Sister/Charge Nurse - AAU

Job responsibilities

Key Tasks & Responsibilities:

Coordinate a 23 bedded unit / SDEC

Shift by Shift responsibility for overall operational Running of the unit

Maintaining Quality and patient Safety.

Communication:

To work as a team member of the AAU, establishing effective communication networks across the multidisciplinary team, particularly the medical team, AEC/ED/Short Stay Registered Nurse in charge, Patient Flow Team, Senior Trust Staff and with patients/relatives and carers while offering support to colleagues and requesting assistance as necessary

Assist in the development of communication systems and maintain existing effective systems within the clinical area, with nursing, the multi-disciplinary team, and support services staff.

To report to the Unit Manager / Senior Nurse on duty in a timely manner, information relating to all work activity, e.g. identifying significant changes in relation to direct patient care/treatment plans

To act as advocate for patients individual needs and choices

Assist in the teaching of staff and learners in nursing practices, acting as link nurse/mentor for named learners as required.

Assist in the supervision, support, training and assessment of registered and non-registered skilled workers.

Participates in the induction of staff and preceptorship of staff.

Takes lead responsibility for teaching and assessing learners in practice and encourages critical reflection as in clinical supervision.

To identify ways of overcoming potential barriers to effective communication

To demonstrates verbal communication through the ability to give basic information and support to individuals. To listen effectively and modify communication to individual needs.

To demonstrates written communication through the ability to record accurate, succinct, clear and legible reports and documentation.

To escalate clinical concerns to the relevant clinician/teams as per escalation policies in a timely manner

To receive and respond appropriately to telephone calls, e-mails and personal enquires accurately, courteously, and competently.

2 Leadership and Management

Assesses nursing care to be delivered. Plans, prioritises and supervises care within an allocated time frame. Delegate activities to team members appropriately

Works collaboratively with the inter-professional team in order to comply with the Trust and Departmental escalation plans, ensuring that relevant senior staff have been informed of position and appropriate action taken.

Supervises the delivery of care to maintain agreed standards.

Assesses nursing care to be delivered. Plans, prioritises and supervises care within an allocated time frame. Delegate activities to team members appropriately

Works collaboratively with the patient Flow Team in relation to decisions on patient flow issues.

Assists and supports the Unit Manager in the safe, effective management of the area including management of personnel, facilities and the associated systems and processes.

Supervises and monitors the work of staff within the Unit, ensuring that practice is evidence based and agreed protocols adhered to.

Co-ordinate care across the unit deploying staff and prioritising as necessary.

Ensure that staff rotas are planned to provide adequate staffing and skill mix. Identify when shortfalls occur, or are likely to occur, taking appropriate remedial action and necessary documentation.

Assist the Unit Manager to manage resources within agreed budgets as set by the Service Manager (budget holder)

Assist the Unit Manager in the recruitment and selection of staff following agreed personnel policies.

Be fully conversant with all policies and procedures required for the role, including major incident, fire, health and safety, disciplinary, managing employees attendance, capability, complaints and grievance and follow these as necessary.

Assist the Unit Manager to identify and manage performance issues including attendance, professional conduct, capability, etc. and liaise with HR as required.

Actively promote professional development amongst staff within the area

Assist the Unit Manager to ensure that all staff have agreed objectives and personal development plans and to produce these concomitants with appraisal reports in a timely manner.

Reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of nursing care for area of responsibility for the shift.

Organises and deploys staff according to workload, ensuring appropriate staff cover and reporting any deficiencies to Unit Manager or to divisional staffing bleep holder 933.

Is able to deputise for the Unit Manager by holding the divisional staffing bleep when required and formulates appropriate staffing plans to ensure patient safety within the medical division with the Bronze/Silver manager on-duty.

Identifies problems and risks, decides on appropriate actions via a structured approach and reports promptly to other staff on matters requiring their input.

Works collaboratively with the inter-professional team and other members of staff on different wards/departments.

Ensures all emergencies, untoward incidents, complaints and grievances are responded to and reported in accordance with Trust Policies

Contributes to the effective and efficient use of resources. Including safe use, checking, maintenance and storage of equipment

Reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of nursing care for area of responsibility for the shift. Delivers clear, concise records and handover.

Manages own time and responds to unexpected demands in a professional manner.

Training & Development

To provide support and guidance to trained and untrained members of the team

Supervise and facilitate appropriate mentorship of students working within the area.

Work in partnership with other nurses and trainers within the Trust in the co-ordination and delivery of training and development programmes

Support and facilitate staff to keep up to date with changes in nursing practice, technology, research and health care.

Provide practical support by working alongside nurses as a clinical and educational advisor.

To include practical skills demonstration to nursing assistants new to the clinical area

To act as practice supervisor for Trainee Assistant Practitioners

To establish and lead on an aspect of care in a link role, disseminating changes and up to date information to the work team.

Ensure Mandatory Training and e-Learning are up to date or liaises with educational lead designated for the area to book these in a timely manner.

To liaise with educational leads for the Unit/Trust in ensuring team members are fully up to date with all e-Learning and Mandatory Training modules.

Education and qualifications

Essential

• NMC Registration
• BLS & ILS Trained
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Supervisor & Assessor Course

Desirable

• ALS Trained
• Teaching Qualification
• Leadership Course

Experience and knowledge

Essential

• Willingness to share knowledge.
• Awareness of current political/professional issues
• Demonstrates an awareness of the importance of keeping the clinical environment safe and clean
• Previous experience as a Staff Nurse in an acute setting
• Knowledge of the Data Protection Act
• Able to deputise for the Unit Manager
• Awareness of the Trust's financial and governance goals and specific to AAU
• Demonstrates awareness of the importance of Patient Flow, AEC and AAU to the Trust's strategic goals and to patient safety

Desirable

• Previous acute experience within the NHS
• Demonstrates experience managing deteriorating patients.
• Previous acute experience in an AMU/ED setting

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to remain calm and work under pressure.
• Ability to work to clear guidelines and within role boundaries.
• Proficient IT skills
• IV Drug administration trained.
• Cannulation competent
• Venepuncture competent
• Proficient in accurate, objective documentation and clinical hand-over of patients
• Able to recognise and manage deteriorating patients and to escalate concerns
• Proficient with E-Care

Desirable

• Knowledge of SDEC pathways/processes
• Knowledge of current KPIs for AAU
• ABG collection competent
• Proficient with E-Care
• ALS training

Personal qualities

Essential

• Awareness of own limitations
• Ability to use initiative, referring key decisions as appropriate and understanding aim limitations.
• Organisational skills

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).