Job Description Irish Diabetes Nurse and Midwife Specialist Association

Components of the role of the Diabetes Nurse Specialist:

Patient assessment and diagnosis
Prioritise care based on the assessment
Nursing interventions based on evidence based practice
On going assessment, monitoring and evaluation
Patient education, discharge planning and referral to other sources of care within their scope of practice

The following are the factors that are taken into account in determining the Diabetes Nurse Specialist role:

Professional accountability
Education
Clinical practice
Management
Professional responsibility

Professional Accountability

Actively participates in the management of the Diabetes Service making decisions for which they are personally accountable
Professionally accountable to the Director of Nursing
Professionally responsible in conjunction with the Medical Director for provision of the diabetes service

Educational

The setting of realistic educational and treatment goals
The assessment and evaluation of learning abilities of patients
To educate people with diabetes so that they can manage their diabetes and enable them to learn to live a full active and healthy life
Involve significant others where appropriate in the teaching process
To educate people with diabetes so that they become active partners in their care
To act as a resource person for people with diabetes
Provide individual and group education for people with diabetes and their families
Provide a service for special needs groups with diabetes such as adolescents, expectant mothers, ethnic minorities and those with learning difficulties

Education of Staff

To respond to the educational needs of staff and students
To liaise with the training and academic departments to deliver an ongoing programme of diabetes education both in the hospital and in the community

Clinical

To organise the planning and implementation of care for people with diabetes and their significant others
To encourage a healthy lifestyle behaviour as part of the health promotion strategy
To work in collaboration with other colleagues and as a member of the multidisciplinary team to provide specialist advice for people with diabetes
To provide a telephone advice service for ongoing assistance and help
To participate in the provision of a specialist outpatient service for people with diabetes
To participate in the provision of psychological care for people with diabetes and their significant others
To alter treatment within the prescribed clinical options, recognising agreed protocols
To maintain accurate and complete nursing records
To establish clear referral patterns for communicating and co-operating with medical staff, ward staff, and other relevant professionals such as general practitioners, public health nurses and practice nurses
To provide a service that is evidence based and aims to improve the quality of life
To improve the standards of care by promoting nursing research and developing nursing expertise
To evaluate the effectiveness of education programmes on an on-going basis

Management

To promote a safe environment in accordance with Health and Safety Regulations and Risk Management guidelines
To set standards appropriate for a learning environment for patients and staff
To be actively involved in data collection for audit purposes for the evaluation of the service provided
To identify service needs in relation to change and to best utilise available resources
To be involved in the development of an annual service plan with the relevant personnel
To be actively involved in clinical decision making

Professional

To demonstrate responsibility for professional growth by ensuring personal and professional development
To demonstrate a knowledge of and work within the An Bord Altranais Code of Professional Conduct
To be accountable for nursing decisions and actions
To be a member of a supportive multidisciplinary team and to be able to assist persons with diabetes with their self management
To be actively involved in research that is relevant to clinical practice
Ensure professional practice is research based and clinicallv effective

THE DOMAIN OF DIABETES NURSING PRACTICE:
The domain of diabetes nursing practice is underpinned by the concepts that guide the way in which diabetes nurses deliver care

The person

Individual needs, developmental stages: child, adolescent, adult, older person with diabetes

Health
Health chronic illness continuum
Primary and secondary nursing care and tertiary prevention

Nursing
Values, beliefs, attitudes, arts, science, ethics and self

Environment
Socio-economic and political

The scope of diabetes nursing practice is defined as the range of roles, functions, responsibilities and activities which diabetes nurses are educated and authorised to perform
CLINICAL CAREER PATHWAYS FOR DIABETES NURSING

Ward Nurse (Generalist)

Develop an appreciation for the care and management of the person with diabetes
Is able to assess, plan, intervene and evaluate nursing interventions for the person with diabetes in collaboration with a diabetes nurse specialist

Diabetes Nurse

Organizes, interprets, intervenes, and monitors care of the person with diabetes
Is able to develop an education plan in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team
Is able to intervene based on current guidelines with supervision and support
Is aware of the need for personal and professional development

Clinical Nurse Specialist in Diabetes Nursing

Organises nursing care independently within the context of diabetes care
Takes responsibility for initiating primary. secondary and tertiary care of people with diabetes
Prioritises care, prescribes. initiates, interprets, intervenes, monitors nursing interventions without supervision and informed by evidence based practice
Develops the evidence base of diabetes nursing practice
Recognises the need for professional develop of self and other staff
Acts as a role model and uses non-cohesive influence to direct others

Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Diabetes

Demonstrates expert skills in direct nursing care of the person with diabetes
Is involved in the development of a quality service for people with diabetes
Initiates research activity on diabetes at local level
Contributes to the education of others including curriculum development of appropriate courses
Critically evaluates the effectiveness of care through clinical audits, and carries out research to identify generic problems and change problems accordingly
Develop policies, protocols, guidelines and systems of care in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team
Acts as a role model and provides leadership by being a catalyst for change through enthusiasm and knowledge
Has the authority to manage own caseload, admit & discharge patients from care and refer to other health care professionals