Clinical Nurse Specialist – Orthopaedics Planned Care


  • 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week) 12 month fixed-term position
  • Recent Surgical Experience with Orthopaedic experience preferred
  • Nursing leadership opportunity

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

The Orthopaedic Planned Care Clinical Nurse Specialist will be responsible for promoting and embedding improvement in planned care performance throughout Health New Zealand, Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Hospital and Specialist Services.  Specifically, the role will work alongside the Orthopaedic Service Manager and the Planned Care team to ensure the Service:

  • Effectively promote improved performance against organisational targets for Surgical specialities, monitoring planned care and treatment wait time performance
  • Prioritise wait lists to meet the agreed principles of longest wait, greatest need with an equity lens while targeting Long Wait Patients.
  • Working with Orthopaedic and other relevant supporting teams to improve performance and optimise capacity for Planned Care procedures.
  • Supporting and overseeing work carried out between private hospitals and health specialties to arrange provision of outsourced care.
  • Understand and respond to constraints in planned care patient flow and work to minimise day of surgery cancellations.
  • At a patient level, provide oversight and enable the clinical journey for Long Wait Patients.

About You

As a Senior Nurse you will have recent surgical experience and proven leadership skills.

Your expert communication, interpersonal skills and proven ability to engage people at all levels will see you work effectively and efficiently with a diverse group of teams to provide advanced clinical care and nursing expertise to the patients and their families/whanau.

By utilising your advanced knowledge and clinical skills in collaboration with nursing and medical staff, the multidisciplinary team and other external agencies you will contribute to Planned care by developing strategic plans to facilitate treatment for Long Wait Patients.

You can problem solve and manage complex situations as they arise, finding effective solutions.  Your sound interpersonal skills and impeccable management of complex situations enable you to work alongside a variety of clinicians to ensure care is delivered as required.

Skills and Experience:

  • Experience and demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to influence decision making and change.
  • Interpersonal skills and proven ability to build relationships.
  • Strategic thinking and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration.
  • Clear and concise communication,
  • An ability to interpret data and maintain excel spreadsheets / databases.
  • You will be a NZ Registered Nurse with a current Annual Practising Certificate
  • Hold a post graduate qualification or working towards same.

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

Please note this role is open only to current staff of Health New Zealand. Please do not apply if you are not currently employed by Health New Zealand.

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal by Monday 2nd March.  If you have any questions about the role, please contact Victoria at Victoria.Steiner@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz

Apply now

Fixed Term/Contract/Full Time

Job no: PC4130702

Location: Christchurch

Closing Date: Monday 2nd March