The ONMSD and National Clinical Programme for Stroke
The Stroke Nurse Lead provides essential leadership in nursing practice, workforce development, and quality improvement to ensure the best outcomes for stroke patients.
The Nurse lead achieves this by:
- Supporting the delivery of the National Stroke Strategy (2022-2027) by ensuring alignment with best-practice international guidelines.
- Expanding the roles of clinical specialist nurses and advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) to enhance stroke care delivery.
- Developing the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) within the Early Supported Discharge (ESD) team to ensure seamless, patient-centered recovery pathways and support effective transitions from hospital to home.
- Collaborating with the Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix team to ensure effective workforce planning that meets the needs of stroke services while prioritising patient safety.
- Partnering with the Consortium of Centre's for Nursing and Midwifery Education to design and deliver a QQI Level 8 accredited stroke nursing education programme, equipping nurses with advanced skills, knowledge, and leadership capabilities.
- Collaborating with the National Simulation Office to use simulation as an innovative educational modality for stroke training, supporting skill development and process improvements in stroke care pathways.
- Designing multidisciplinary, patient-centered models that integrate acute, rehabilitation, and community care settings.
- Facilitating collaboration with stroke nursing forums and specialist groups to promote unified care standards and knowledge exchange.
- Working in partnership with the National Quality and Patient Safety to align the QI initiatives of the Stroke Programme with the National Operational Framework for Quality Improvement, ensuring consistency and coherence in advancing healthcare quality across the system.
- Developing action plans and implementing strategies to address key recommendations from the Irish National Audit of Stroke (INAS) to continuously improve service delivery and patient outcomes.
- Engaging with nursing interest groups, professional networks, and cross-border stroke teams to share learning, foster innovation, and enhance care delivery across regions.
The Stroke Nurse Lead is instrumental in ensuring the success of the National Clinical Programme for Stroke, enabling nurses to deliver outstanding care and transform the lives of stroke patients and their families.
Related topic
Programme Publications and Models of Care
Contact
Fiona Connaughton, Nurse Lead
Mobile: 087 144 4427