Clinical Nurse Specialist Palliative Care
- Waikato Hospital
- Permanent - Full Time Position 1.0 FTE
- Clinical Nurse Specialist – Palliative Care
- We are seeking a motivated, compassionate and experienced Clinical Nurse Specialist to join our Palliative Care multi-disciplinary team.
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.
About the Role
- As the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) aligned with the Palliative Care Service, you will bring advanced nursing knowledge, leadership, and compassion to this highly specialised area of care.
- You will report to the Nurse Director – Cancer and Chronic Conditions and work alongside a dedicated and supportive team of Palliative Care Consultants and other Senior Nursing staff.
- Together, you will deliver coordinated, patient-centred care for patients with advanced and life limiting disease.
- The successful candidate will support the implementation of local and national initiatives, and develop strong relationships within Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora, Waikato
Click here to view the position description.
About the Service
The Palliative Care Service is part of the Cancer and Chronic Conditions directorate at Waikato Hospital. The aim of palliative care is to help people to achieve and maintain their potential in all aspects of their life, however limited this may be as a result of the progression of their disease or illness. The Palliative Care team provide an inpatient consultation service, on referral by other specialty teams. Although we are a hospital team, we support palliative care in the community which enables patients to be cared for and to die at home. Hospice Waikato is the main provider of community based palliative care services.
About you
- Have a current New Zealand Annual Practicing Certificate
- Have a minimum of 2 years NZ hospital experience
- Have a minimum of a post graduate certificate
- Have 5 years Palliative Care, Oncology and/or General Medicine knowledge and experience
- Proficiency in implementing Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice
- A full clean NZ driver’s licence
Key Responsibilities of the role
- Inpatient assessment and review, promoting patient-centred decision making
- Assist in the management of patient symptoms and pain relief
- Provide education, and holistic support to patients and whanau, and link to services and support that is available in the community
- Collaborate closely with Consultants, Registrars, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Ward Nurses, Kaitiaki, Chaplains, Hospice Staff and the wider multidisciplinary team.
- Participate in departmental meetings, service development, and multidisciplinary meetings to support treatment planning and coordination
- Monitor and streamline patient pathways to ensure care aligns with organisational strategies.
- Support quality improvement and research initiatives that enhance outcomes for patients within the palliative care service.
- Engage in ongoing professional development and leadership activities to advance palliative care nursing practice
Working at Health New Zealand
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.
How to Apply
To apply please click “Apply online” or apply via our Waikato Careers website by clicking here.
All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal before 17 September 2026 If you have any questions about the role, please contact Shivani Kulkarni at Shivani.Kulkarni@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz.
We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.
