Apheresis specialist nurse

Job responsibilities

Key job responsibilities

1. Clinical

a. Taking responsibility for the care of a caseload of patients requiring specialist Apheresis procedures under the guidance of the Apheresis Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist.

b. To be a highly competent, knowledgeable and visible practitioner within the speciality ensuring the provision of excellent, evidence-based nursing care for patients and their families.

c. Take direct referrals, in accordance with apheresis service guidelines as appropriate and assess, treat and refer patients to other members of the clinical team as required.

d. To work alongside all members of the team to identify new ways of working that ensure high quality of care is delivered.

e. Be a visible point of contact for patients, visitors, relatives and staff, acting as a resource for information and provide information and support.

f. Ensure pre-collection patient/donor evaluation is complete for autologous and allogeneic stem cell collections.

g. In conjunction with the ward/referral hospital, provide advice and support to colleagues and patients to ensure the mobilisation regime is carried out as per protocol.

h.

Develop skill in care of the central venous catheter, venepuncture, cannulation, intravenous drugs, chemotherapy and venesection, apheresis and blood product administration in accordance with the hospitals guidelines for clinical practice.

i. Participate in applying and understanding the principles of cytotoxic handling and disposal as stipulated in local departmental policies and national legislation.

j. Be a role model and example, ensuring that the dignity, rights and confidentiality of the patient and individual team members are protected and maintained in accordance with national standards and guidelines.

k. In conjunction with the MDT, ensure that patient care plans are regularly reviewed and evaluated. Ensure nursing records and documentation is maintained and current. Be a key member of the MDT in supporting patients and their carers during the delivery of bad news, caring for terminally ill patients and the event of death.

2. Managerial

a. Take charge and lead the apheresis unit in the absence of the Apheresis Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist.

b. Take an active role in influencing service development through specific research and audit projects.

c. Responsible for supporting the Apheresis lead Clinical Nurse Specialist to help gain both the JACIE and Human Tissue Authority accreditation for the Apheresis department as required to practice as a transplant centre.

d. In collaboration with the transplant programme director and senior nurses, the post holder will ensure compliance with pre-established specifications/standards (JACIE/HTA) that underpin the quality of the transplant service with a specific focus on our apheresis service.

e. Work with the Haematology Quality Manager to maintain and update Standard Operational Procedures (SOPS) for all aspects of apheresis.

f. Assist with the establishment, motivation and development of the team.

g. Contribute to the creation of a positive team and working environment, promoting flexible working. Encourage all team members to demonstrate initiative in their application to practice. Identify and minimize interpersonal conflicts that may affect team or individual performance.

h. Convey and present information, written or verbal, formally or informally, as appropriate. Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times in-line with Trust policy and procedure.

i. Maintain and support the unit with accurate incident reporting, ensuring the appropriate action is taken where required.

j. Apply the Directorate and Trust clinical governance strategies to clinical area.

k. To support the Apheresis lead Clinical Nurse Specialist with an annual audit plan to help develop and implement new processes within the apheresis

l. To become competent at handling and investigating incidents using Datix and receive the training to do so.

m. Improve and maintain standards in nursing care by working with the ward manager using tools such as benchmarking and audit.

3.On call service

You will be responsible for working autonomously and accountable for the prescribing of emergency nursing care whilst working out of hours/on-call. This will be for emergency apheresis procedures including plasma exchange, red blood exchange and out of hours stem cell harvesting.

4. Audit and research

As a member of the quality management team, review current standards of care delivery through audit projects, undertaking audit and research projects where required and encourage team members to be involved. Encourage and facilitate evidence-based practice in all aspects of care delivery

5. Professional

a) Take an active role in self-development, by reviewing performance, identifying own development needs and taking the appropriate action in order to meet those needs and help to take the lead on the development of apheresis team objectives

b) Create a positive learning environment within clinical settings, to encourage and facilitate individual and shared learning and professional development.

c) Ensure you attend any relevant training or Apheresis study days, chemotherapy and

haematology study days.

d) Help support the Clinical Nurse Specialist by implementing change in response to clinical, organisational and national demands, in agreement with appropriate others in the unit

Working Conditions

The post holder must be able to:

work within unpleasant clinical working conditions (for example exposure to body fluids)

concentrate in an intense and sometimes noisy environment

cope with potentially violent and threatening situations

fulfil Trust health and safety policies and procedures when performing risk associated procedures including dealing with hazardous substances

• Physically be able to push an apheresis machine around the hospital when lone working on call

General Duties (applicable to all roles within NUH)

All employees at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust are expected to adhere to the following general duties, in addition to the key job responsibilities detailed in their job descriptions

Infection Control

All Staff: To maintain a clean, safe environment, ensuring adherence to the Trusts standards of cleanliness, hygiene and infection control.

