Clinical Nurse Specialist in Dual Diagnosis

Hours: Fulltime

Reporting to: Director of Nursing and Addiction Services

Location: Housing First, Mid East

Role overview

Peter McVerry Trust is a national housing and homeless charity committed to reducing homelessness and the harm caused by substance misuse and social disadvantage.

The role of Clinical Nurse Specialist in Dual Diagnosis in mental health working is within the housing first team. The post holder will have the ability to generate very positive outcomes for the participant group.

The post holder will work alongside the multi-disciplinary team as part of our housing first team. The CNS will be responsible for offering support to the participant group of housing first to include carrying out mental health assessments, making recommendations in terms of plans of care and liaising with external agencies that support the participant in terms of need in relation to both addiction and mental health.

The CNS in Dual diagnosis will offer specialist supports to the participant group with complex needs and engage with community supports to ensure the reintegration aspect of the housing first model is upheld. The CNS will be responsible for group delivery, conducting home visits, medication reviews, making recommendations, attending case conferences and contributing towards the ongoing development of the mental health supports within the organization.

Responsibilities

The role will include but not limited to, the following key responsibilities;

• Professional Knowledge Clinical Nurse Specialist (Dual Diagnosis) will:
  • Practice in accordance with relevant legislation and with regard to The Scope of Nursing & Midwifery Practice Framework (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, 2015) and the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, 2014)
  • Maintain a high standard of professional behavior and be professionally accountable for actions/omissions. Take measures to develop and maintain the competences required for professional practice
  • Adhere to relevant legislation and regulation
  • Adhere to appropriate lines of authority within the nurse management structure
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (Dual Diagnosis) will demonstrate:
  • In-depth knowledge of the role of a Clinical Nurse Specialist (Dual Diagnosis)
  • The ability to formulate a plan of care based on findings and evidence-based standards of care and practice guidelines
  • The ability to follow up and evaluate a plan of care
  • Possess a working knowledge of factors that present for participants within the homeless services
  • Knowledge of mental health promotion principles/coaching/self-management strategies that will enable people to take greater control over decisions and actions that affect their mental health and wellbeing
  • An understanding of the principles of clinical governance and risk management as they apply directly to Clinical Nurse Specialist in Dual Diagnosis
  • A working knowledge of audit and research processes
• Planning and Organizing
  • Demonstrates an ability to manage and develop self and others in a busy working environment
  • Anticipates problems and issues and take preventative action to address these
  • Delegates effectively to ensure objectives are achieved
  • Sets realistic timeframes
  • Prepares by ensuring adequate resources are available
  • Ensures resources are utilized in an effective and efficient manner
• Professionalism
  • Demonstrates the ability to work with multiple stakeholders across clinical and non-clinical services
  • Manages others fairly and consistently
  • Demonstrates the ability to work under pressure
  • Awareness of one’s own strengths and weakness
  • Demonstrates resilience by not taking things personally and striving for a successful outcome
  • Maintains appropriate level of visibility throughout the Organization
• Communication
  • Expresses ideas clearly and logically, supported by the appropriate evidence to persuade others
  • Information sharing in an open and timely manner ensuring to keep relevant people informed
  • Delivers presentations to groups with confidence and credibility
  • Effectively communicates new initiatives and ideas to ensure successful implementation
• Team Player
  • Proactively develops and nurtures workplace relationships
  • Understands and tolerates different needs and viewpoints
  • Utilizes team strengths and attributes in achieving goals
  • Engages input from all team members
• Leadership
  • Embraces organizational change initiatives
  • Articulates the benefits of change to others
  • Ability to encourage, inspire and support others to deliver
  • Ability to understand how individuals, at all levels, operate and how best to use that understanding to achieve objectives in the most efficient and effective way
  • Facilitates change
  • Ability to bring new ideas and initiatives to fruition
• Innovation
  • Embraces change by being flexible and enthusiastic to new ideas
  • Strives to continually improve own processes and service area
  • Puts forward proposals and develops strategic implementation plans to introduce new and improved ways of operating
• Problem Solving and Decision Making
  • Acts quickly to address urgent matters
  • Anticipates problems and issue and takes preventative action to address them
  • Ability to make decisions in challenging situations
  • Accurately anticipates likely consequences of actions and decisions
• Undertake any other agreed duties to ensure the provision of the service.

Experience Required

Qualifications, Skills and Experience required;

• Be a registered nurse in the Psychiatric Division on the active Register of Nurses
• Hold a relevant (level 8) post-graduate qualification in Mental Health
• Hold a full current driver license and have access to a car
• Five years post qualification experience
• Two years post qualification experience in Mental Health Specialist Care.
• Demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development
• Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional responsibility within his/her scope of practice
• Experience in the area of mental health community nursing
• Experience of working with individuals with a background of homelessness or complex needs is desirable

Other Information

• Confidentiality: It is a condition of service that all information obtained during the course of employment, especially with regard to participants affairs is treated with the strictest confidence.
• Equal Opportunities: To implement Equal Opportunities into your daily practice at all times
• Health and Safety: To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your Colleagues in accordance with relevant PMVT policies and procedures.

How to apply

To apply, please download the application form available at pmvtrust.ie/careers 

Completed application forms should be sent to recruitment@pmvtrust.ie along with your CV and Cover Letter.

Closing dates for applications is 10th August 2025.

Peter McVerry Trust is an equal opportunities employer.