Zest Care Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

To provide holistic, person-centred care and support to young adults living with progressive illness and complex health care needs palliative care needs and their families accessing Zest care at St Elizabeth Hospice, which could include short breaks, Zest days and groups. To deliver Zest care, under the supervision of the Zest Lead Care Assistant and Registered Nurse on duty at the hospice. This may include supporting outings into the community. To support young adults using person-centred care to achieve their goals and plan activities. To be able to understand and recognise individual developmental needs, where appropriate encouraging and enabling independence and self-management skills. To work within the St Elizabeth Hospice One Team nursing care model, with the flexibility to be allocated to work in other clinical areas in response to needs of the service.

CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To carry out agreed tasks involving direct patient care and activities within the clinical area, in accordance with the patient care plan.

To assist in physical care involving all hygiene, elimination, eating and drinking, mobilisation, rest, sleep and comfort needs.

To assist in meeting the patients and his/her familys spiritual and psychological needs, recognising and respecting religious and cultural beliefs.

To respect the patients need for social interaction and to enable choice.

To enable access to inclusive activities and facilitate engagement.

To support young adults to plan outings if desired as part of their weekend activities.

To assist in effective verbal and written communication between patients, families and Zest care team.

To act promptly should any changes be observed in the young adults condition, seeking advice and reporting back to the nurses, as appropriate.

To confidently use the equipment or aids necessary for the care of the young adults, following assessment and training and to report any faults promptly to the appropriate person.

To follow community emergency care plans in the event of a sudden change or sudden deterioration.

To undertake clerical/administrative tasks relevant to the efficient and effective management of the clinical area, as requested.

To assist with meal preparation as required.

To assist with the preparation and packing up of short break bedrooms in co-operation with the facilities team.

To support young adults completing one page profiles and other person-centred care tools.

Have an understanding of safeguarding principles and be able to apply these within everyday practice and intervention/within your role.

EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To share professional expertise with colleagues, providing support where appropriate.

To demonstrate reflective practice.

To undertake training as required.

To participate in the Hospice education programme.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

To maintain and increase personal professional skills.

To engage in 1:1 meetings and supervision as appropriate.

PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITIES

To recognise indications of staff stress and seek help, as appropriate.

To recognise the value of volunteer contribution and play an active part in their support and development where appropriate.

To support new members of the team during their induction process.

ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

To attend team meetings bi-monthly.

To keep up to date with hospice communications via email and podcasts.

To act at all times within the policies of the Hospice.

To uphold the Hospice and individual team values at all times.

To ensure effective use of resources.

To promote the Hospice philosophy of care towards patients, relatives and visitors.

To respect at all times the confidentiality of information covering patients, staff and volunteers.

To play an active part in the development and maintenance of good relationships with all who have business with the Hospice.

To be willing to support other clinical areas as needed as part of the one team model of nursing care, including the In-patient Unit and Community.

Because of the special nature of the Hospice and its work, the post holder may on occasion be asked to undertake other duties to help maintain our high standard of care.

Person Specification

Specific Skills

Essential

• Effective communicator ability to establish and maintain communication with patients, their families and colleagues.
• IT literate ability to use Microsoft packages and Outlook or willingness to undertake training.

Desirable

• Ability to plan and deliver inclusive activities.
• Full driving license.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Be willing and able to develop own knowledge and skills and to contribute to the development of others.
• Ability to withstand sensitive and potentially stressful situations
• Energetic and enthusiastic
• Flexible
• Can do attitude
• Positive approach to change

Qualifications

Essential

• Good standard of education in numeracy and literacy.
• NVQ level II or III in direct care, Care Certificate or willing to be complete.

Desirable

• Moving and handling training.
• Evidence of Care competency training with transferable skills.

Experience

Desirable

• Minimum of one year of experience working as a carer/care assistant
• Community/palliative care/learning disabilities/inpatient setting experience
• Experience of working with young adults
• Ability to plan, deliver and evaluation appropriate care package
• Ability to assess patient needs
• Demonstrable experience of team working
• Ability to manage volunteers
• Experience of working using a person-centred approach
• Experience of using a co-production approach

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.

Employer details

Employer name

St Elizabeth Hospice

Address

565 Foxhall Road

Ipswich

Suffolk

IP3 8LX

Employer's website

https://www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)