Job responsibilities
Job Title: Clinical Nurse Specialist Palliative Care
Pay Band: Band
6 (NHS Agenda for Change pay scale)
Hours of
Work: 37.5 per week
Base: Tŷ Hosbis, Whitchurch Hospital Grounds
Duration: Permanent
ORGANISATIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS
Accountable to: 1.
Clinically to Consultant in Palliative Medicine
2. Managerially to
Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Lead
Clinical Nurse Specialist
JOB PURPOSE
The post of
Clinical Nurse Specialist in palliative care will be community based and will
provide as part of a team, specialist, intermediate and generalist palliative
care specific to the needs of patients, their carers and families.
KEY
FUNCTIONS OF THE ROLE
To work as a
member of a specialist palliative care team and with members of the primary
health care team in the community.
To work
closely with and to develop professional relationships with health care
professionals and other palliative care teams within hospitals, the community
and hospices.
To play an
active role in the promotion of holistic day-care in the Tŷ Hosbis centre
To demonstrate excellent clinical skills.
______________________________________________________________
1. Communication
and Relationship Skills.
Effectively
reports information regarding patient condition and areas of symptom control to
differing groups and individuals, including:
a. members of
the Palliative Care Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT).
b. the patient, carers and families.
c. other linked healthcare professionals.
Ensures that
accurate and up to date records are maintained and reviewed as per professional
and legal requirements.
Demonstrates
the ability to be proactive and contribute to the debate of professional
issues.
Demonstrates
IT skills in order to access and contribute to patient data.
Use
negotiation skills to liaise with patients, carers, families and outside
agencies.
2. Knowledge,
Training and Experience.
Will hold a qualification
at degree level.
Evidence of recent
learning and continued professional development.
Experience of working in
the community.
Experience of oncology
and/or working with terminal non-cancer patients and/or palliative care.
Experience of working in
Day Centres or Day Units.
3. Analytical
and Judgemental Skills.
Applies specialist
knowledge across a range of procedures that are underpinned by theory, evidence
based practice and continued professional development.
Applies
clinical reasoning and problem solving skills/techniques.
Assumes
professional autonomy, responsibility and accountability to implement palliative
care to enable the service user to maximise function, promote independence and
maximise quality of life.
Works to the
remit of professional role and responsibilities within a multi-disciplinary
professional context.
Prioritises
workload and takes an increased responsibility for management of self and
caseload.
Identifies and
assesses palliative care needs/problems.
Gathers
information from a wide range of sources and analysis through observational
interview and individual discussion.
Uses
standardised and non-standardised assessment tools to identify physical and
functional needs in the areas of patient management.
Accurately
records assessment method and outcome, professional judgement and decisions
taken.
From the
results of the preliminary assessments and in consultation with the patient,
identifies the need for further assessment, appropriate intervention and/or
negotiates with other services/agencies to meet additional care needs.
4. Planning
and Organisational Skills.
Ability
to plan and organise treatment interventions.
Participate
in case conferences in conjunction with the MDT.
5. Physical
Skills.
To use full
range of palliative care skills.
Demonstrates
driving and navigational skills in order to carry out home visits.
6. Responsibility
for Patient /Client Care.
Provide
specialist complex, physical, emotional and psychological support for the
patient with regard to the palliative aspects of diagnosis/treatment, surgery,
radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
To advise and
educate patients and their families/carers on the management of individual
problems incorporating individual patient focussed goals and outcomes.
To manage
clinical risk within own patient workload.
Demonstrates the ability to accept the standards of others without
prejudice and regardless of race, religion, politics, socio-economic background
and lifestyle.
Demonstrates attitudes that ensure the expressed needs and choices of
patients and carers are acknowledged.
7. Responsibility
for Policy / Service Development Implementation.
Critically
appraises the impact of palliative care in the community.
Contribute to
and support senior staff and MDT in service development.
8. Responsibility for Financial and Physical
Resources.
To be responsible for the safe management of any equipment resources
required.
9. Responsibility
for Human Resources.
To participate
in statutory and mandatory training in line with City Hospice policies .
Participate in
the supervision and training of students on clinical placement.
To assist and
participate in the departmental individual performance review programme as
appraisee.
To contribute
to and assist in the running of in-service training programmes.
Undertake regular CPD activity with appropriate attendance at CPD
meetings
10. Responsibility for Information Resources.
To be
responsible for own professional development record as identified in the person
development plan.
To collect
appropriate statistical data in accordance with departmental procedure.
Responsible for inputting of accurate patients records onto Cancer
Network Information System Cymru (CANISC).
11. Responsibility for Research and Development.
Undertake
evidence based audit and research projects in conjunction with Lead Clinical
Nurse Specialist to further clinical practice.
Participate in
multidisciplinary and departmental clinical governance activities including
audit.
To support senior staff in service development.
12. Freedom to Act.
Professional accountability to Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist and
Consultant in Palliative Medicine.
Work within the guidance of City Hospice policies and procedures.
To work within the National Guidelines of NICE and relevant national
government policies.
13. Physical Effort.
Applies
relevant manual handling skills/techniques.
14. Mental
Effort.
Ability to concentrate and complete tasks despite frequent interruptions.
Ability to respond to constant unpredictable events and interruptions,
e.g. patients fluctuating conditions.
15. Emotional Effort.
Ability to deal with distressing or emotional circumstances.
Imparting bad news.
Helping patients and their families to understand the reality of the
situation.
Ability to deal with distressed and angry relatives.
Use of reflection.
16. Working Conditions.
Working in the community throughout Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Office based work using VDU daily at base in Ty Hosbis.
Sharing in the on call rota based at Cardiff Royal Infirmary and/or Marie
Curie Holme Towers, covering the communities of Cardiff and The Vale of
Glamorgan. Whilst the position is
initially based at Ty Hosbis, Whitchurch, there may be a requirement for the
post to be located at CRI dependent upon areas of responsibility/location.
