Palliative Care Nurse

Job responsibilities

Role Summary

We aim to provide a responsive, flexible, high qualityseven daypalliative careservice to patients and their families living in Kirklees.

Our charitable purpose is to deliver palliative care services free of charge to people in a trulyperson centredway, recognising that patients havedifferent needs. Ensuring that services are designed in coproduction with patients, carers and other agencies / teams involved in theindividualscare.

To achievethisyou willbe requiredto work with a high degree of autonomy and professional accountability within the community, utilising a high standard of communication skills, communicating effectively and professionally with a range ofpeople. Working as part of the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT), you will provide advice and assessment of patients with palliative care needs, develop managementplansand provide support and advice to othersinvolved with the patients care. You will carry out evaluations of plans, be responsive to the changing needs of individuals with support from the IDT ensuring that patientsattainthe highest quality of life and symptom management at every stage of their journey.

Primary Responsibilities

Clinical Practice

• To provide high quality,evidence basedspecialist palliative clinical advice and support to other nurses, health care professionals and agencies, to ensure delivery of a high-quality local palliative care service.

• Perform comprehensive assessment of patients with palliative care needs.

• Plan, implement and evaluate care delivery according to changing health care needs,wishesand culture.

• Assess family / carer needs, and act as an advocate whenrequired.

• To useevidence basedpractice to provide patients,familiesand carers with holistic clinical and supportive interventions throughout their journey from diagnosis, during treatment, end oflife andbereavement.

• Work with patients and carers in a holistic way, addressing physical, psychological, emotional, behavioural, spiritual, and social needs.

• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the options for achieving symptom control and ability to advise the primary health care team.

• Work in partnership with patients, their families, and carers, to enable them to make informed choices; set goals; and toidentifyand promote strategies to adapt to life-threatening and life-limiting situations through effective Advance Care Planning (ACP). Facilitate these discussions, providing information andassistingwith completion of documentationrequired.

• Completing referrals to other disciplines/services, discussing these with patients and carers asappropriateand ensuring the relevant documentation is completed.

• Identifypotential palliative care emergencies and develop actionplansaccordingly, involving other professionals, the patient and family members asappropriate toavoid unnecessary hospital admissions.

• To work as part of the IDT, collaborating on clinical care and advocating for patientsand carers.

• Attend andparticipateat regular IDT meetings,

• Establish andmaintaineffective communication with patients, carers/relatives and professionals across health and socialservices,.Utilise advanced communication, negotiation and diplomacy skills and break down any barriers. Use interpreters and other communication aids asrequired.

• Report incidents/concerns through the recognised channels, adhering to policy and procedure.

• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding (DoLS) legislation relating to end-of-life care, informed consent and Best Interest decision making.

• Tobe responsible forinputting data, efficiently andtimelyontoSystmOne, adhering to Information Governance (IG) standards and Kirkwood policies.

• Take responsibility for the workload as delegated by the team leader/supervisor. Effectively manage own time and workload and communicateany issues/concerns

• Workin accordance withNMC Code of Professional Conduct

Training and Education

• To develop personal and professional knowledge and skills, accessing clinical supervision asappropriate.

• To empower colleagues and health care professionals to deliver ahigh qualitypalliative care service by sharing knowledge andexpertise.

• To activelyparticipatein the Palliative and End of care teaching programmes offered internally and externally by The Kirkwood in partnership with external partners.

• To act as mentor, preceptor and supervisor to team members,studentsand other Kirkwoodstaffas necessary.

Management & Operational Development

• Tomaintainaccurateandtimelywritten and computerised patient records, producing statistics and reports made by the DCS.

• Recognise when a situation is beyond your level of competence and responsibility seekingappropriateandtimelysupport.

• Toparticipatein the induction, supervision and ongoing development of team members including clinical volunteers.

• To be an active team member contributing to and supporting the teams agreed operational management and future service developments,representingThe Kirkwood and our clinical services at external events and meetings.

• To influence and implement improved ways of working through patient involvement and clinical experience and coproduction of services, constructively contributingideasand engaging in quality improvement processes.

• To develop and build upon relationships across professional and organisational boundaries ensuring collaborative working.

• To attend internal and externalmeetimgsrelevant to the role and to the development of Kirkwood services.

• Toassistthe clinical team in implementing efficient and effective services across Kirklees.

Research & Audit

• To ensure that clinical practice is research and evidence based.

• Toparticipatein policy and standard setting,reviewand audit.

• To critically evaluate existing research integrating theory into practice.

• Tomonitorand evaluate through clinical audit and formal evaluation of the standard of care provided by The Kirkwood services in which you work.

Other Responsibilities

• To workin accordance withthe values of The Kirkwood. Patients, Families and Carers are the focus of everything we do. Our values are what we live and work by.

We are:

• Respectful and Inclusive

• Passionate and Determined

• Open and Honest

• Kind and Compassionate

• Forward-thinking

• We strive for Quality and Excellence

• Toparticipatein The Kirkwoods performance and development review process.

• To undertake any other duties required by The Kirkwoods Management teamcommensuratewith the post.

• To undertake annual mandatory training provided by The Kirkwood.

• Tomaintaincomplete confidentiality as a condition of employment. Information relating to patients, other members of staff and volunteers or which isacquiredfor the purposes of employment may only bedisclosedwith the express permission of theappropriate manager.

• To respect the ethos and values of The Kirkwood and its services andcomply withits policies,proceduresand regulations.

This job description is not exhaustive therefore the employer and employee share responsibility to review and amend this job descriptionin order toreflect any changes in role/development.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of multi professional team working.

Desirable

• Palliative Care Experience.

Qualifications

Essential

• First level registered nurse / Nursing associate foundation degree qualification, as well as being on the NMC register.
• Willingness to undertake academic studies in specialist palliative care and develop clinical experience in speciality.
• A full, clean UK driving license with regular access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Demonstratable understanding of hospice and specialist palliative care.
• Demonstratable awareness and understanding of latest palliative care guidance and policy.
• Knowledge of palliative care, conditions and symptoms and their psychological impact.
• Understanding of the integrated health and social care systems across Kirklees.
• Demonstrate the ability to cope effectively with the demands of managing a caseload.
• Demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills with all those with whom contact is made.
• Excellent verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate the ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Demonstrate the ability to safely administer medicines in accordance with NMC guidelines for the administration of medicines.
• Demonstrate compassion and understanding of holistic care provision.
• Well organised with good time management skills.
• Able to work flexibly to meet service needs.
• Commitment to continuous personal and professional development.
• Awareness of the impact of loss and bereavement on self and others.
• Ability to work and promote The Kirkwoods ethos and values.
• Self-motivated and confident.

Desirable

• Demonstrate the ability to assess complex needs of patients and identify, plan, implement and evaluate appropriate nursing interventions.

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).