Specialist Palliative Care Nurse (Community)

Job responsibilities

To work, as part of a multi-professional team and autonomously as a specialist palliative care nurse within a locality to manage patients with complex health needs and support families and carers in the community.

To provide training and education both formally and informally for the development of professionals and communities involved in the provision of palliative and end of life care.

To demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours in everything you do in the work environment.

To be responsible in the use and expenditure of LOROSs resources.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical

1. Co-ordinate timely and comprehensive assessment of specialist palliative and end of life care needs for the patient and the supportive needs of their loved ones.

2. Plan, implement and evaluate in collaboration with the patient, their loved ones and indicated health and social care professionals, the specialist care of the patient in the community setting.

3. Provide appropriate symptom management, psychological and spiritual support for patients complex palliative and end of life care needs to promote physical and emotional wellbeing.

4. Act as an advocate for the patient and their loved ones, providing essential specialist knowledge and advice, appropriate information regarding specialist palliative and end of life care.

5. Recognise a deteriorating patient and those where symptoms are not controlled based on the understanding of the disease process, including current evidence and practice standards and respond appropriately to urgent and emergency situations

6. Provide specialist palliative care rapid response intervention to support patients and carers, across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland as required

7. Be confident in facilitating patients discharge home from hospital when their wish is to be at home

8. Work on a rotational basis providing triage and co-ordination within the co-ordination centre, providing telephone advice service to patients, their loved ones and professionals as appropriate.

9. Ensure legible, contemporaneous and accurate records in accordance with organisational policy and legal requirements.

10. Develop and maintain effective communication with patients, their loved ones and a range of statutory and voluntary care professionals on complex palliative and end of care issues whilst meeting the integrated care needs of the patient in complex situations.

11. Participate in individual caseload review regularly with line manager to ensure caseload size and complexity is appropriate

12. Contribute as appropriate to daily MDT discussions and integrated locality neighbourhood board rounds

13. Comply with the NMC Code of Professional Practice, legislation for Health and Safety at Work and Clinical Governance. Adhering to all organisational policies and procedures to ensure quality and standard of clinical skill and practice.

14. Ensure own compliance with regard to mandatory training and NMC/Professional re-registration and revalidation requirements.

15. If the post holder is a qualified Non-Medical Prescriber, practice within their scope of practice and in accordance with the organisational Non-Medical Prescribing Policy.

Continuing Education, Professional and Personal Development

1. Promote the use of end of life care tools and best practice guidance including advance care planning (ACP) and preferred place of care (PPC).

1. Act as a resource for the primary health care team, other specialist teams statutory organisations and voluntary organisations on issues relating to specialist palliative and end of life care.

1. Actively engage with GPs to maximise the benefits of GSF meetings/principles.

1. Contribute to the development of relevant policies and clinical guidelines.

1. Undertake LOROSs corporate and local induction, and maintain your learning and compliance with training requirements for your role.

1. Actively participate in clinical supervision as an integral part of professional development

1. Maintain own up to date evidence based skills, knowledge and competence for the role requirements

1. Ensure student learners on clinical placement are appropriately supervised and assessed and have an effective learning experience

1. Be an active member of the ICSPCS contributing to team initiatives and developments.

1. Maintain specialist learning and reflective practice to ensure compliance with training requirements for the role.

11. Support and participate in the development of education and training for specialist palliative and end of life care.

1. Educate patients, their loved ones and other healthcare professionals to recognise changes in a patients condition that could lead to exacerbation of their illness or rapid deterioration and take appropriate actions.

Clinical Governance, Reduction of Risk, Audit and Research

1. Encourage research based practice and disseminate research findings in relation to specialist palliative and end of life care.

2. Participate in any multi-professional audit, which evaluates the effectiveness of the care, provided by the ICSPCS.

3. Participate in research projects relating to specialist palliative and end of life care.

4. Collect and submit any required statistics and activity data to assist service development.

5. Collaborate with the wider multi-professional team to implement nationally agreed standards and audit tools to measure clinical effectiveness.

