Clinical Nurse Facilitator
The goal of Clinical Facilitation is to enhance clinical practice by supporting qualified nurses in the delivery of patient care. The role embraces the promotion of continuous practice development, utilising the skills of collaboration, networking and effective relationship building (Thornbury, 1999, McCormack et al, 1999, Manley, 2000).
The department currently has two Clinical Nurse Facilitator posts. One of the positions is permanent and is responsible for organisation and facilitation of ongoing training and education for nursing staff of all grades in the department. The second position (which is vacant at the present time) has responsibilities primarily for the postgraduate students completing the Postgraduate programme in Critical Care Nursing (Emergency Nursing), which are undergoing clinical placements. Both roles overlap significantly at times. The clinical facilitators are involved also in training and education of other disciplines (training of all grades of staff in Major Emergency preparedness in the emergency department) when the need arises. The facilitators in the emergency department are two of four facilitators in C.U.H. (ICU/CCU and theatre, being the other two). Each position is one whole time equivalent, working ‘core hours’. This role has been in existence since 2000.