Clinical Nurse Specialist - Gerontology at Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Waikato, Waikato

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Waikato Hospital
• Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Part-time 0.4 FTE - Fixed term for 1 year 

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

We are seeking a suitably qualified, enthusiastic, culturally aware, motivated clinical nurse specialist (CNS) to join the geriatric clinical nurse specialist team. This position requires the successful candidate to work closely alongside the OPR inpatient charge Nurse Managers (CNM), Emergency Department and OPAL teams to provide specialist nursing care and expertise to support clinical decision making, educational requirements and be actively involved in quality improvements for care of the older adult. The role is predominantly based in OPR. 

Key responsibilities:

Emergency Department (ED)

• Provide specialist gerontology input in the ED, acting in an advisory and advocacy role for older people.
• Support early identification of frailty and risk to minimise avoidable hospital admissions.
• Guide ED teams in accessing appropriate community support pathways and services.
• Promote best-practice gerontology care within the acute assessment setting.

Inpatient Care

• Support and complete complex OPAL assessments for older inpatients.
• Provide expert advice on services available and guidance on case management for frailty-related conditions.
• Work collaboratively with Geriatricians and multidisciplinary teams to develop and support individualised case management and discharge plans.
• Support safe, timely discharge planning and continuity of care.

Community

• Visit identified at-risk older adults in the community to assess functional, cognitive, and environmental factors within their home environment.
• Identify risks early and support interventions that reduce hospital admission.
• Facilitate access to appropriate community services and supports

Click here to view the position description.

About the Team

Geri CNS Team is a small team of 4 Clinical Nurse Specialists providing expert clinical leadership and advocacy for older people across Emergency Department, inpatient, and community settings. This service focuses on minimising avoidable hospital admissions, supporting safe transitions of care, and improving access to appropriate community support pathways.

About you

Required skills & experience you will need to be considered for this role:

• Registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and a current APC
• Minimum 7+ years of Nursing experience
• Postgraduate nursing qualifications (Postgraduate Diploma degree or working towards one preferred)
• Extensive experience in gerontology, acute care of older people, or related specialties
• Advanced assessment and clinical decisionmaking skills
• A commitment to equity, including improving outcomes for Māori
• Strong communication, leadership, and teaching abilities
• A proactive, solution-focused approach to service improvement
• Knowledge and understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi

The successful candidate will:

• Have competency with te ao Māori, tikanga, and te reo Māori or a commitment to starting their journey and taking ownership of their learning and growth.
• Be able to demonstrate leadership experience in terms of managing complex dynamics associated with multi-professional groups.
• Be able to assess and make effective decisions under pressure in complex situations and use their own judgement to problem solve.
• Understand how to use data to improve quality, performance and growth.
• Have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy within New Zealand.
• Demonstrate highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, including the capacity to negotiate, resolve conflict and positively influence and motivate others.

Essential requirements:

• Registration with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
• A current practising certificate.
• Expert level on the Nurses Professional Development and Recognition Programme (PDRP) or if appropriate has achieved senior nurse level on the Senior Nurses PDRP.
• 7+ years experience in leadership in a complex health-related environment with Medicine and Older Persons, Rehabilitation clinical expertise.

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 11:59 pm on 21 July 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.