Healthcare Assistant (Inpatient Unit)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Practice: 80% 1. To provide care that meets the holistic needs of individual patients and their carers/families, including physical, emotional, spiritual, practical and if appropriate, pre & post bereavement needs. 2. To work in accordance with the individual patients' care plans, observing and reporting promptly any identified patient or family needs. 3. Under the direction of the Registered Nurse, participate in the assessment, admission, discharge and handover of patients. 4. Under the direction of the registered nurse, provide general nursing care to allocated patients. This includes bathing, toileting, personal hygiene (i.e. eye, mouth, nail care) and basic observations. 5. Adherence to and updating individualised care plans and ensure that any change relating directly or indirectly to the patients' care or wellbeing is promptly and accurately reported to the Staff Nurse or nurse in charge. 6. To actively welcome all visitors, especially new patients and their carers, ensuring they are greeted on arrival and informed of the general facilities, unit layout and the various services and information available. 7. To demonstrate good communication skills, ensuring quality time is spent with patients/relatives and ensuring that they receive relevant information and are treated with courtesy and respect at all times. Ensure privacy, dignity and confidentiality for patients and relatives in line with St Lukes policies and procedures. 8. To be responsible for ensuring individual patients nutritional and hydration needs are met, including offers of regular nutrition and hydration with support from IPU volunteers. 9. Follow all agreed policies for manual handling, infection control and health and safety, ensuring a safe environment for patients, staff, volunteers and visitors visiting the service. Indirect Patient Care: 20% 1. Participate in team working and maintain effective communications between members of the multidisciplinary team, both in the inpatient unit team, and wider Hospice teams. 2. Assist with the smooth running of the clinical area by carrying out other duties such as tidying, stock checking, and monitoring and cleaning of equipment and patient areas. 3. To be part of the wider service multidisciplinary team, attending shift handovers, staff meetings and hospice team briefs. 4. To listen to any initial complaints and conflicts in a polite, calm manner. To deal with the initial complaint as able, escalating to the shift leader/line manager as appropriate. 5. To support the off duty and annual leave management in accordance with the leave policy, ensuring the service needs are met. 6. To be an exemplary role model/champion of the Hospice to all peers, colleagues, new staff, volunteers and visitors to the service. 7. Participate in keeping accurate, legible records and timely reports on the computerised patient record system in accordance with Hospice policies. To be aware of the legal requirements associated with recordkeeping. Learning and Development: 1. To attend and contribute to the clinical supervision sessions and learning programmes provided by the Hospice. 2. Participate in appropriate internal and external educational programmes including attendance at mandatory training as required. 3. Under the guidance of the inpatient unit manager, participate in the induction and orientation of new staff /students and volunteers. General Responsibilities: 1. To demonstrate St Lukes Hospice values at all times, in all interactions with managers, colleagues, staff, volunteers, customers, donors and members of the general public. 2. Be aware of the procedure to follow in the event of fire and other emergencies. 3. To report to your line manager/nurse in charge any incidents or accidents including data breeches that may occur in your working environment and ensure compliance with the terms of the health and Safety at Work act. 4. Ensure that all equipment used by you in the course of your duties is PAT tested, used appropriately, and any faults or breakages are reported immediately. 5. Participate in the ongoing system of performance review. Ensure e- learning is kept up to date for self and others. 6. To undertake any other reasonable duties as required. 7. To have the highest regard for the principles of confidentiality and at no time disclose confidential information inappropriately.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Care certificate / NVQ qualified level 2 or evidence of working at
• equivalent or apprenticeship standard in health or social care

Skills / Personal Attributes

Essential

• Willing to undertake direction and delegated duties reporting concerns
• Ability to establish and maintain effective communications at all times
• Willingness to assist patients in their day to day needs by providing
• holistic patient centred nursing care
• An understanding of the importance of Safeguarding adults

Desirable

• An understanding of palliative, hospice and end of life care
• Working as part of a wider multi-disciplinary team

Experience

Essential

• Previous health / social care work setting
• IT experience and willingness to input into an electronic record system
• following induction training

Desirable

• Supporting palliative / EOLC patients and their families

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Team worker
• Calm and approachable manner
• Personally / professionally mature and recognises own limitations
• Willingness to work across teams

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 Luke's Hospice

Address

Kenton Grange

Kenton Road

Harrow

Middlesex

HA3 0YG

Employer's website

https://www.stlukes-hospice.org/join-our-team/current-vacancies/ (Opens in a new tab)