Clinical Facilitator (CNM2 Equivalent)

Job Purpose
The Clinical Facilitator will take a lead role in planning, coordinating, and delivering clinical education and teaching across a range of clinical departments, including the Perioperative Department, Endoscopy Unit, Surgical Ward, Step-Down Unit, and Minor Injuries Unit (General). The post holder will support postgraduate students and qualified staff across all of these areas to achieve the highest standards of clinical competence and safe, evidence-based care.

Key Responsibilities 
Professional & Clinical Leadership
•    Provide professional and clinical leadership that champions a culture of efficiency, teamwork, continuous quality improvement, and service innovation across all designated clinical areas, including the Perioperative Department, Endoscopy Unit, Surgical Ward, Step-Down Unit, and Minor Injuries Unit (General). 
•    Serve as a professional role model within the specialist practice area, acting as a knowledgeable resource for all staff and engaging directly in patient care as appropriate. 
•    Uphold and promote the dignity of every patient and staff member, reflecting the ethical values and mission of the hospital at all times. 
•    Practise within the NMBI Code of Professional Conduct, contribute to the evolution of the nursing Scope of Practice, and provide authoritative professional leadership for nursing services. 
•    Function as a clinical resource for nursing, allied health, and medical colleagues. 
•    Work collaboratively with the CNM on matters relating to nursing education, professional practice, and policy development. 
•    Partner with the management team to identify opportunities that enhance nursing service delivery and improve the patient experience. 
•    Actively support staff retention initiatives within the department. 
Education, Teaching & Clinical Facilitation
•    Deliver clinical education to postgraduate nursing students and departmental staff, encompassing both formal instruction and informal mentorship. 
•    Design and facilitate lectures, workshops, and simulation exercises for postgraduate learners and existing staff, integrating current evidence and emerging best practices. 
•    Lead the orientation process for new team members, ensuring a structured, welcoming, and educationally rich introduction to the unit. 
•    Coordinate and deliver in-service education both scheduled and ad hoc for departmental staff and, where requested, for staff in related clinical areas. 
•    Establish clear learning objectives for all newly appointed nursing staff and provide unit-based clinical teaching in partnership with relevant team members. 
•    Support course participants in bridging theoretical concepts with clinical application, championing a skills-based teaching approach within the practice setting. 
•    Deliver specialist nursing tutorials and lectures to postgraduate students and staff, drawing on current research and innovative teaching methodologies. 
•    Support Clinical Nurse Managers and staff nurses in their teaching responsibilities, ensuring that students achieve required learning objectives and competency standards. 
•    Assess the continuing education needs of nursing staff and provide recommendations in consultation with Clinical Nurse Managers and the ADON on how these needs can be most effectively addressed. 
•    Plan, coordinate, and implement continuing nursing education programmes, with the support of Clinical Nurse Managers. 
•    Take part in the hospital-wide in-service education programme as appropriate. 
Student Support, Assessment & Academic Liaison
•    Plan and arrange appropriate clinical placements to meet postgraduate programme requirements, working closely with the programme lead at TUS Athlone, the Post-Registration Nurse Tutor, and relevant hospital personnel. 
•    Collaborate with students and staff in the clinical environment to evaluate knowledge, map educational needs, and develop targeted plans that secure the achievement of learning outcomes. 
•    Conduct competency assessments in collaboration with senior staff, offering structured counselling and guidance to support professional growth. 
•    Maintain accurate records of each student's clinical experience and provide timely, constructive feedback to both the individual learner and the relevant Nurse Managers. 
•    Contribute to the development of examination materials including questions and marking schemes for postgraduate written assessments. 
•    Maintain regular liaison with course leaders at partnering universities to support all dimensions of postgraduate programme delivery. 
•    Communicate clearly and plan proactively with relevant personnel to facilitate the safe and efficient integration of students, practice support nurses, and adaptation nurses into the roster. 
Quality Improvement, Audit & Accreditation
•    Participate in internal and external audit and accreditation processes, including HSA, CHKS, and HIQA. 
•    Support clinical audit activity within the department in conjunction with the Assistant Director of Nursing and Clinical Nurse Managers. 
•    Actively engage in accreditation processes and quality programmes; identify improvement opportunities and lead quality initiatives in consultation with multidisciplinary teams. 
•    Ensure consistent implementation of all hospital policies, with particular attention to safe clinical practice and regulatory compliance. 
•    Contribute to practice development by authoring and reviewing policies, standards, and clinical guidelines in collaboration with the Practice Development team. 
•    Promote and embed evidence-based practice, ensuring that nursing care is grounded in up-to-date research and the latest clinical findings. 
•    Incorporate validated research outcomes and innovative approaches into staff development programmes across all designated clinical areas. 
Research, Professional Development & Networking
•    Represent and advance nursing practice by contributing to national conferences, professional meetings, and published discussion. 
•    Commit to ongoing personal and professional development to maintain the competencies required to meet evolving service needs. 
•    Cultivate a professional network and communication channels with specialists across this field of care. 
•    Participate in probation reviews, staff appraisals, and professional development processes within the department, alongside Clinical Nurse Managers and senior nursing staff. 
Staff Supervision & Support
•    Supervise qualified and unqualified staff, maintaining a safe working environment and upholding patient safety standards at all times. 
•    Seek guidance and support when necessary and provide support and mentorship to staff as appropriate. 
•    Participate in staff development initiatives and contribute to maintaining a positive learning culture within the department. 
Administration, Communication & Reporting
•    Manage personal workload effectively and exercise sound organisational judgement. 
•    Attend and contribute to relevant committees and clinical or managerial meetings aligned with the Clinical Facilitator role. 
•    Prepare and submit a quarterly report on the activities of the Clinical Nurse Facilitators to the ADON for Education and Training. 
Health, Safety & Compliance
•    Fulfil health, safety, and welfare responsibilities in line with applicable legislation and hospital policy, working collaboratively with Clinical Nurse Managers. 
•    Comply fully with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) Code of Professional Conduct.

Essential Criteria
Qualifications 
Essential 
• Current registration (or eligibility for registration) on the relevant 
division of the Register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the 
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). 
• Demonstrated evidence of continuous professional development. 
Desirable 
• Completion of a teaching and assessing course. 
• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant clinical area. 
 
Experience 
Essential 
• A minimum of five years' post-registration nursing experience (or an 
aggregate equivalent of five years full-time), of which at least two years 
must be within one or more of the relevant specialities: perioperative 
care, endoscopy, surgical nursing, step-down care, or minor injuries. 
• Demonstrable clinical, managerial, and administrative capacity to fulfil 
the responsibilities of the role effectively. 
Desirable 
• Prior experience in a clinical facilitation or educational role. 
 
Knowledge 
Essential 
• Thorough knowledge of nursing guidelines, policies, procedures, and 
protocols applicable to perioperative care, endoscopy, surgical nursing, 
step-down/high-dependency care, and minor injuries nursing. 
• Broad awareness of the distinct clinical learning environments and 
educational requirements across the Perioperative Department, 
Endoscopy Unit, Surgical Ward, Step-Down Unit, and Minor Injuries 
Unit. 
• Clear understanding of the requirements underpinning pre-registration 
nursing degree education. 
• Familiarity with clinical learning objectives for pre- and post
registration nursing students. 
• Detailed understanding of the Scope of Nursing Practice Framework. 
• awareness of current nursing research relevant to the ward area and 
speciality. 
• Experience of clinical audit processes and standard-setting. 
• Awareness of—and a proactive approach to—innovation in clinical 
education, digital learning tools, and contemporary nursing practice 
developments. 
Desirable 
• Evidence of a personal career development and professional 
development plan. 
• Knowledge of clinical proficiency assessment methodologies. 
• Understanding of acute hospital accreditation processes. 
• Broad awareness of current trends and innovations in the nursing 
profession.
 
Skills/ Competencies    
1. Evidence-Based Decision Making
•    Demonstrates sound, timely judgement by drawing on all available evidence when evaluating problems and formulating responses.
•    Applies analytical thinking to deconstruct complex challenges into manageable components.
•    Translates research findings into practical improvements in nursing care and operational processes.
•    Typical activities: evaluating service needs and resource allocation; assessing service data trends; integrating research into nursing practice; resolving complex client service challenges; making difficult decisions grounded in best available evidence.

2. Building and Sustaining Relationships
•    Cultivates strong, trust-based working relationships across all levels and service areas.
•    Demonstrates genuine empathy and a reciprocal, supportive working style with colleagues and service users alike.
•    Typical activities: managing employee relations diplomatically; providing support to staff and service users in distress; handling sensitive issues with care and discretion; offering professional support to nursing staff, healthcare professionals, and management.

3. Communication and Influencing
•    Conveys messages with clarity, confidence, and persuasiveness across written, oral, and digital media.
•    Constructs compelling arguments and employs strategic influencing techniques; exercises strong listening and interpersonal sensitivity.
•    Typical activities: presenting at professional fora; making motivational presentations; briefing staff and multidisciplinary teams; explaining complex or sensitive information to patients and families; authoring formal reports and correspondence; participating in influential committees or task groups.

4. Innovation, Service Initiation and Improvement
•    Proactively drives positive outcomes across all levels of the service.
•    Champions a culture of innovation actively seeking out and piloting new ideas, tools, and approaches that enhance care quality and service delivery.
•    Identifies opportunities for service improvement and demonstrates the initiative and creativity needed to translate ideas into sustainable change.
•    Typical activities: leading the team in exploring innovative treatment modalities and care models; establishing new project teams to address specialist needs; creating expanded staff roles to foster professional growth; organising multidisciplinary think-tanks to solve complex service challenges; gathering and acting on service-user suggestions for improvement.
•    Innovation is considered a core competency for this role; candidates are expected to demonstrate a track record of introducing or championing improvements in clinical education or practice.

5. Resilience and Composure
•    Sustains a disciplined and professional level of performance under sustained or acute pressure.
•    Recovers constructively from setbacks and maintains persistence and adaptability in pursuit of goals.
•    Typical activities: providing calm leadership during crises; managing competing demands in time-limited settings; maintaining composure in high-stakes resource negotiations; addressing performance issues and challenging interpersonal situations with equanimity.

6. Integrity and Ethical Practice
•    Holds and consistently acts in accordance with a well-defined set of professional values.
•    Actively reinforces ethical and values-driven behaviour throughout the nursing team.
•    Typical activities: disseminating professional ethics across the nursing service; contributing to the formation of organisational values; navigating complex ethical dilemmas; modelling exemplary conduct for colleagues in sensitive situations.

7. Sustained Personal Commitment
•    Demonstrates a strong personal dedication to achieving service goals and driving continuous improvement.
•    Brings consistent enthusiasm and high motivation to all aspects of professional practice.
•    Remains current with developments in the nursing profession and maintains a personal commitment to lifelong learning.
•    Typical activities: championing nurse education throughout the service; initiating systems for capturing and sharing learning; attending conferences and professional meetings; continuously seeking to improve personal performance and service outcomes.

8. Practitioner Competence and Professional Credibility
•    Possesses the clinical knowledge, technical skills, and professional authority to make a meaningful contribution to nursing practice at all levels of nursing management.

9. Planning and Organisation
•    Plans and allocates resources effectively and efficiently within defined timeframes.
•    Coordinates and schedules activities with foresight, managing unforeseen scenarios with composure.
•    Typical activities: rostering and resource allocation; procuring and evaluating materials; prioritisation under pressure; maintaining operational records; planning meetings, case conferences, and other events.

10. Building and Leading a Team
•    Acts as a role model in terms of professional capability, motivating and empowering staff to deliver a high-quality service.
•    Integrates diverse working styles into a cohesive, high-performing team; coaches staff and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
•    Typical activities: upholding high daily standards in clinical services; leading interdisciplinary care; empowering staff through coaching, team meetings, and promotion of staff-led initiatives.

11. Leading on Clinical Practice and Service Quality
•    Sets, monitors, and drives improvement in clinical standards and service quality.
•    Typical activities: ensuring patients receive high-quality clinical care; implementing and evaluating care standards; interdisciplinary networking to ensure effective service delivery systems; monitoring accommodation and ancillary service standards.

12. Training and Education
•    Oversee and coordinate the delivery of ongoing nursing education for all staff, including active participation in teaching, supervision, and assessment.
•    Ensure that patient care reflects the most current research evidence and constitutes best practice; act as an expert clinical resource for nursing, medical, and allied health professional staff.
•    Stay abreast of developments in nursing research and actively facilitate and contribute to research activity within the clinical setting.
•    Develop and implement, in partnership with staff, a structured orientation programme for newly appointed nursing and ancillary personnel.
•    Create individual learning contracts that align personal development goals with organisational and specialty-specific objectives.
•    Lead people management responsibilities and champion the adoption of management tools and frameworks including Team-Based Performance Management, Key Performance Indicators, Continuous Professional Development planning, Legal Framework compliance, and Learning Needs Analysis.
•    Attend relevant study days and conferences to maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practice in patient care.
•    Collaborate closely with the Practice Development Co-ordinator, Clinical Placement Co-ordinators, and the Nurse Education Centre to lead and sustain high-quality education and training programmes.

What We Offer
• Competitive salary
• Sign on Bonus
• Full-time, permanent employment contract
• Continuous professional development and training opportunities
• Supportive, collaborative working environment
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Opportunities for career progression
• Free on-site parking

At Charter Medical Private Hospital, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and ensure equal opportunity in hiring and advancement.

Apply for the above role by sending your CV to recruitment@cmph.ie including the job title in the subject.