Clinical Nurse Specialist – Palliative Care

Summary

The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Palliative Care

 provides advanced clinical care and support to residents with life-limiting illness within Harbison’s aged care services. The role operates primarily at a clinical service level, and provides leadership, consultancy, and service development to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, person-centred palliative and end-of-life care across Harbison.

The CNS – Palliative Care also supports residents and families through complex clinical and emotional situations, and strengthens staff capability through education and mentoring, and clinical governance in alignment with Harbison’s values, mission, and the Aged Care Quality Standards.

Key Accountabilities

Clinical Leadership & Practice 

• Provide advanced clinical expertise in palliative and end-of-life care to residents with life-limiting illness. 

• Lead comprehensive palliative assessments, individualised care planning, and review of complex cases. 

• Support effective symptom management including pain, dyspnoea, nausea, delirium, and terminal agitation. 

• Support advance care planning, goals-of-care discussions, and end-of-life decision-making in collaboration with residents, families, GPs and the multidisciplinary team. 

• Provide escalation support to nursing and care staff for complex clinical situations, including, but not limited to, symptom management, pain control, and psychosocial distress. 

Consultancy & Collaboration 

• Provide advice to nursing staff, care workers, GPs, allied health, and external providers. 

• Build strong partnerships with specialist palliative care services, hospitals, and general practitioners, to support continuity of care and communication between services. 

• Participate in case conferences and multidisciplinary reviews to ensure coordinated and holistic care. 

Education & Capability Building 

• Design, deliver, and evaluate education and training programs to build palliative care capability across the workforce. 

• Provide bedside coaching mentoring, and clinical supervision to nursing and care staff in palliative and end-of-life care. 

• Support staff wellbeing through guidance in managing grief, loss, and end-of-life care challenges. 

Quality, Safety & Service Improvement 

• Lead and contribute to palliative care quality improvement initiatives and best practice implementation. 

• Ensure care delivery aligns with the relevant legislation, organisational policies, and evidence-based best practice. 

• Contribute to clinical audits, documentation reviews, incident reviews, and evaluation of outcomes related to palliative care. 

• Support continuous improvement through data analysis, feedback, and reflective practice. 

Policy, Governance & Compliance 

• Contribute to the development, review, and implementation of palliative care policies, procedures, and clinical guidelines. 

• Ensure clinical documentation meets legislative, regulatory, and organisational requirements. 

• Actively promote a culture of clinical governance, risk management, and accountability. 

Leadership & Professional Contribution 

• Actively role-model Harbison’s values in all interactions with residents, families, colleagues, and partners. 

• Promote a culture of compassion, respect, accountability, and continuous improvement. 

• Contribute to organisational initiatives that strengthen end-of-life care, resident experience, and staff capability. 

• Participate in professional development, reflective practice, and evidence-informed improvement activities. 

• Represent Harbison positively in internal forums and external partnerships related to palliative and end-of-life care. 

Requirements 

• Current registration as a Registered Nurse with AHPRA. 

• Postgraduate qualification in Palliative Care, Gerontology or relevant specialty (minimum Graduate Certificate level). 

• Demonstrated experience in both aged care and palliative care settings. 

• Minimum 3-5 years post-registration experience. 

• Experience managing residents with complex, life-limiting conditions. 

• Demonstrated advanced clinical knowledge and experience in palliative and end-of-life care. 

• Strong clinical leadership, consultancy, and decision-making skills. 

• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to lead and support sensitive conversations with residents and families. 

• Demonstrated experience in education, mentoring, and capability development. 

• Sound understanding of the Aged Care Quality Standards, Aged Care Act, and clinical governance principles. 

• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams. 

Equal work opportunities

At Harbison, we do not discriminate against, a person’s cultural background, heritage, disability, age, gender, or sexuality. Harbison believes in equal work opportunity for all workers and candidates.

Benefits

• Salary packaging includes up to $15,900 in pre-tax earnings plus $2,650 to contribute towards entertainment benefits each year.
• Access to in-house and online training programs.
• Career progression opportunities.
• Supportive, positive team environment.

Please note the current Influenza is an employment requirement at Harbison.

COVID recommended, Influenza (Flu) mandatory.

Applicants who apply will be contacted for an initial phone screening following submission of their application.