Staff Nurse

Job responsibilities

Role Summary

To be responsible for the care, assessment and support of patients and their families with life limiting illnesses who are attending for end of life care or symptom control.

To asses, plan, implement and evaluate care within sphere of responsibility.

To assist in the management and organisation of wok in the clinical area.

To always act in a manner consistent with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct carrying out their duties in accordance with Hospice policies and procedures.

Clinical Responsibilities

Actively promote best practice, ensuring all care is evidence based.

Assess, plan, implement and evaluate clinical care of patients. Pass on information to multi-disciplinary team. To act as a named nurse for a group of patients within your team.

Professionally responsible for adherence to Hospice policies and procedures.

Participate in audits of practice and clinical effectiveness and practice developments.

Medicines Management assist in maintaining custody of controlled drugs, checking and witnessing of administration of drugs according to Hospice Policy and in line with the NMC Standards for the Administration of Medicine.

Carry out nursing procedures and treatments in accordance with approved guidelines, which are research and evidence based.

Maintain accurate electronica records and ensure these records are clear and concise and are in accordance with the NMC Standards for Records and Record Keeping.

Ensure timely completion of all risk assessments .

Liaise with other members of MDT by attending MDT meetings and ward rounds at directions of the nurse in charge.

Responsible for the safe handling and storage of patients valuables.

Ensure admission and discharge policies adhere to Hospice policies.

Support clinical governance systems and ensure care is delivered appropriately.

Provide support for new members of staff as part of their induction.

Ordering of supplies when necessary, promoting cost effectiveness and efficiency.

Possess clinical knowledge appropriate to Palliative Care, and provide this knowledge when responsible for the 24 Hour Palliative Care Advice Line as per rota. Keep up to date with new developments.

Recognise a deteriorating patient and escalate appropriately according to the plan of care.

Responsive to patients needs including those with special needs and/or learning disabilities.

Able to deal sensitively with terminally ill patients and their relatives.

Use own professional judgement when assessing patient needs and involving more senior colleagues when appropriate.

Organise own time effectively and that of junior staff and learners.

Ensure accuracy when delivering treatments and/or procedures.

To provide cover for colleagues as directed by your manager.

Demonstrate a willingness to work in all areas, night duty, day duty as required.

Management Responsibilities

Participate in the teaching and supervising of Student Nurses and Support Workers under the direction of the Sister/Charge Nurse.

Take charge of a shift if required and allocation of work appropriately within the team.

To have a link role responsibility and ensure information gained from this is disseminated to the teams.

Education

To maintain personal, professional, development, update and share knowledge and skills with team members.

Maintain an up to date portfolio for revalidation.

Act as a mentor to enable and support the personal and professional development of your team.

To be actively involved in audit, and report to the relevant committee.

Ensure your mandatory training is up to date

Participate in education, both internally and externally.

Support a positive learning environment for students including mentorship of students.

Health and Safety

Ensure risk policy is adhered to at all times

Report any identified risks to the Team Leader.

Maintain confidentiality at all times.

Provide care by providing expert clinical assessment, care planning, care delivery, care evaluation and clinical advice in accordance with NMC Code of Professional Conduct.

Keep an up to date Portfolio of evidence to present to Team Leader in line with new NMC guidelines.

Ensure all records are clear, concise, legible and accurate in line with the MNC Standards for Records and Record Keeping.

Assess and manage risk in the clinical area.

Avoid any behaviour which discriminates against your fellow employees or potential employees on grounds of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, creed, colour, nationality, ethnic origin or disability.

Behave in a manner that ensures the security of hospice property and resources.

Abide by all relevant hospice policies and procedures.

Additional Notes

a) This document is a guideline to the general scope of duties involved and will be reviewed at regular intervals. It is not intended as a rigid inflexible specification.

b) The employer shares with the employee the dual responsibility for suggestions to alter the scope and content of this document in order to improve the working situation.

c) There is a duty to be aware and adhere to all professional governing body rules and any particular Acts or statutory requirements, which may vary from time to time.

d) Willow Wood Hospice operates a no smoking policy

e) This post requires a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS).

Willow Wood Hospice is a registered charity, not part of the NHS and it costs over £3.3 million to run the Hospice every year. We rely on support from the community of Tameside and Glossop, both through volunteering time and donating money to enable us to continue our existing services.

For this reason it is expected that all members of staff will also support the fundraising activities of the Hospice. We encourage every staff member to help at, participate in, or support at least two fundraising activities every year. Opportunities to support fundraising activities vary and could include helping at fundraising and shop events, taking part in an event and raising sponsorship or attending cheque presentations. Staff members will be asked as part of their annual appraisal which events they have supported.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 1 years general nurse experience
• Experience in caring for patients with life limiting illnesses
• Experience of collaborative working
• Experienced in evidence based practice working

Desirable

• Previous management of change experience

Qualifications

Essential

• RGN level 1 trained nurse
• Palliative care study days/courses
• Up to date NMC registration

Desirable

• Bereavement/counselling course
• Relevant palliative care course

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Ability to assess and deliver care to meet complex needs
• Positive attitude to change
• Good time management skills

Desirable

• Ability to audit

Knowledge

Essential

• Has a high level of understanding of patients needs
• Understands the complexity of caring for patients with life limiting illnesses
• Has some knowledge and skills of palliative care
• Has knowledge of the latest initiatives in end of life care

Desirable

• Advance care planning knowledge
• Been involved in palliative care developments

Other Requirements

Essential

• Committed to continual professional development
• A flexible approach to working patterns
• Good attendance and punctuality record

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).