Senior Community Nurse

Job responsibilities

• The post holder is responsible in conjunction with the senior district nurse for the day to day management of a team of skilled health care workers.
• The post holder is responsible for the provision of health education for patients and carers so that optimum enablement and care can be delivered.
• The post holder is responsible in conjunction with the senior district nurse for the education, support and development of staff including implementation of the appraisal and supervision processes.
• The post holder will participate in conjunction with the senior management team in the strategic planning and development of services provided in the defined neighbourhood.
• The post holder will participate in the training and mentorship of students during placements.
• The post holder will be responsible for the effective utilisation of staff and non-pay resources including the use of scheduling and ordering systems.
• The post holder will be required to travel throughout the locality according to the needs of the service.
• Is the named nurse in conjunction with the senior district nurse for designated GP practices and attends GSF and MDT meetings
• Undertakes full nursing assessments of patients, including those with multiple pathology and complex health and social needs
• Responsible for agreeing the patients care plan, liaising with others and adapting the care and treatment delivered according to need and patient choice
• Responsible for the monitoring of medication regimes, assessing effects and advising patients on the safe storage and disposal of drugs
• Responsible for the correct use of aids and equipment supplied for patients and carers and for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loaned to patients
• Recognises own limitations in the provision of clinical care and urgency of patient's needs, referring to other health care professionals accordingly and is accountable for his/her own actions often without direct supervision
• Maintains accurate and legible patient records in line with professional and organisational requirements this includes contemporary paper records and electronic patient record system
• Accountable for making autonomous clinical decisions in planning and prioritising patient care for District Nurse caseload including referrals to other agencies and the admission / discharge from the service
• Responsible for recognising the needs of the service, identifying risk and making rapid autonomous decisions, escalating to the senior district nurse and operational lead as required.
• Triaging within the senior district nurse locality hub and promoting and embedding technology within the workplace
• Operational line manager for district nursing team (Band 5 RNs / Band 4 APs / Band 3 HCAs)
• Effectively communicates with others involved in patient care at all times including weekends / out of hours, through the use of mobile phone, emails to enable a timely response to patients needs.
• Maintains strong working relationships and communicates effectively with GPs, practice nurses, social services, acute / community hospital colleagues, borough council staff and the local voluntary sector
• Responsible for completing all own mandatory training and for ensuring this is completed for all team members
• Participates in own annual appraisal and undertakes continuing professional development, clinical supervision and peer review for self to maintain and develop knowledge and skills.
• Supervising and appraising team members through annual appraisals, mid-year reviews and peer reviews within team
• Responsible for receiving and facilitating clinical supervision and undertaking peer reviews within the team
• Responsible for teaching, supervising and mentoring other members of the team and pre-registration students
• Undertakes formal student assessments and participates in the maintenance of an effective learning environment
• Participates in clinical audit and the implementation of changes to ways of working / clinical practice as a result of findings, recommendations and action plans
• Actively participates in and contributes to meetings and working groups that inform the organisation and the nursing service / profession
• Acts as a link nurse for defined area e.g. tissue viability, end of life, diabetes
• Responsible for the ordering and stock management of dressings and other equipment

Qualifications

Essential

• Current 1st level registration (Registered Nurse)
• Degree in relevant health care (or working towards)
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development post registration
• Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor training (or willingness to undertake within the first 12 months of commencing the role)

Desirable

• Educated to Degree / Master level
• Physical Assessment Module
• Nurse prescriber (DN V100)
• Clinical Supervision training

Communication

Essential

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Good presentation skills e.g., teaching, cascading information
• Facilitating teams e.g., through daily handover and clinical supervision groups

Skills

Essential

• Leadership skills
• Interpersonal skills both verbal and written
• IT skills and timely data entry
• Autonomous and team worker
• Ability to prioritise
• Presentation skills
• Ability to assess, deliver, evaluate and benchmark quality care
• Ability to work across a seven-day week
• Ability to delegate nursing care and to prioritise visits in accordance with patient need and to organise workload without direct supervision
• Ability to travel effectively and efficiently within the locality and at times, across Surrey
• Dexterity to enable clinical skills to be performed i.e., removal of sutures venepuncture IV Therapy
• Ability to deal with conflict in a professional manner

Experience

Essential

• Considerable post registration experience with evidence of progression and increasing responsibility in clinical practice
• Broad range of clinical skills relevant to District Nursing
• Ability to Undertake full assessments of patients, including those with multiple pathology and complex health and social needs
• Mentoring or teaching or assessing experience
• Evidence of professional development
• Demonstrable evidence of service improvement or implementing local change
• Good knowledge of health and safety, or risk management
• Clinical audit and why this is important
• Understanding of health care policy and how these impacts on District Nursing
• Computer literate and able to use Word, emails etc

Desirable

• Experience of staff management and appraisal
• Willingness to develop an area of specialist nursing
• Specialist knowledge of the role
• Clinical Supervision

Other

Essential

• Current driving licence and access to a car during the working day
• Flexible, Reliable, forward thinking and innovative
• Ability to work under pressure
• Committed to and passionate about District Nursing

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).