Merchant’s Quay Ireland: Staff Nurse - Medically Supervised Injecting Facility
Job Title: Staff Nurse – Medically Supervised Injecting Facility (MSIF)
Responsible for: As a Registered Nurse you will work predominantly in the MSIF clinical area, supervising clients before, during and after episodes of injecting. Core activities include client engagement; health assessment; management of health emergencies; health education; brief interventions and referral to other health and welfare services. You will be part of the Registered Nurse Team and work collaboratively with MSIF’s multi-disciplinary team.
Reports to: Clinical Nurse Manager - MSIF
Objective: To support clients who inject drugs to ensure that they can do so safely, and to reduce harm.
Services at MQI Riverbank are not only a key starting point for people to connect and share their issues, it is a steppingstone towards their journey to come out of homelessness, use drugs safely and improve their health. MQI staff meet with the people wherever they are in their journey and explore with them to provide holistic support.
Health and client dignity is a critical part of this holistic support, and this is a great opportunity for a Nurse to be an enthusiastic, passionate and client focused leader. This is a unique opportunity for any nurse to develop skills in terms of planning and start-up of an innovative program to support the overall health and wellbeing of the client group that we serve. This is the first MSIF to be developed and opened in Ireland and being involved with this will give the successful candidate an opportunity to bring innovative practice into the area of homelessness and working with people who inject drugs (PWID).
Main Responsibilities
- Optimise health by saving lives and reducing injury from the negative effects associated with drug use
- Effectively intervene in the event of drug overdose
- Provide access to health and social welfare services for a marginalised and difficult to reach population
- Uphold and promote the dignity of all people who use our service and promote awareness and understanding in the community
- Foster social inclusion and client participation in the operation of MSIC
- Observe and monitor client’s wellbeing throughout their visit to MSIF.
- Use communication skills to develop rapport with clients.
- Provide opportunistic interventions for safer injecting and health promotion.
- Engage with clients to identify health needs and refer to local health and welfare services.
- Follow the clinical nurse managers direction and assist as required during client emergencies.
- Use observation and communication skills to maintain a safe, therapeutic environment
- Undertake clinical role in accordance with MSIF’s Internal Management protocol, clinical policies and procedures.
- Record all client observations and/or interactions on the relevant MSIF forms, MSIF clinical database.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues and managers to achieve MSIF’s objectives.
- Participate in clinical quality improvement and research activities.
- Develop and maintain skills in overdose management, incident de-escalation and management, infection control, vein care and safer injecting practices, and health promotion.
- Treat colleagues, neighbours, local service providers and visitors to the service with dignity and respect.
- Participate and comply with all quality management systems and processes.
The above job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post.
Person Specification
The ideal candidate for this post must have:
- A relevant 3rd level qualification Nursing (general / psychiatric)
- Minimum 2 years post registration experience
- Minimum of 1 years’ experience working in a low threshold environment
- Ability to demonstrate strong interpersonal and decision making skills
What does MQI Offer as an employer?
- Fulfilling and challenging work
- Paid Family Leave, where applicable (Maternity, Paternity, Adoptive, Force Majeure and Compassionate Leave)
- Competitive Salaries
- Employee Assistance Programme(EAP)
- Sick Pay Scheme
- Educational Assistance (Study and Examination Leave, Scholarship Foundation)
- Death In Service (from commencement of employment)
- Minimum 26 days Annual Leave (pro rata)
- Defined Contribution Pension Scheme (after 6 months)
- Group VHI scheme
Salary: Depending on relevant experience
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time / Part time positions available
Location: Open Access Service, Merchants Quay, Dublin 8
Closing date: 13th August 2024