Job summary
The Pathology Point of Care Testing team at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) are looking for an enthusiastic, organised and conscientious individual to join as an Associate Practitioner. This full-time position is for a 9-month, fixed-term basis to provide maternity cover, working Monday to Friday (9am to 5pm).
There is a wide variety of POCT devices in use across NUH, from dipsticks and lateral flow tests to more complex benchtop analysers. Over 1.7 million patient POCT tests are run at NUH annually, with over 500 POCT devices that include:
- Blood Gas analysers
- Glucose/Ketone meters
- INR meters
- Urinalysis meters
- Haemoglobin meters
- HbA1c analysers
- ACT meters
- TEG analysers
- Rapid Flu/RSV/Covid PCR analysers
- Cholesterol meters
- Dipstick/lateral flow tests - urine dipsticks, pregnancy tests, PROM, Partus, HIV and pH sticks.
The POCT team provide support to clinical teams at both Queens Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital. The post holder will rotate across each NUH campus as required.
The post holder will assist in the delivery of innovative, quality driven, patient-focused service consistent with the Trust's objectives. Their main role is to provide technical support and training to Trust users of POCT devices in order to conform to POCT standards and guidelines. This will include performing or assisting with quality assurance testing on POCT devices in ward areas and providing training and competency certification of POCT users.
Main duties of the job
Under the direction of the POCT Manager the main duties of the job are:
1. Participate in the operation, routine maintenance and troubleshooting of POCT analysers/devices, including maintaining appropriate records and documentation.
2. Perform or assist other Trust users with Quality Assurance Testing (Maintenance, Calibration, IQC and EQA) on POCT analysers/devices.
3. Examine quality assurance procedures i.e. internal quality control and external quality assurance results to identify poor performance and report findings to senior staff.
4. Liaise with POCT users, other Trust departments i.e. Clinical Engineering, Pharmacy, etc. or Suppliers of POCT with regards to POCT issues as part of the troubleshooting procedure.
5. Perform or assist with training and competency of POCT users.
6. Production of user barcodes and monitoring of IT systems for IT-connected POCT analysers.
7. Perform and assist with service audits as required.
8. Assist with the development of new methods and the implementation of new technology.
9. Assist with the production, maintenance and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures and Competency documents.
About us
The NUH NHS Trust is a large, busy teaching hospital comprising of two sites, the Queens Campus and the City Campus with excellent transport services between them.
The Queens Campus provides acute services supporting a very busy emergency service and trauma centre and the City campus supports Clinical Haematology, Transplantation, Stroke and Cardiac services.
The POCT service operates over both sites with a few satellite services
Job description
Job responsibilities
In addition to the main duties of the job please familiarise yourself with full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert
Job description
Job responsibilities
In addition to the main duties of the job please familiarise yourself with full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Holds a Foundation Degree or equivalent qualifications (e.g Science BSc + IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 2) in a science-based subject OR working towards a Foundation Degree/IBMS CoA Part 2 in an agreed timeframe OR Has a minimum of an NVQ3 in a Science-based subject
Desirable
- Other science-based qualifications AND/OR ECDL or equivalent ICT qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of laboratory work in an NHS or healthcare environment
- Shows ability to understand data from IT systems, some of which may be complex.
- Experience in training and competency assessing staff
- Demonstrates ability to perform audits
Desirable
- Experience in training and competency assessing staff in an NHS or healthcare setting
- Experience of performing audits of healthcare or NHS processes.
- Able to demonstrate NHS laboratory competency at a higher MLA (Band 3) or equivalent AND/OR Able to demonstrate using a variety of laboratory procedures and equipment
Communication and Relationship Skills
Essential
- Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to convey information clearly and accurately both verbally and in written form AND/OR Experience of providing and receiving complex information in various forms with colleagues, other Trust staff and external suppliers
- Experience of engaging with the public, patients and staff.
- Able to demonstrate teamworking and working under own initiative.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills as evidenced in written application
Desirable
- Experience of communicating with clients or patients by telephone.
Planning and Organisational Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise and plan work to meet agreed targets on an ongoing basis
- Able to prioritise and understand when to escalate issues/problems
- Has experience of working independently with minimal supervision
Analytical and Judgement skills
Essential
- Able to remain calm under pressure
- Able to use judgement in some complex situations requiring analysis, e.g. troubleshooting equipment faults
- Able to interpret information from databases and record data accurately
Desirable
- Experience of working with databases containing patient / quality information
Physical Skills
Essential
- High level of manual dexterity required to perform tasks ie Keyboard skills required
Other requirements
Essential
- Flexible approach to working hours to help cover leave and sickness.
- Must be able to work across both NUH campus.
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Holds a Foundation Degree or equivalent qualifications (e.g Science BSc + IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part 2) in a science-based subject OR working towards a Foundation Degree/IBMS CoA Part 2 in an agreed timeframe OR Has a minimum of an NVQ3 in a Science-based subject
Desirable
- Other science-based qualifications AND/OR ECDL or equivalent ICT qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of laboratory work in an NHS or healthcare environment
- Shows ability to understand data from IT systems, some of which may be complex.
- Experience in training and competency assessing staff
- Demonstrates ability to perform audits
Desirable
- Experience in training and competency assessing staff in an NHS or healthcare setting
- Experience of performing audits of healthcare or NHS processes.
- Able to demonstrate NHS laboratory competency at a higher MLA (Band 3) or equivalent AND/OR Able to demonstrate using a variety of laboratory procedures and equipment
Communication and Relationship Skills
Essential
- Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to convey information clearly and accurately both verbally and in written form AND/OR Experience of providing and receiving complex information in various forms with colleagues, other Trust staff and external suppliers
- Experience of engaging with the public, patients and staff.
- Able to demonstrate teamworking and working under own initiative.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills as evidenced in written application
Desirable
- Experience of communicating with clients or patients by telephone.
Planning and Organisational Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise and plan work to meet agreed targets on an ongoing basis
- Able to prioritise and understand when to escalate issues/problems
- Has experience of working independently with minimal supervision
Analytical and Judgement skills
Essential
- Able to remain calm under pressure
- Able to use judgement in some complex situations requiring analysis, e.g. troubleshooting equipment faults
- Able to interpret information from databases and record data accurately
Desirable
- Experience of working with databases containing patient / quality information
Physical Skills
Essential
- High level of manual dexterity required to perform tasks ie Keyboard skills required
Other requirements
Essential
- Flexible approach to working hours to help cover leave and sickness.
- Must be able to work across both NUH campus.
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.