluate and undertake audit of the field of specialisation to ensure the delivery of safe nursing care.

• Apply context specific clinical competences

  Apply professional and evidence based assessment, goal setting, delivery of intervention and evaluation of clients, taking into account the developmental and contextual history of the clients, within one`s own scope of practice.

• Analyse the care quality

  Analyse the quality of care in order to improve the own professional practice as a general care nurse.

• Promote a positive image of nursing

  Present and preserve a positive image of nursing in specific environments of the healthcare and educational spectra.

• Adapt leadership styles in healthcare

  Adapt leadership styles and approaches to different situations concerning nursing clinical practice and healthcare.

• Work in a multicultural environment in health care

  Interact, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.

• Have computer literacy

  Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.

• Provide nursing advice on healthcare

  Give advice to, instruct and support persons needing nursing care and their attachment figures.

• Promote inclusion

  Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.

• Advise on healthcare users' informed consent

  Ensure patients/clients are fully informed about the risks and benefits of proposed treatments so they can give informed consent, engaging patients/clients in the process of their care and treatment.

• Coach individuals in specialised nursing care

  Keep abreast of technological development and educate nurses, other health professionals and patient groups about advancements in the field of specialisation.

• Implement scientific decision making in healthcare

  Implement scientific findings for evidence-based practice, integrating research evidence into decision making by forming a focused clinical question in response to a recognised information need, searching for the most appropriate evidence to meet that need, critically appraising the retrieved evidence, incorporating the evidence into a strategy for action, and evaluating the effects of any decisions and actions taken.

• Manage information in health care

  Retrieve, apply and share information among patients and healthcare professionals and across healthcare facilities and community.

• Apply nursing care in long-term care

  Enable the promotion and the development of nursing care in long term care, co-morbidity and in situations of dependency in order to maintain individuals’ personal autonomy and relationships with the environment in each moment of the health/illness process.

• Listen actively

  Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.

• Contribute to continuity of health care

  Contribute to the delivery of coordinated and continuous healthcare.

• Diagnose nursing care

  A judgment based on a comprehensive nursing assessment. 

• Delegate activities

  Delegate activities and tasks to others according to the ability, level of preparation, competence and legal scope of practice. Make sure that people understand what they should do and when they should do it.

• Solve problems in healthcare

  Carry out actions, by previously identifying and analysing problems, that facilitate seeking the most beneficial solution for the patient, the family and the community, reaching objectives, improving outcomes and keeping the quality of their work.

• Carry out nurse-led discharge

  Initiate and lead the discharge process of patients, involving all relevant professionals to expedite discharges. Assist bed and capacity management across the whole hospital.

• Apply health sciences

  Apply a broad range of bio-medical, psycho-social, organisational, educational, and societal aspects of health, disease, and healthcare to improve healthcare services and to improve quality of life.

• Promote human rights

  Promote and respect human rights and diversity in light of the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of autonomous individuals, taking into account their opinions, beliefs and values, and the international and national codes of ethics, as well as the ethical implications of healthcare provision, ensuring their right to privacy and honouring for the confidentiality of healthcare information.

• Apply person-centred care

  Treat individuals as partners in planning, developing and assessing care, to make sure it is appropriate for their needs. Put them and their caregivers at the heart of all decisions.

• Accept own accountability

  Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.

• Respond to changing situations in health care

  Cope with pressure and respond appropriately and in time to unexpected and rapidly changing situations in healthcare.

• Follow clinical guidelines

  Follow agreed protocols and guidelines in support of healthcare practice which are provided by healthcare institutions, professional associations, or authorities and also scientific organisations.

• Plan nursing care in a specialised field

  Lead and coordinate the treatment of patients in the field of specialisation to ensure continuous care of a consistent high quality.

• Use electronic health records in nursing

  Use electronic health records to document nursing assessment, diagnosis, interventions and outcomes based on comparable nursing classification systems and nursing taxonomy.

• Comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice

  Apply quality standards related to risk management, safety procedures, patients feedback, screening and medical devices in daily practice, as they are recognized by the national professional associations and authorities.

• Promote health in specialised care

  Identify health promotion and education needs for patients within the field of specialisation and develop and implement strategies as appropriate.

• Communicate effectively in healthcare

  Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.

• Educate on the prevention of illness

  Offer evidence-based advice on how to avoid ill health, educate and advise individuals and their carers on how to prevent ill health and/or be able to advise how to improve their environment and health conditions. Provide advice on the identification of risks leading to ill health and help to increase the patients' resilience by targeting prevention and early intervention strategies.

• Communicate in specialised nursing care

  Formulate and communicate complex clinical issues to patients, relatives and other health professionals.

• Participate in health personnel training

  Participate in the practical training of health personnel on the basis of the knowledge and skills acquired.

• Apply sustainability principles in health care

  Take into account the sustainability principles in healthcare and strive for the rational use of resources.

• Address problems critically

  Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.

• Coordinate care

  Coordinate care for patient groups, being able to manage a number of patients within a given amount of time and provide optimum health services.

• Manage personal professional development

  Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders.

• Adhere to organisational guidelines

  Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.

• Provide health education

  Provide evidence based strategies to promote healthy living, disease prevention and management.

• Use e-health and mobile health technologies

  Use mobile health technologies and e-health (online applications and services) in order to enhance the provided healthcare.

• Work in multidisciplinary health teams

  Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.

• Evaluate nursing care

  Evaluate nursing care assessing mechanisms and processes for continuous quality improvement in nursing care, considering the scientific, technical and ethical development.

• Ensure safety of healthcare users

  Make sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person's needs, abilities or the prevailing conditions.

• Implement fundamentals of nursing

  Implement the nursing theoretical and methodological fundamentals and principles, basic nursing interventions on scientific evidence and the resources available.

• Develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship

  Develop a mutually collaborative therapeutic relationship during treatment, fostering and gaining healthcare users' trust and cooperation.

• Initiate life preserving measures

  Initiate life-preserving actions by taking measures in crises and disaster situations.

• Operate in a specific field of nursing care

  Operate within an extended practice role in order to carry out advanced treatment, diagnostic and invasive interventions as related to the field of specialisation.

• Deal with emergency care situations

  Assess the signs and be well-prepared for a situation that poses an immediate threat to a person's health, security, property or environment.  

• Provide treatment strategies for challenges to human health

  Identify possible treatment protocols for the challenges to human health within a given community in cases such as infectious diseases of high consequences at the global level.

• Comply with legislation related to health care

  Comply with the regional and national legislation that is relevant to one`s work and apply it in practice.

• Advise on healthy lifestyles

  Promote healthy lifestyles, preventive measures and self-care by strengthening empowerment, promoting health and enhancing behaviours and therapeutic compliance, providing patients with the adequate information in order to support compliance with and adherence to prescribed treatments, medication and nursing care.

• Refer healthcare users

  Make referrals to other professionals, based on the healthcare user's requirements and needs, especially when recognising that additional healthcare diagnostics or interventions are required.

• Empathise with the healthcare user

  Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.

• Contribute to the advancements in specialised nursing care

  Contribute to the continuous development of the field of specialisation and research-based practice, participating in continuous professional development and research programmes, when appropriate.

• Provide professional care in nursing

  Provide professional care, adequate to the health and nursing care needs of the individuals, families and groups, taking into account the scientific developments, as well as the quality and safety requirements established in accordance with the legal/professional conduct regulations.

• Inform policy makers on health-related challenges

  Provide useful information related to health care professions to ensure policy decisions are made in the benefit of communities.

• Implement nursing care

  Implement nursing care when treating patients in order to improve professional practice.

• Empower individuals, families and groups

  Empower individuals, families and groups towards healthy lifestyles and self-care.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB