Title: Beating Breathlessness Respiratory Nurse
Reports to: Slaintecare Beating Breathlessness Programme Co-ordinator
Location: Based in Asthma Society Headquarters in Dublin, with an option to work from home one day a week
Hours: Full-time (37 hours/ week)
Closing Date: 25/03/2020
Contract duration: Initial contract is for six months, with a view to extension of contract as soon as funding is approved by Slaintecare following successful implementation of initial project plans.
The Respiratory Nurse role will be to deliver the nurse led Asthma Society Slaintecare programme: Beating Breathlessness
The function of the Beating Breathlessness programme is to provide easily accessible support, education and information to people with asthma or COPD to help them better understand and manage their condition. The respiratory nurse-led “Beating Breathlessness” project involves a two-pronged approach to asthma and COPD education and self-management:
The ASI WhatsApp Asthma & COPD Patient Programme.
The ASI Patient Asthma & COPD Prescription Self-Management Programme.
The Respiratory Nurse will be a motivated self-starter, with a qualification in respiratory nursing.
The Respiratory Nurse will provide educational and signposting information to users of our WhatsApp Programme and users of our E-Patient Prescription Self-Management Service.
This service is provided to adults over 18. You will be required to respond to all enquiries in a timely manner within 24 hours, Mon to Friday and according to the operational guideline / policies of the ASI and adhering to the NMBI Nurse Code of Conduct, to ensure the highest standards of nursing are being maintained and professional responsibilities in caring for patients are implemented in a safe, ethical and effective way. It is the responsibility of the nurse to familiarise themselves with the NMBI Nursing Code of Conduct. The nurse must be on the current NMBI live register. The nurse will operate within their scope of practice and will have evidence of CPD continuing education.
Overall objectives of Beating Breathlessness
• To provide an easily accessible support, education and information to people with asthma or COPD to help them to better understand and manage their condition.
• To provide advice and guidance on a different channel, reaching and supporting a younger cohort of patients and family members of COPD patients.
• To empower people to engage better with healthcare professionals and healthcare services.
• To sign-post (and provide) people with appropriate services, resources and materials.
• To encourage people to look after their general health and well-being by encouraging smoking cessation, physical activity and promoting vaccinations.
• To provide information and resources to members on an on-going basis through the ASI’s member network.
• To reduce asthma deaths in Ireland.
Planned Beating Breathlessness Outcomes
• People with asthma and COPD have a better understanding of their own asthma/COPD control and when they need to take action.
• People with asthma and COPD understand their own individual triggers better and have better
• People with asthma or COPD are empowered to better manage their condition through increased awareness of asthma or COPD management.
• Improved understanding of medications and when to use them (i.e. difference between controller and reliever).
• Improved knowledge of what to do in the case of an exacerbation - recognising the symptoms and the 5 Step Rule.
• Improved confidence to engage with the health system, how to access and navigate it.
• Decreased anxiety and improved confidence in effectively managing their condition.
• Improved awareness of vaccinations in the management of asthma or COPD.
• Increased development and rollout of asthma or COPD self-management plans, in collaboration with their GP or asthma nurse.
• Increased take-up of the HSE’s Quit service.
Essential Requirements
Registered General Nurse with a minimum of two year- experience in clinical respiratory nursing, also with a post graduate qualification in Respiratory Nursing.
Must be on the NMBI live register.
Computer literate and familiar with CRM reporting systems.
Experience and interest in working on patient self-management programmes – such as Stanford.
Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills.
An active interest in creating a strong patient relationship using digital and messaging as key intervention tools – additional training will be provided on this
Comfortable with working within a multidisciplinary team.
A motivated self-starter comfortable with decision making and seeing opportunities to drive and grow the service.
The Respiratory Nurse will:
To be proficient and expert in the areas of Asthma and COPD management.
To operate and advice on content and implementation of the WhatsApp Patient Programme and the E-Patient Self-Management programme.
To report all patient consultations on Salesforce CRM for respiratory clients following the Asthma Society’s operational policies and procedures, including call framework and quality assurance metrics.
To respond to queries in a supportive and timely manner, ensuring caller dignity and privacy are respected.
Adhere to all ASI data protection protocols.
To ensure the information provided to callers is from clinical based sources, in line Asthma Society and with NMBI guidelines.
To recommend additional Asthma Society and HSE services and products such as Adviceline, Asthma in the Pharmacy Days, our website, educational booklets, devices, HSE Quit programme, COPD Support Ireland patient groups, etc.
To maintain a knowledge base on developments in asthma and COPD care and keep informed regarding Asthma Society campaigns, events and activities.
To provide updates to the Health Promotion team at Learning Team Meetings including feedback on call sessions, identifying calls for evaluation, follow up actions to be taken by the administration team and availability going forward.
To triage patients and escalate medical intervention in an expedient professional manner when required.
To apply for this role, send an email and cover letter to hr@asthmasociety.ie, with Respiratory Nurse in the subject line by 25th March 2020.