6. Ensure that the delivery of care to patients meets the standards required by regulating bodies, for example CQC, NMC.

7. Ensure that the highest standards of Infection prevention and control are practiced at all times.

8. Ensure at all times to provide a personalised service to patients in accordance with agreed standards and promote quality, diversity and rights.

9. Ensure the promotion of patient dignity, equality, diversity and human rights.

10. Maintains own professional boundaries and appropriately declare any conflicts of interest.

Management and use of Resources and Information

1. Bring to the attention of the Team Lead any concerns, ideas, or creative solutions relevant to the effective use and management of resources.

2. Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times and information relating to patient / users and personnel is used only in connection with authorised duties.

3. Use health related information only for the purposes of what it is intended for and in accordance with the Data Protection act.

4. Ensure that medication prescribed to individuals is managed, in terms of storage, administration and monitoring of side effects and offer agreed advice on such medication in conjunction with the prescriber.

Operating with Quality in everything you do and maintaining a Safe Environment

1. Take responsibility for maintaining own and others Health and Safety and Security.

2. Ensure own actions and others assist with maintaining best practice and regulatory standards.

3. Ensure that you and others take action as appropriate, report in line with the Hospices Incident Reporting Policy; escalate any concerns regarding patient safety and clinical risk to the line manager.

4. Ensure self and others move and handle patients and goods in ways that promote the health of the patient and care team and are consistent with legislation.

5. Ensure self and others are responsible for the maintenance of a clean and safe environment adhering to infection control policies procedures and best practice.

6. Ensure self and others assist and maintain safe and hazard free area of work

GENERAL:

All staff are subject to Equal Opportunities Legislation, the Data Protection Act and LOROS Confidentiality Policy.

To carry out and comply with the prevention and control of infection as per LOROS policies and procedures.

All staff are subject to LOROS policies, procedures and conditions of service, with reference to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The post holder is responsible for safeguarding the interests of children and adults who they come into contact with during their work. To fulfil these duties post holders are required to undertake mandatory training to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse, or neglect, or individuals at risk and to follow LOROS policies relating to safeguarding practice including reporting any concerns that they may have.

Take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

Co-operate with their employer as far as is necessary to meet the requirements of the legislation.

All staff should be aware of and aim to contribute to LOROS Vision and Mission and also strive to exhibit the Values & Behaviours at all times (see attached document).

The contents of this job description are not exhaustive and may be amended in accordance with the needs of the service after discussion with the post holder whose agreement will not be unreasonably withheld.

Qualifications

Essential

• 1st Level Nurse
• Degree or equivalent
• Post registration qualifications
• Evidence of continuing professional development in last 12 months

Desirable

• Degree/Diploma in Palliative or Cancer care
• Teaching qualification
• Non-medical prescribing qualification
• Leadership or management qualification
• Advanced communication skills training
• Advanced care planning training

Knowledge

Essential

• Awareness of needs of patients and families with cancer and other life threatening illnesses
• Understanding of current developments within healthcare and their implications for quality care for patients
• Understanding of efficient and effective use of resources
• Awareness of impact of audit and research on practice

Desirable

• Knowledge of how working in the community effects patients care
• Knowledge of budget management

Motivation and personal attributes

Essential

• Able to demonstrate LOROS values and behaviours
• Able to motivate self and others
• Emotional resilience
• MDT and/or other team working
• Adaptable and flexible dependent on work priorities
• Motivated and committed to providing high quality patient care and patient education
• Car driver/access to a car
• Able to promote LOROS and its services to external stakeholders

Experience

Essential

• Significant post-registration/proven experience in palliative/cancer setting
• Experience in symptom management including the administration of medications via a syringe driver or by subcutaneous injection
• Experience in teaching and assessing

Desirable

• Community experience
• Project management experience
• Experience of patient and public involvement in service delivery

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills.
• Leadership potential and ability to work effectively with others
• Planning and organisational skills
• Able to make judgements based on evidence based practice and translate this for use in the clinical environment
• Demonstrates initiative and ability to work independently, problem solve and prioritise own work
• IT literate
• Clinical role model and able to support learners

Desirable

• Experience of using electronic patient records
• Involvement in Audit and Change Management
• Research skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).