Job responsibilities
Communication and relationships
- Maintain effective communication with the other members of the clinical team & with all staff, both face to face and on the telephone including prompt reporting of routine, urgent or sensitive information to qualified staff.
- Communicating any investigation results they have found, the general condition of patients to the qualified nurse.
- Receiving & acting appropriately to the receipt of sensitive information from patients, relatives etc and ensuring such information is delivered to the qualified staff.
- Be actively involved in multidisciplinary team handovers & meetings.
- Be able to identify difficult situations & barriers to communication and respond appropriately and seek appropriate support when needed.
- Participate in difficult conversations with patients & their significant others within remit of HCA role & be aware when to seek support
- Communicate effectively with professionals from other organisations.
- Communicate with an empathic & caring approach effectively with patients and their significant other in an empathetic and caring way recognising the important of non verbal communication & active listening.
- Identify distressed relatives and offer comfort & support and to lease with appropiate qualified staff (i.e nursing staff, family support team).
- Communicate with distressed and /or bereaved people in an appropriately sensitive manner.
- Understand boundaries of self & patient relationships and the impact of his/her own communication and approach may have on the well being of patient & carer.
- Understand, recognise & support individuals with their spiritual well-being.
- Have an awareness of cultural beliefs & practices.
- Accurately document patient activity on electronic systems & paper records.
- Understand the dynamics of teams & to facilitate effective communication to promote functioning teams
- Actively participate in critical & untoward incidences, accidents & significant event analysis and report to senior managers as appropriate
Analytical and judgement skills
- Act as a second checker alongside registered nurse in the administration of CD medications. You will be responsible for accuracy checking of controlled drugs alongside a registered nurse. As a 'second checker' you will be required to use your judgement and knowledge to accurately check the dose and formulation of controlled drug medications to ensure safe administration to patients.
- Identify situations in relation to the needs of patients, families & carers
- Recognise limitations within the HCA role & to be able to refer appropriately accordingly to needs.
- Undertake visual assessment of pressure areas with appropriate competencies & collaborate with registered nurse on duty to advise of any changes.
- To recognise abnormal recordings or signs of change in a patients condition & report changes to a registered nurse timely.
Planning & organisational skills
- Manage own time effectively and efficiently to meet the needs of the service.
- Provide care for complex patients on basis of priority ensuring the greatest needs are addressed first.
- Plan personal care needs of complex patients around the daily routine, changing these plans & re arranging throughout the day as needed
- Planning & organising appropriate activities for patients including multimedia activities
- Liaise with other members of the MDT to assist in supporting establish programmes of care ie relaxation groups, complimentary therapies
Physical skills
- Standard keyboard skills to input data onto patient database.
- Physical skills for safe moving & handling techniques and the use/manoeuvring of moving & handling equipment.
- Patient/Client Care
- Support the nursing team to deliver patient centre care within a palliative care context.
- Provide personal care to patients with complex needs.
- Ability to recognise all aspects of holistic care including physical, emotional, spiritual & social aspects and to respond appropriately.
- Recognise needs of families & carers and to refer as appropriate.
- Act as a second checker (staff to complete safe handling of medications) alongside registered nurse in the administration of CD medications. You will be responsible for accuracy checking of controlled drugs alongside a registered nurse. As a 'second checker' you will be required to use your judgement & knowledge to accurately check the dose and formulation of controlled drug medications to ensure safe administration to patients.
Policy and Service Development
- Comply with all clinical & non clinical Hospice Policies & Procedures.
- Comment on clinical procedures within own area of work to contribute towards service improvements.
Financial & Physical Resources
- Report as necessary any faults re: equipment or office accommodation & ensure the safety & security of the building is met.
- Contribute towards the maintenance of stocks & supplies.
Human Resources
- Attend any appropriate training requirements both statutory & mandatory to comply with current Health & Safety legislation and in line with the Hospices responsibility to comply with Government Directives.
- Preserve confidentiality of any information regarding patients, staff, volunteers & the business of St Cuthberts Hospice
- Identify own learning needs & seek support to ensure that individual learning needs are met.
- Attend agreed courses & study days to develop knowledge and skills in line with competencies required.
- Participate in the St Cuthberts appraisal system.
Information Resources
- Document and store relevant information utilising computerised & paper-based systems.
- Appreciate the need for patients & carers to have access to information that enables informed choice.
Research & Development
- Actively engage in audits as appropriate and continually look for ways to improve the quality of the service one provides to patients & visitors.
Freedom to Act
- Work within defined policies & procedures
- Recognise limitations of knowledge, skills and expertise and to seek guidance from more senior colleagues where appropriate
EFFORT & ENVIRONMENT
Physical
- Moderate physical effort required frequently to manage complex patients with advanced progressive diseases i.e. manoeuvring patients into position for personal care or using mechanical aids such as hoists
Mental
- Occasional required to concentrate whilst examining patients.
- Occasional requirement for concentration when acting as a second checker in the administration of CD medication in which the workload may be unpredictable.
Emotional
- Frequent exposure to distressing and emotional circumstances with occasional exposure to highly distressing circumstances.
- Recognise difficulties in relation to dealing with situations within palliative care in self & other colleagues and to engage & encourage other colleagues to participate in clinical supervision for support.
Working Conditions
- Frequent requirement to deal with uncontained body fluids & foul linen when caring for patients.
- Flexible in approach across all clinical areas in order to meet the changing needs and for the improvement of service delivery & care.
Data Protection & Confidentiality
- All employees have a responsibility in line with information governance to maintain confidentiality and ensure the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 are applied to patients, clients, staff, volunteers & Hospice business information, including electronic information. Only information required to fulfil the duties of the role should be accessed by the post holder.
- All employees have a responsibility to use electronic systems in a way that preserves the dignity & privacy of people, helps to ensure services of the highest quality, and is compliant with the law and Hospice policies & procedures
Health & Safety
- The Hospice will take all reasonably practical steps to ensure the health, safety & welfare of its employees while at work. Employees will familiarise themselves with the Health & Safety Policy and procedure as well as the fire procedures & ensure a safe working environment for self & others in line with these.
Safeguarding
- All employees within the Hospice have a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding & promoting the welfare of children & vulnerable adults & ensure they are protected from harm.
- All employees should make themselves aware of the policies & procedures of safeguarding, take personal responsibility as far as is reasonably practicable, to safeguard children & vulnerable adults, complete statutory & mandatory training and take appropriate action as set out in the Hospices policies & procedures.
Infection Control
All employees have a responsibility to ensure the risk of infection to themselves, colleagues, patients, relatives and visitors is minimised by:
- Attending mandatory training & role specific infection prevention education and training
- Challenging poor infection prevention & control practices
- Ensuring their own compliance with Hospice Infection Prevention & Control policies and procedure.
Equal Opportunities
- The Hospice welcomes all persons without regard to race, religion or belief, age, gender re-assignment, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, marriage or civil partnership, physical or mental disability. The Hospice aims to provide services in a manner that enables all members of the community to access them.
