Job summary
Lewisham Hospital, Cardiology Department is looking for full time Band 3 Cardiac Assistant Technician to work as part of the team. You will join a well-respected and established multi-disciplinary team.
You will be working in a busy diagnostic department; we are looking for enthusiastic and hardworking individuals. This post will offer training and development opportunities covering a wide range of diagnostic testing. They are well supported by a friendly team with opportunities to develop the service in which they work
The post holder must have an up to date Immediate Life Support certificate (ILS) Further ECG training will be provided and the opportunity to obtain a certificate of ECG for extended knowledge.
Main duties of the job
To perform and interpret ECGs independently for Open access GP patients, specialised clinics, Heart failure clinics, ward patients, paediatric, psychiatric patients on a daily basis. To accurately fit and remove 24 hour ECG ambulatory and bp monitors, to be able to download these devices on patients return.
To ensure the provision of a good working environment in which patients receive a high standard of patient care and dignity.
The post holder must have an up to date Immediate Life Support certificate (ILS) Further ECG training will be provided and the opportunity to obtain a certificate of ECG for extended knowledge.
About us
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is a community focused provider of local and acute care, providing high quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich and Bexley. With a turnover of around £700 million, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham and a range of community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup.
As an organisation, we've made significant improvements for patients and staff in the last two and-a-half years. This is reflected in our most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection (from February 2020), which found improvements across the organisation and gave us an improved rating of "Good" in the Well-Led and Effective domains, in addition to the rating of "Good" that we had already achieved in the Caring domain. Our staff culture change programme has been key to the Trust's improvement journey, as we've stabilised our workforce by reducing vacancy rates and improving staff retention. We've also significantly increased the representation of minority ethnic leaders across our clinical and corporate teams.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- To record 12 lead ECGs on a daily basis for O/A GP patients, inherited cardiac patients, heart failure patients, inpatients, paediatrics and neonatal, as well as psychiatric patients.
- To be able to interpret ECG, particularly conditions such as MI, AF and SVT for GP direct access service.
- To assist Exercise treadmill studies, admin and fitting electrodes (ILS skills required)
- To confer/alert with clinical persons in regard to test results.
- To be responsible for equipment maintenance and stock maintenance
- To accurately prepare and fit and download 24-hour ambulatory monitors
- To accurately fit and download 24 BP ambulatory monitor.
- To instruct patients in the use of Cardio memo.
- To be responsible for patients consent and this includes manual handling.
- To assist patient care in the department, (which may involve helping patients with personal care)
- To ensure patient confidentiality is observed at all times and observe the requirements of the data protection act and freedom of information act.
- To be able to provide flexible working hours.
- To observe all local rules and the Trusts employment policies and procedures.
- To report equipment failures immediately.
- To assess and adapt technique according to patients condition e.g. portable, patients ability to co-operate.
Training
- To complete ECG interpretation training, and maintain competency
- To attend compulsory staff training courses
- To provide training and supervision to students, nurses in recording 12 lead ECGs.
- To provide assistance and be involved in departmental projects and audits
- To be actively involved in departmental quality groups and pro-active in the sharing of good practice.
- To take every opportunity to gain knowledge to achieve competency in an area of speciality within the Cardiology department.
Communication
- To instruct and inform patients, carers sensitively, communicating with other health professionals of cardiology procedures for patients conditions.
- To inform and promote guidelines and departmental policies to other healthcare professionals
- To obtain informed consent from patients prior to undertaking procedures as appropriate to individual circumstances
- To ensure accurate recording on the Radiology Information System (RIS) patient information and examination details.
- To promote good relations with other directorates and hospitals
Personal Development
The opportunity to obtain a certificate of ECG for extended knowledge.
This job description is not exhaustive and may be subject to change in accordance with organisation and service developments, but any such changes will be fully discussed with the post holder.
- To manage own work, staff and patient care and develop autonomous skills, liaising with clinicians and directorate managers if required.
- To attend any relevant study days, in-house lectures, training afternoons and quality group meetings.
