Band 6 Clinical Sister - Surgical Assessment Unit

Job description

Job responsibilities

Knowledge, skills and experience required:

The post holder will:-

Hold a Diploma/Degree in Professional Nursing

Be a first level registered nurse with 2 years experience in an acute surgical setting

Possess relevant post basic education and experience, which should include a minimum of two years at Band 5

Provide evidence of continuous personal and professional development

Possess the aptitude and confidence for working within a rapidly changing environment

Have excellent communication skills both verbal and written

Have excellent interpersonal and organisational skills

Key Responsibilities

To provide clinical and professional leadership and support to all non-medical staff in the ward, ensuring that nursing practice is based on current and best evidence

Take responsibility for own personal and professional development, maintaining clinical credibility and competence at all times

Keep an up to date personal portfolio, in line with revalidation requirements in maintaining NMC registration

Ensure that the unit philosophy is in line with the principles of clinical governance and that all staff understands its significance to practice

In conjunction with the Ward Manager ensure that KPIs, and Infection Prevention standards are maintained each month

Clinical

To participate in the setting and maintaining of high standards of evidence based nursing

To supervise and evaluate work of all nursing staff

Promote patient and carers involvement in care planning, delivery and evaluations, ensuring junior staff develop the necessary skills to do this. Implement a communication system to keep patients and their relatives/families informed of treatment and progress. Undertake audits at regular intervals to maintain standards of record keeping.

Supervises and monitors junior staff in developing the necessary skills to identify care priorities and address them in a pertinent and timely manner, seeking advice where appropriate.

Communicates and interacts with patients, carers and staff in a non-judgmental way, demonstrating mutual respect and trust utilising a variety of communication skills.

To ensure patients and relatives needs are met in a courteous, helpful and compassionate manner

To liaise with other agencies and professionals to maintain good service provision

Maintain effective relationships between the unit and the multi-disciplinary team

To maintain accurate and comprehensive records of patients care in line with the NMC code for record keeping

Co-ordinate clinical activities within the unit and have responsibility for shift management

Act as clinical leader and role model, sharing expertise with colleagues

To ensure safety and confidentiality of patient information

Managerial

To work with the ward manager to ensure that all staff sickness is monitored and that the Trusts sickness and absence policy is adhered to.

Ensure that units equipment is serviced properly and timely to maintain continuity of services at all times

Act as role model and mentor to student nurses including the setting of action plans as necessary.

Adheres to the systems for reporting clinical incidents ensuring accurate and timely completion of Trust incident forms. Monitors the practice of other staff.

Investigate complaints and untoward incidents in accordance with Trust policies and procedures. Provide statements accurately, timely and professionally. Support the ward manager in improving systems to prevent recurrence.

Ensure that the units clinical procedures and protocols are understood and adhered to by all staff. These should represent best possible practice and reflect Trust and National strategy for the management of emergency and acute patients.

Contribute to the recruitment and selection of quality staff for the unit, identifying future job requirements for profiling to compliment the surgical team and to participate in induction programmes, Mentorship/preceptorship and Trust recruitment open and assessment days.

In conjunction with the ward manager facilitate staff development by achieving unit objectives using the principles of IPR using the KSF and developing personal development plans for all staff. Monitor staff performance and report progress to the ward manager at regular intervals.

Contribute to the planning, organisation and evaluation of work, ensuring adequate induction of new staff including effective preceptorship for newly qualified nurses and nurses new to the speciality of Emergency General Surgery

Review the standard of unit documentation at regular intervals, benchmarking performance against NMC guidelines

Support Clinical Governance within the unit by utilising:-

Risk Management

Education/training

Clinical Supervision

Clinical Audit and effective best practice

Education

Develop clinical practice through education

Participate in in-service training programmes where appropriate

Share evidence based practice with colleagues

Attend statutory training sessions annually

Manage Finance

Contribute to the planning, monitoring and control of the units resources by ensuring that the units resources are optimised and that expenditure on pay and non-pay are kept within the allocated budget.

Assist the ward manager to optimise nursing resources by an even distribution of staff annual leave and matching skill mix to workload.

Identify, report and act upon and evaluate discrepancies between skill mix and workload within the clinical area.

Ensure you adhere to the policy for booking bank and agency staff and supervise junior staff to ensure that they do the same.

Ensure all resources are used in a cost effective manner, identifying and assisting in the implementations of cost improvement initiatives

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• First level RN
• Diploma / Degree in Professional Nursing/Health Studies
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• AIM / ILS Trained

Desirable

• Mentorship and Assessing qualification

Experience

Essential

• Two years' experience in Acute Surgical Area
• Wide range of Extended Skills to include Cannulation & Venepuncture
• Proven leadership skills
• Experience and understanding of audit and evidence-based care

Skills

Essential

• Demonstrates knowledge of evidence based practices
• Demonstrates understanding of clinical audit and clinical effectiveness
• Demonstrates understanding of resource management
• Able to effectively plan and delegate duties
• Able to manage personal time and that of others efficiently and effectively

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Able to work as an effective team member
• Is committed to and demonstrates ability to teach successfully
• Able to adapt to changing circumstances and demonstrates ability to influence change successfully
• Shows initiative: able to think positively and stimulate a productive team climate
• Able to achieve individual and team objectives
• Committed to the delivery of high quality healthcare

Other Job requirements

Essential

• Demonstrates commitment to self-development and the development of others
• Able to work flexible shifts including evening and weekend working when required
• Able to change duties at short notice

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).

Employer details

Employer name

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Surgery Assessment Unit (SAU) E28149

Warwick Hospital

Warwick

CV34 5BW

Employer's website

https://www.swft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)