1. Role of Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Sheila McConville Community Specialist Palliative Care Nurse Southern Health and Social Care Trust

2. Role of Palliative Care CNS  Key aspects  Benefits  Challenges

3. Key Aspects of Role  Provide expert specialist palliative care to patients / families with complex needs  Service improvement  Consultations with other multi-disciplinary health professionals  Multi-professional education

4. Service Initiatives within SHSCT  Development of nurse-led clinics  Review of documentation  Clinical Buddying programme

5. Benefits of Role  Expert service to provide good palliation to greater range of patients / families  Avoidance of hospital admission  Facilitating early discharge  Facilitating patient’s choice to die in preferred place of care  Patient’s choice about services

6. Challenges of Role  Increasing referrals to service  Deliver on palliative care service improvement agenda to all  Increased expectations of service  Personal development  Emotionally demanding  Getting it all done!!!

7. Conclusion  Continue to provide clinical expertise to patients, families and other professionals  Embrace on-going service improvements  Build on development of nurse-led clinics  Provide on-going education programmes