It is acknowledged that the CNS role is diverse and complex. Evidence demonstrates that CNS’s reduce inefficiency, drives innovation and improve the quality of care and the patients experience.
Despite significant role development and evidence, there remains a lack of clarity and understanding about the roles, titles and responsibilities of CNS’s. As a response to this many Trusts are now looking closely at job plans and job descriptions of its specialist nurses. This document was shared with Apollo yesterday. This is work, from Northern Ireland and looks at job planning as a means of providing a more consistent, person centred approach to CNS roles. MacMillan, working with Skills for Health has described nationally transferable role templates.
Shared experiences and collaborative working should lead to a greater understanding of the unique contribution of specialist nurses ..right? What do you think……. Job descriptions and job planning……. can they and should they be standardised?