Speciality Nurse for Dermatology

Job responsibilities

Key Result Areas:Expertise & Excellence in Clinical PracticeContribute to the delivery of evidence-based personalised andcompassionate care which places quality at the heart of specialist practice.Care will be responsive to individual needs and reflect current localprotocols and national guidelines.Act as an accessible professional for the multi-disciplinary team (MDT)supporting the management of a clinical caseload which is 80%-100% ofthe role. This will necessitate a degree of autonomy and advocacy toensure the delivery of appropriate care.Contribute to the management of a caseload of patients within specialityand prioritise workload to meet patient and service need.Use knowledge of the speciality and treatment to support the developmentof personalised care pathways for individuals and assist with holistic needsassessment, planning and evaluation of care and all care interventions.Act as a patient advocate to facilitate the process of shared decision makingin respect to health, choice of treatment and care. Use interpersonal andcommunication skills where there may be significant barriers in order tobuild confidence. Ensure that patients individual needs are expressed andvalued, and individual care plans are understood.Advise on disease and symptom management for patients within thespeciality in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Evaluate response tointerventions and cascade to relevant colleagues.Support patients to self-manage their condition where deemed appropriate.Provide education for those who will need guided support to self-manageand those who will need ongoing face to face support.Assist in the development and delivery of nurse led or parallel clinics in linewith National guidance and local service need.Act as a resource providing specialist advice and support across serviceboundaries to ensure optimum liaison and co-ordination of care.Undertake clinical competencies relevant to this specialist service todemonstrate expertise in extended nursing roles. Assess and assist inmanaging individual psychological reactions to diagnosis, treatment andassociated side effects.Management & LeadershipAct as a role model demonstrating high standards of holistic care andprovide clinical leadership to others across the organisation.Provide support to ensure public and patient involvement is embeddedwithin the sphere of practice.Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff where required.Assist in setting measurable outcomes for the service and continuousevaluation of practice supporting changes where necessary.Contribute to the clinical governance agenda.Participate in operational and strategic planning for the development anddelivery of the specialist service. Support service improvement activities.Attend Trust senior nurse meetings and contribute to the agenda andstrategic nursing vision.Represent the Trust by contributing to and participating in meetings locally,regional and nationally relating to the speciality.Contribute to an annual service review, gathering information to support theannual report.Assist with complaint investigation and ensure appropriate escalation.CommunicationTake personal responsibility for ensuring effective communication betweenall service providers.Act as a role model for excellent communication skills.Demonstrate empathetic interpersonal and communication skills insupporting, informing and advising patients and carers through diagnosis,treatment, disease progression, prognosis and supportive and palliativecare where applicable. This will involve occasionally imparting significantnews or supporting patients and carers during and following suchconsultations.Effectively and sensitively communicate complex and sensitive informationto emotionally distressed patients and family/carers at key points along thecare pathway on a frequent basis.Refer to other health professionals and outside agencies to ensure optimumcare and ongoing support for individual patients/carers, and to ensure the seamless transition from primary to secondary care appropriate to patientsindividual needs and circumstance.Maintain links with local and national organisations, which support the careof patients within this speciality.EducationIdentify and use educational strategies to deliver information to patients andcarers.Participate in the development of patient focused education includingtraining to support self-management and health promotion activities.Assist in the development of other professionals by contributing to Trustwide specialist education and training.Support the delivery of formal and informal teaching initiatives as part of theTrusts education strategy as agreed with the appropriate senior nurse toensure practice development, staff empowerment and improved care forpatients.Act as a mentor/clinical supervisor as appropriate.Take personal responsibility for life-long learning and personal developmentthrough clinical supervision and appraisal. Actively engages with learningand development opportunities needed to work as an advancing practitionerand take appropriate action to ensure these needs are met.Quality, Audit, Innovation and ResearchAssist in the development of written patient information and use existingappropriate resources to inform users, according to individually assessedneed.Work within the NMC code of professional conduct.Contribute to the development of policies and clinical guidelines to supportthe specialist service.Collaborate with other MDT members to develop and update multiprofessional Trust operational policies and guidelines.Maintain patient records and ensure an effective documentation system toreflect the activity and delivery of specialist nursing care.Promote the service where applicable.Use creative reasoning, experience and vision to support advancement ofcare.Develop new skills in response to emerging knowledge and techniques.Supports management of change as required.Maintain membership and attendance at national and local forums tonetwork and debate issues to inform the specialist nursing role and servicedelivery where applicable.Assist with the collation of data to provide evidence of productivity,outcomes and quality through audit and research.Contribute to the identification of patients eligible for trial entry. Providesupport to patients considering entry to clinical trials in relation to informedconsent and advocacy.Participate in clinical research relevant to practice area.Assist in the development of links and system to seek the views of patientand carers to ensure service development is in line with user need.Additional Responsibilities for specialtyAs per the British Dermatological Nursing Group a band 6 nurse is expected towork within the outlined scope of practice.

ClinicalMaking clinical decisions for a defined patient group.May be an independent prescriber for a defined patient group orundertaking medicines management including use of a patient groupdirection (PGD).As per band 5 role frequently without close direction.- Phototherapy- Wound-care- Assisting surgery- General advice and support to patients / families / carers- Administration of medicines- Patch testing- Treatment counselling- Topical treatment / bandaging- Camouflage advice- IontophoresisLower risk, less invasive skin surgery proceduresPhotodynamic therapyDisease or therapy focused nurse led follow up clinics with protocole.g. wound care, biologics, isotretinoin

LeadershipLeader of a small teamShowing initiative in change managementActive participant in quality improvement projectsEducationFormal teaching sessions for other staff within the organisationInvolvement in patient /public information initiativesResearchAware of the literature around practiceUsing literature to inform practiceAware of literature searching and reviewingUndertaking audit

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered General Nurse, NMC registered
• Post registration qualification in related subject
• Evidence of continued professional development in Dermatology

Desirable

• Recognised teaching qualification (ENB 998, C&G 730 or equivalent)
• Willingness to complete Health/Clinical Assessment course and non - medical prescribing course
• Level 2 Psychology training
• Advanced Communication training

Experience

Essential

• Relevant and up to date post registration experience within Dermatology
• Experience of student supervision and teaching
• Proven leadership skills
• Experience of delivering patient advocacy
• Experience and understanding of clinical audit and evidence-based care
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary and cross agency work environment
• Experience in the below treatments: - PDT/Photodynamic Therapy - Patch testing - Phototherapy/TLO1 - Minor Surgeries - PUVA - Iontophoresis

Desirable

• Experience of undertaking research
• Experience in nurse led follow ups for isotretinoin, Systemics, Biologics.

Skills

Essential

• Clinical, managerial and leadership skills in speciality
• Proven listening and counselling skills
• Up to date knowledge of current clinical and professional issues
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal and communication skills
• Managing a caseload
• Good decision making abilities
• Understanding of change management process
• Demonstrate an awareness of the National agenda for speciality
• Knowledge of quality standards and relevant
• Awareness of NICE guidelines, NSF CQUINs etc
• Team player
• Proficient IT skills
• Ability to write reports and maintain accurate records
• Assist in the development of nurse led clinics

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Creative thinker
• Diplomatic
• Ability to adapt behaviour to changing circumstances
• Delivers high quality care

Other Job Requirements

Essential

• Flexible and positive approach to work
• Able to attend network wide meetings
• Able to travel and work between sites

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).