Senior Staff Nurse (Hospice at Home Service)

Job responsibilities

Role Purpose

Reporting to the Deputy Manager of the Myton at Home Service, the post holder will be responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of individualised holistic care.

To contribute to the clinical day-to-day coordination, leadership and management of the Myton at Home service. This is a patient-focused, clinically-based role which manages and processes referrals, liaises closely with and communicates effectively with referrers. The care and support provided is for people in the last weeks and days of life, who wish to remain at home.

It includes individual holistic patient assessments including symptom management, advice, referring patients for Inpatient beds where appropriate, supporting discharges from the hospice and hospitals, and advance care planning. The role is to facilitate and maintain the philosophy of the hospice and a palliative care approach. To ensure that the Myton values are upheld at all times. The post-holder will at all times practise with care, compassion, competence, good communication, courage and commitment.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

1. Act as a role model and specialist practitioner, having both an advisory and clinical input and focus into patient care.
2. Undertake holistic palliative care assessments and identifying a management plan covering all identified needs of the patient and their families in conjunction with the community key worker (Clinical Nurse Specialist, GP, District Nurses).
3. Provide physical, psychological, social and spiritual care for patients and carers.
4. Monitor and assess symptoms and facilitate effective symptom relief by a) reporting promptly to the community key worker and b) administering symptom relief medication as per prescription, policy and in line with community guidance and Myton policies and procedures.
5. Work collaboratively, promote and maintain effective relationships with multi-professional teams and other care providers; have a proactive approach in supporting discharges where appropriate, in liaison with the Discharge Coordinator / hospital discharge team.
6. Act as a positive role model to others and ensure that practice of specialist palliative care is evidence based and promoted within the clinical area.
7. During times of need, work in the Inpatient Units when required.
8. Be proactive in preparing and delivering clinical information to promote the effectiveness of multidisciplinary team meetings, acting as a key member to ensure effective communication.
9. Ensure that all clinical documentation is completed correctly and appropriately in line with NMC Guidance.
10. Promote and maintain a culture of evidence-based clinical practice, ensuring the creation of effective local networks to share good practice and dissemination.
11. To be aware of the political and national influences affecting clinical care, such as NICE guidance / End of Life Care Strategy.

Leadership Duties & Responsibilities

1. Demonstrate effective communication at all times with all professionals, patients, relatives and all disciplines within the wider multi-disciplinary team, including internal and external key stakeholders.
2. Coordinate allocation of staffing on a day-to-day basis, prioritising need, and utilise knowledge and skills effectively.
3. Provide leadership that promotes patients and users as partners in care and treatment.
4. Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working and improve patient care.
5. Demonstrate skills in conflict resolution and competent negotiation skills when dealing with difficult or challenging situations.

Quality, Safety & Governance Duties & Responsibilities

1. Uphold and ensure compliance with the organisation's policies and procedures, ensuring all staff are clear in relation to their roles and responsibilities for Risk Management, Health and Safety, Infection Prevention & Control, Safeguarding Adults & Children, Data Protection, and other relevant policies.
2. Participate in the development and evaluation of policies / guidelines / procedures for clinical practice, responding to changes in service demands, and undertake clinical audit as required by the organisational requirements and the Clinical Governance agenda.
3. Take an active role in risk assessment, supporting implementation of strategies to minimise risk.
4. Promote a culture where the reporting of concerns, incidents and complaints is encouraged and documented promptly, escalating concerns to the Deputy Manager or Ward Manager.
5. In accordance with Data Protection, create and maintain accurate, contemporaneous patient records and ensure all staff adhere to Myton and NMC guidelines for record keeping.
6. In collaboration with the Clinical Governance & Quality Lead and Clinical Governance Deputy, participate in local audit, disseminate outcomes, and ensure that any improvements are undertaken.

Training & Education Duties & Responsibilities

1. Be responsible for own continued professional development: attend appropriate training, development sessions and courses to meet own professional needs and ensure that the level of competence and specialist knowledge required for the role is maintained.
2. Practice an approach that facilitates and fosters learning for carers and professionals (students, junior staff and those on placement to Myton), sharing expertise appropriately and supporting each learner to achieve their learning needs.
3. With the support of the Clinical Education team, assess and monitor the competence and confidence of team members around all aspects of clinical practice, identifying learning needs, supporting, and supervising the development of knowledge, skills and confidence.
4. Be responsible for own continued professional development, maintaining up to date evidence-based knowledge, including an awareness of the national and local influences affecting palliative and end of life care.
5. Ensure own compliance with mandatory training and professional development requirements, maintaining records of training and development undertaken for self, in preparation for NMC revalidation.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Nursing or equivalent Nursing qualification
• Current, active NMC registration
• Evidence of continual professional development and education

Desirable

• Qualification in Palliative Care
• Mentoring and Assessing qualification

Experience

Essential

• Significant post-registration experience
• Experience of needs assessment / care planning
• Evidence of consistent updating of clinical skills and knowledge
• Experience of multidisciplinary team working
• Experience of caring for palliative patients and those at the end of life
• Good knowledge of assessment and symptom management

Desirable

• Community nursing experience

Skills and Attributes

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team
• Knowledge of palliative / end of life symptoms and required management
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information
• Professional and approachable
• Motivated and enthusiastic
• Good computer literacy with knowledge of Windows based applications
• Good planning and organisational skills
• Excellent role model
• Able to respond flexibly to changing needs and priorities
• Calm, approachable, confident and compassionate
• A flexible approach to meet the needs of the service.

Desirable

• Knowledge of national and local end of life care strategies.

Other

Essential

• Hold a full and clean UK driving licence and be able to travel across sites
• Right to Work in UK (Sponsorship is not provided)

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).