Safeguarding

Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults: Nottingham University Hospitals is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected to behave in such a way that supports this commitment.

Information Governance

Record Keeping: All staff have an individual responsibility for creating accurate records of their work and for making entries into and managing all NHS records effectively in line with the Health Record Keeping Policy as well as other Health Records and Corporate Records Management policies.

Health and Safety

Personal Responsibility: Take reasonable care to prevent injury to yourself and/or others who may be affected by your actions or omissions.

Policy Compliance: To co-operate fully in discharging the Trust policies and procedures with regard to health and safety matters.

Reporting Issues: Report any health and safety shortcomings to your manager immediately.

Incident Reporting: Report any accidents or dangerous incidents to your immediate manager & safety representative as early as possible and submit a completed accident/incident form.

Protective Equipment: Ensure the use of protective clothing and equipment where provided.

Safety Concerns: Whilst the aim of the Trust is to promote a co-operative and constructive view of health and safety concerns in the organisation, all staff must be aware that a wilful or irresponsible disregard for safety matters may give rise to disciplinary proceedings.

Governance

Participation: To actively participate in governance activities to ensure that the highest standards of care and business conduct are achieved.

Health and Wellbeing

Self-Care: All NUH employees are expected to take reasonable steps to look after both their physical health and mental health. To support this, NUH offers a wide range of health and wellbeing activities and interventions. The full programme can be viewed at on the staff intranet.

Manager Support: Line managers should encourage and support staff to look after their health and wellbeing, including the release of staff to attend health and wellbeing activities and appointments.

General Policies Procedures and Practices

Compliance: To comply with all Trust policies, procedures and practices and to be responsible for keeping up to date with any changes to these.

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's "We are here for you" behavioural standards

Training & Qualifications

Essential

• Current level one NMC registration
• Degree / equivalent diploma
• Intravenous medication package
• Blood transfusion trained
• Venepuncture and cannulation skills
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Trained in apheresis procedures
• Chemotherapy trained
• Teaching and assessing qualification
• SSSA mentorship course
• Research experience

Experience

Essential

• Significant post registration experience
• Experience in a haematology setting
• Ability to convey sensitive information in an empathetic manner to patients / carers and staff.
• Supervision of non-registered staff and students
• Demonstrate an involvement in link nurse or project work
• Experience using ICT systems

Desirable

• Apheresis experience
• Experience of service development / service improvement
• Teaching and assessing experience
• Audit or research experience
• Experience of developing policies and procedures
• Evidence of data collection and analysis

Communication and Relationship Skills

Essential

• Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills
• Produce timely and accurate written / electronic documents
• Can minimise interpersonal conflict and barriers to communication
• Demonstration of team working and ability to work within a team
• Evidence of negotiation and influencing skills

Desirable

• Experience of giving presentations / providing formal teaching sessions

Analytical and Judgement Skills

Essential

• Recognition of own level of competence and limitations and is able to communicate these to appropriate staff
• Ability to identify own learning needs
• Demonstrate an ability to assess, plan, deliver, prioritise and evaluate patient care

Desirable

• Evidence of making autonomous decisions around patients care in high pressure situations.
• Able to recognise gaps in service provision

Planning and Organisation Skills

Essential

• Demonstrate an ability to prioritise own workload
• Demonstrate effective time management skills
• Demonstrate an ability to supervise and support others
• Demonstrate the ability to manage emergency situations and respond appropriately
• Able to contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of local objectives and action plans
• Demonstrate effective resource management

Physical Skills

Essential

• Physically able to perform the full range of nursing duties
• Dexterity and accuracy in undertaking clinical skills
• Competent and capable of using medical equipment
• Able to undertake manual handling manoeuvres

Other requirements

Essential

• Flexible and adaptable
• Enthusiastic and well-motivated
• Ability to work on call during evenings and weekends

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).