District Nurse Band 7 - Waverley

Job description

Job responsibilities

To deliver nursing care in accordance with national and local policy and guidance and in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

The post holder will operationally manage a team of nurses and health care assistants and is accountable for a caseload of patients and ensuring the effective, efficient, safe and high quality nursing assessment, treatment and delivery, and evaluation of nursing care for patients and carers.

The post holder will be the named District Nurse for a GP practice and will work closely with GPs, Practice Nurses, social care, local hospitals, specialist nurses, therapists, adult social care, hospices and palliative care teams, mental health services, the voluntary sector and others to help individuals manage their own conditions, maintain their independence and remain at home wherever possible.

• The post holder will ensure the provision of the highest standard of clinical care by using advanced skills and expert knowledge to holistically assess needs, instigate, and provide clinical treatments using evidence-based practice
• The post holder will visit adult patients in their own home who have an identified nursing need including those with a long-term condition, complex care needs and needing care at home and at the end of life for physical and symptomatic nursing care
• The post holder will use an electronic patient held record system, EMIS as a record of care and all our nurses are provided with a work Iphone and Ipad for mobile working

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintains strong working relationships and communicates effectively with GPs, practice nurses, Social Services, Mental Health, acute / community hospital colleagues, Borough Council staff and the local voluntary sector - particularly for patients receiving shared care to ensure an effective flow of patient information to ensure high quality care
• Attends all Gold Standard Framework and MDT meetings
• Ensures regular meetings are in place with GP and Practice Nurse colleagues
• Undertakes and documents holistic nursing assessments of patients, including those with multiple pathology and complex health and social needs with a plan of care agreed with the patient
• Utilises a range of effective communication skills, tools and techniques that meet the needs of the patients and carers and can effectively overcome any barriers to communication and understanding
• Acts as a patients advocate to adapt nursing care and treatment delivered according to the needs, wishes and preferences of the patient this may involve taking appropriate action on potential complex and / or conflicting perspectives of choice of care options between staff, patients, carers and other disciplines or agencies
• Maintains accurate and legible patient records in line with professional and organisational requirements this includes contemporary paper records and electronic patient record system, EMIS
• Ensures contemporary and accurate record keeping within the locality and service whilst adhering to confidentiality and information governance
• Utilises technology to support communication channels whilst adhering to confidentiality and information governance
• Supports the development and implementation of technology and new ways of working within teams
• Communicates effectively with others involved in patient care including weekends/out of hours, using mobile phone and emails to enable a timely response to patients needs
• Chairs and facilitates team meetings including daily handover to ensure effective cascade of information and support of junior team members and students
• Responsible for the holistic assessment, care planning and care delivery of a defined caseload of patients with multiple pathology and complex health and social needs, using evidence-based practise to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate interventions, with the patient at the centre
• Accountable for making autonomous clinical decisions in planning and prioritising patient care for the Community Nurse caseload including referrals to other agencies and the admission / discharge from the service
• Required to undertake physical examination of the circulatory systems, undertaking Doppler assessments, venepuncture, catheterisation, rectal examination etc., and to use concentration when undertaking calculations e.g. for administration of medication / supervising administration of medication
• Responsible for the effective triaging of referrals and allocation of work across a locality within the Community Coordination Centre
• Prioritises daily work in line with clinical / patient need and escalates where there are issues with undertaking daily visits
• Undertake all aspects of medicines management related activities in accordance with the companys medicines policies to ensure the safe, legal and appropriate use of medicines
• Responsible for the monitoring of medication regimes, assessing effects and advising patients on the safe storage and disposal of drugs
• Responsible for recognising the needs of the service, identifying risk, and making rapid autonomous decisions, escalating to the Clinical Lead as required
• Monitors the quality of care provision and identify and promote areas for service development
• Monitors the safety of equipment /environment and ensure that all areas of clinical risk are identified and reported in accordance with legislation and policy
• Responsible for the correct use of aids and equipment supplied for patients and carers and for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loaned to patients
• Actively involved in the development and implementation of adult community nursing service developments and initiatives, attends relevant working and professional groups
• Actively involved in the development and implementation of adult community nursing service developments and initiatives, including nursing strategies and frameworks
• Manages local change and implements strategy and new developments across defined community nursing teams especially regarding palliative care
• Works with the Clinical Lead and Deputy Head of Community Nursing to ensure service development and integrated services within the Locality
• Participates in clinical audit and the implementation of recommendations and action plans, and required changes to ways of working / clinical practice from findings, recommendations, and action plans
• Participates in developing and setting standards of care and implementing other quality initiatives
• Promoting and supports the implementation of innovation and technology within the workplace Leadership and Management
• Leads and operationally manages a District Nursing team of senor community nurses, registered nurses, associate practitioners, health care assistants and community phlebotomist within a defined locality
• Actively participates through relevant working groups and meetings to take forward the development and implementation of community nursing service
• Acts as a role model for all company, NHS, and professional / local nursing strategies
• Responsible for monitoring and promoting effective and efficient use of resources such as equipment from the community equipment store, dressings, and nurse prescribed medication adhering to lean principles
• Ensures that all complaints, untoward incidents, accidents, and areas of clinical risk are identified and investigated on the electronic incident reporting system (DATIX) in accordance with policy, escalating to the Clinical Lead as required
• Monitors and orders stock levels and equipment in line with budget and lean / efficient principles
• Responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection prevention and control and safety are maintained Development of self and others
• Accountable for own professional actions in line with the NMC code and local policy and guidelines
• Recognises own limitations in the provision of clinical care and urgency of patients needs, referring to other health care professionals accordingly and is accountable for his/her own actions often without direct supervision
• Responsible for the self- development of skills and competencies through participation in learning and development activities, and to maintain up to date technical and professional knowledge relevant to the post
• Responsible for completing all own mandatory training and for ensuring this is completed for all team members
• Participates in own annual appraisal and undertakes continuing professional development, clinical supervision, and peer review for self to maintain and develop knowledge and skills
• Access regular 1-1 meetings with line manager
• Responsible for receiving and facilitating clinical supervision and undertaking peer reviews within the team
• Provides specialist clinical and supervisory leadership to junior team members, non-registrants, new employees, and students within the team
• Responsible for the development of clinical competencies of staff within the team
• Responsible for assessing team and individual performance against agreed service standards and individual objectives at least annually through meaningful and achievable personal development plans
• Keeps up to date with professional nursing and regulatory requirements, health care developments, clinical evidence, National Service Frameworks for practice, national and local policies, and guidelines to maintain up to date technical and professional knowledge relevant to the post
• Responsible for the self-development of skills and competencies through participation in learning and development activities and continuing professional development to maintain up to date technical and professional knowledge relevant to the post
• Oversees effective induction, competency achievement, supervision and mentoring of new team members and supporting pre-registration student nurses
• Undertakes formal student assessments and participates in the maintenance of an effective learning environment

