Senior Staff Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to -

To triage/accept patients and carry out assessments of patients, develop programmes of care. Ensure that programmes are implemented throughout the 24-hour period within the patients home. Community setting demands continued risk mitigation by assessment

To maintain continuing personal contact with patients and their relatives and contribute with the evaluation of programmes of care. Whilst prioritising & allocating care according to patient care service demands

To carry out specific treatments and clinical procedures. To base clinical practice on current research-based evidence. Evaluating & implementing symptom management as appropriate

To assess the needs of patients and carers requiring intervention from other professionals/therapies within and outside the hospice and refer appropriately seeking support from senior staff as appropriate

Ongoing assessment of symptom control /care management

To verify when a death has occurred, notifying relatives and carers as appropriate following the procedures carried out within the community

To care for the deceased patient by administering last offices as appropriate and ensuring the safe and timely removal of the body from the home working within the procedures in place within the community

To report to the Hospice at Home Team Lead/Co-ordinator / Senior Hospice Nurse/ Hospice Doctor/ GP or D/N any relevant information on the condition of specific patients, their care or treatment

Out of hours to report to the on-call Hospice Doctor/OOH/DN any relevant information on the condition of specific patients, their care or treatment

Out of hours report to the on call Clinical Nurse Manager as appropriate any immediate concerns related to the operations of the hospice at home service

To report any feedback, concerns and complaints from patients, their relatives, or others acting on their behalf and assist in the investigation as appropriate

To administer drugs, and assist with their ordering and storage, in accordance with the NMC Standards for the Administration of Medicines. To recognise and report any errors or omissions in the administration of medications

To adhere to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct

To report to the Hospice at Home Team Lead/Co-ordinator/ Clinical Lead any matter affecting the smooth running of the hospice at home service

To ensure knowledge about patients is maintained in the strictest confidence, and is not divulged, except to professionals where it would materially assist with the programme of care or protection of the individual. See Staff Handbook Confidentiality & Data Protection Act.

In conjunction with Hospice at Home Team Leader report any complaints/safeguarding concerns from patients, their relatives, or others acting on their behalf to the Hospice at Home Team Leader or Clinical Director and assist with investigation of complaints as necessary knowing your boundaries and expectations within the process

To demonstrate a consistent level of courtesy and consideration to patients, their relatives and visitors respecting that you are working within the patients own home

To promote a high quality of nursing by adhering to set standards

To contribute to the ordering and storage of clinical stores required for hospice at home

To ensure that all nursing records are completed and updated at each shift change over shift in line with the policies within the community

Complete assessment of bereavement vulnerability and liaise where necessary with Psychology and Bereavement Team

To ensure that clinical stores utilised from the Inpatient Unit for community patients are used efficiently and economically

To ensure that Infection Control standards are maintained at all times, participating in audits and monitoring as required

To contribute to the development of HCSWs and student nurses by ensuring delivery of effective induction programmes and continuing development through appraisal and education

To attend lectures, formal meetings etc. to maintain professional update, adhere to aspects related to the Health and Safety at work act and promote the effective running of the service and participate in research.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of supervising junior staff
• Proven leadership/management experience
• Excellent basic nursing care skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Able to demonstrate a good insight into palliative care principles and philosophy
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of palliative care symptom knowledge including and not exhaustive of; pain, nausea and vomiting, terminal agitation, bowel obstruction
• Able to demonstrate an understating of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to support symptom management
• Ability to facilitate individualised evidence-based care
• Leadership insight and potential with the evidence of effective team co-ordination skills
• Ability to prioritise workload and be flexible to changing demands
• Ability to share knowledge with others to develop and influence practice
• Able to maintain active and contemporaneous records Well-developed coping strategies Personal grief resolved sufficiently to cope and perform within palliative care setting.

Qualifications

Essential

• RGN or RN Adult Branch
• On NMC Register parts 1 or 12 ENB 931/285/237/998 or equivalent or relevant area of study
• Two years experience within a Palliative Care setting
• Driving License Car Owner

Desirable

• uDNACPR training
• Physical Assessment and History Taking
• Experience of using SystmOne database
• Regular safe moving/handling of patients and equipment, including beds, mattresses, chairs and as necessary as regular bending and stretching involved.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Rowans Hospice Charity

Address

Purbrook Heath Road

Pubrook

Waterlooville

Hampshire

PO7 5RU

Employer's website

https://www.rowanshospice.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)