The Clinical Nurse (Identified) – Surgical Planning & Access (SPA) plays a pivotal clinical leadership role in ensuring equitable and timely access to surgical care for children and young people across Queensland. This includes direct responsibility for coordinating surgical access both within Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) and through external outsourcing pathways, in alignment with clinical urgency and strategic service planning.

Job details

Under s25 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991, there is a genuine occupational requirement for the incumbent to be Indigenous to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

About the Team

The Division of Surgery and Perioperative Services at CHQ provides a comprehensive state-wide consultant-led tertiary referral service providing ambulatory and inpatient care. The multiple specialty teams provide quaternary care for pre-term infants, babies, children, and young people requiring emergency, urgent and planned acute care. This team works as part of larger multidisciplinary clinical teams and in concert with the divisional nurse, nurse unit managers, nurse navigators, nurse practitioners, and the divisional leadership team to deliver comprehensive care across the continuum of CHQ Services.

About the Role

• This role is central to managing surgical coordination, patient optimisation, and scheduling, with a strong focus on supporting children under the Department of Child Safety. The Clinical Nurse works collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to facilitate joint surgical cases, optimise theatre utilisation, and ensure appropriate allocation of resources across internal and outsourced services.
• In addition to clinical responsibilities, the role provides mentorship and operational support to administrative staff within the Surgical Planning and Access team, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and excellence in patient-centred care.
• The Clinical Nurse will lead clinical audits, maintain accurate documentation across key systems (ieMR, HBCIS, Surginet, QHERS), and ensure compliance with the Elective Surgery Implementation Standard (ESIS). This role is instrumental in driving quality outcomes, enhancing access, and supporting the broader surgical service to deliver safe, compassionate, and culturally responsive care.

 About Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service (CHQ HHS)

Children's Health Queensland is a recognised leader in paediatric healthcare, teaching and research, delivering a full range of clinical services and training, tertiary and quaternary care and health promotion programs to children and young people from across Queensland and northern New South Wales.   

Our interprofessional workforce of more than 5,000 people deliver responsive, integrated and internationally recognised person-centred care through a network of services and facilities, including the Queensland Children's Hospital, Jacaranda Place, Ellen Barron Family Centre, our Child and Youth Community Health Service, our Child and Youth Mental Health Service, and other statewide services and programs including specialist outreach and telehealth services.

Inclusion and diversity

To encourage inclusive practices in recruitment, we are committed to increasing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce and building inclusive cultures that respect and promote human rights and Workforce Diversity and Inclusion. CHQ is an equal opportunity employer.

Some of the great benefits of working at CHQ HSS

If you're looking for a rewarding career, and you're excited to contribute to the development of Australia's best paediatric health service, come and join the team at CHQ and enjoy a range of benefits including:

• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• Competitive renumeration
• Annual pay increases
• …12.75% employer superannuation contribution
• …17.5% annual leave loading
• Salary packaging
• Employee wellness and assistance program
• Work/life balance, variety, and flexibility

You can find out more about why it's so great to work at CHQ HHS here.

Further information

We are committed to building inclusive cultures in the Queensland public sector that respect and promote human rights and diversity.

Applicants are encouraged to apply online. Please review the Role Description, Information Pack and Applicant Tool Kit for more information on application process requirements. Agency referrals will not be accepted for this position.

Documents

Before applying for this vacancy please ensure you read the documents below.

• CHQ_Applicant Toolkit_2025 (PDF, 862KB)
  Application Kit
  
  CHQ_Information for Applicants_2025 (PDF, 837KB)
  Application Kit
  
  661644_Clinical Nurse SPA (Identified) (PDF, 472KB)
  Role Description