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience prioritising, delegating care and allocating visits in accordance with patient clinical need and individual competencies
• Experience of managing people and undertaking appraisals
• Demonstrable evidence of service improvement / implementing local change following audit / policy / research / service evaluation
• Effective operational management and leadership skills

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Level 1 Nurse with current Nursing and Midwifery Council registration
• District Nursing Specialist Practice Qualification / diploma / degree
• Assessor / NMC Supervisor / Mentorship
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Area of special interest in the management and treatment of long-term conditions and willing to undertake additional education in this area
• Clinical Supervisor Nurse prescriber (V100)

Skills, Competencies and Attributes

Essential

• Knowledge of recent policy within health and social care and how these impact on community nursing
• Keeps up to date with evidence-based practice and research related to nursing and health care in the community
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required escalate urgent client information to the GP / Clinical Lead, working to tight and often changing timescales
• Advanced range of clinical skills and ability to undertake full assessments and physical assessment of patients including those with multiple pathology and complex health and social needs
• Ability to work across a seven-day week between 8 am and 8 pm as per service requirements
• Ability to teach and supervise students and colleagues using varied techniques including presentations
• Good knowledge of health and safety and effective risk management, able to safely operate community equipment
• Business / Project / Quality Improvement planning skills
• Able to use databases and other IT programmes, including MicroSoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Emails, Virtual Meeting platforms
• Ability to input and navigate around the community electronic patient record system.
• EMIS (training will be provided)
• Good negotiation and motivation skills
• Calm and organised
• Able to prioritise workload and adapt to unplanned to changes throughout the working day
• As a role model, displays personal and professional autonomy, with awareness of when to escalate
• Team player, willing to engage with and interact in training with and from peers and other professionals
• Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference to patient care and to the adult community nursing service by focusing on goals and outcomes
• Able to travel to frequently throughout the day to visit patients at home, at various locations across the locality and across Guildford and Waverley throughout the working day, at times travel across Surrey may be required

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Procare Community Services

Address

Haslemere District Hospital

Church Lane

Haslemere

Surrey

GU27 2BJ

Employer's website

https://www.procarehealth.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)