- To participate in departmental audit.
- To offer advice and guidance to patients, carers and other health professionals on cardiology procedures of patients conditions.
- To inform and promote guidelines and departmental policies to other healthcare professionals
- To obtain informed consent from patients prior to undertaking procedures as appropriate to individual circumstances
- To ensure accurate recording on Current EPR systems and examination details.
- To promote good relations with other directorates and hospitals
- To provide independent ECG
- To successfully achieve and uphold up to date certificate for ECG skills and competencies, maintaining numbers as part of quality controls
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- To record 12 lead ECGs on a daily basis for O/A GP patients, inherited cardiac patients, heart failure patients, inpatients, paediatrics and neonatal, as well as psychiatric patients.
- To be able to interpret ECG, particularly conditions such as MI, AF and SVT for GP direct access service.
- To assist Exercise treadmill studies, admin and fitting electrodes (ILS skills required)
- To confer/alert with clinical persons in regard to test results.
- To be responsible for equipment maintenance and stock maintenance
- To accurately prepare and fit and download 24-hour ambulatory monitors
- To accurately fit and download 24 BP ambulatory monitor.
- To instruct patients in the use of Cardio memo.
- To be responsible for patients consent and this includes manual handling.
- To assist patient care in the department, (which may involve helping patients with personal care)
- To ensure patient confidentiality is observed at all times and observe the requirements of the data protection act and freedom of information act.
- To be able to provide flexible working hours.
- To observe all local rules and the Trusts employment policies and procedures.
- To report equipment failures immediately.
- To assess and adapt technique according to patients condition e.g. portable, patients ability to co-operate.
Training
- To complete ECG interpretation training, and maintain competency
- To attend compulsory staff training courses
- To provide training and supervision to students, nurses in recording 12 lead ECGs.
- To provide assistance and be involved in departmental projects and audits
- To be actively involved in departmental quality groups and pro-active in the sharing of good practice.
- To take every opportunity to gain knowledge to achieve competency in an area of speciality within the Cardiology department.
Communication
- To instruct and inform patients, carers sensitively, communicating with other health professionals of cardiology procedures for patients conditions.
- To inform and promote guidelines and departmental policies to other healthcare professionals
- To obtain informed consent from patients prior to undertaking procedures as appropriate to individual circumstances
- To ensure accurate recording on the Radiology Information System (RIS) patient information and examination details.
- To promote good relations with other directorates and hospitals
Personal Development
The opportunity to obtain a certificate of ECG for extended knowledge.
This job description is not exhaustive and may be subject to change in accordance with organisation and service developments, but any such changes will be fully discussed with the post holder.
- To manage own work, staff and patient care and develop autonomous skills, liaising with clinicians and directorate managers if required.
- To attend any relevant study days, in-house lectures, training afternoons and quality group meetings.
- To participate in departmental audit.
- To offer advice and guidance to patients, carers and other health professionals on cardiology procedures of patients conditions.
- To inform and promote guidelines and departmental policies to other healthcare professionals
- To obtain informed consent from patients prior to undertaking procedures as appropriate to individual circumstances
- To ensure accurate recording on Current EPR systems and examination details.
- To promote good relations with other directorates and hospitals
- To provide independent ECG
- To successfully achieve and uphold up to date certificate for ECG skills and competencies, maintaining numbers as part of quality controls
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Good level of written and verbal communication
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- The ability to work as a team member.
- The ability to be flexible in their working days/hours
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience working in Hospital environment
- Previous use of similar patient care information system.
Knowledge
Essential
- A keen interest in learning all aspects of electrocardiology
Other
Essential
- A calm reassuring manner with the ability to work well under stress.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Good level of written and verbal communication
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- The ability to work as a team member.
- The ability to be flexible in their working days/hours
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience working in Hospital environment
- Previous use of similar patient care information system.
Knowledge
Essential
- A keen interest in learning all aspects of electrocardiology
Other
Essential
- A calm reassuring manner with the ability to work well under stress.
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
