Specialist Nurse Practitioner - Aylesford Unit

Job responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

The post holder will provide direct, specialised care and advice to patients within a defined case load, using specialist nursing skills and ensuring that care and support to patients and families is sensitive to their needs for courtesy, dignity and privacy.

To act as a patients advocate and to give advice regarding treatment options in order that patients are able to give informed consent. To take informed consent from patients and their families.

To work in collaboration with all members of the multi-disciplinary team in order to ensure the provision of a quality service for patients and their families.

To collaborate with multi-disciplinary team and produce a quality framework for the purpose of auditing and evaluating cancer and chemotherapy services.

To support the day case treatment suite clinically and professionally on a daily basis. Providing clinical advice and support to staff and monitoring the patients attending the unit.

To participate in nurse led chemotherapy and emergency clinics.

To work with the Acute Oncology Team to support inpatients, outpatients and the day case treatment suite clinically and professionally on a daily basis. Providing clinical advice and support to staff and monitoring the patients attending the unit. To participate in the acute oncology nurse rota including weekends and bank holidays.

To check and/or administer chemotherapy, as appropriate, according to the relevant Trust policies and procedures including close monitoring of the patient pre/post and during chemotherapy treatment.

Perform cannulation, venepuncture, and venesections on patients.

Undertake emergency assessment of the unwell patient with cancer e.g. acute neutropenic sepsis providing the appropriate management and supportive therapies.

As a Nurse Independent Prescriber prescribe chemotherapy and supportive drugs for patients attending the Aylesford Unit or Rigby Unit.

Managerial Responsibilities

To evaluate existing services within the unit, identifying gaps in this clinical service and making recommendations on improvements and their implementation in order of priority.

In collaboration with Nurse Consultant and other team members regularly review established policies relating to current clinical practice develop new policies as necessary based upon current research findings and ensure effective implementation.

To facilitate access to support services for patients, carers and staff.

To develop and maintain links with the cancer centre ensuring a seamless passage of care for patients requiring intensive cancer treatment.

To provide statistical data regarding caseload and activity.

To recommend to the Nurse Consultant ways in which current clinical practice could be improved upon and advice upon likely future developments which will have implications on the existing resources within the department.

Maintain awareness of, and ensure that all members of the team comply with, Trust, local and national policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Assess existing information systems and advise of potential areas of improvement with the intention of securing and maintaining information on cancer related activity.

Management of Resources

Ensure effective and efficient use of resources.

Use and deploy resources to achieve optimum value for money without detriment to patient care.

Assist the Nurse Consultant in identifying resource implications associated with service improvements and changes in clinical practices.

Observe a personal duty of care when using equipment and resources.

Promote and demonstrate research-based practice, initiate research projects and encourage and support staff who wish to be actively involved in service development.

To undertake research and development plus clinical audit in relation to all areas of responsibility.

To ensure implementation of national acute oncology measures in Lead Chemotherapy Nurse/ Lead Acute Oncology Nurse role.

Governance

Ensure Trust Policies and Procedures are implemented and adhered to developing new guidelines as and when necessary.

Liaise with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure seamless patient care is provided through the development of protocols and pathways, identifying and initiating these as required.

Key Specialist Responsibilities

Unit Manager

Responsible for the overall management of the Treatment Suite.

To establish, develop, maintain, monitor and facilitate the delivery of services within the Aylesford unit, ensuring services provided meet organisational objectives, divisional service strategies and quality accounts.

Responsible for the overall development and on-going management of the Aylesford Unit, ensuring that available resources are optimised to achieve strategic changes and improvements in services and operational systems in conjunction with the delivery of evidence-based, patient centered quality care.

Responsible for recruitment, retention, performance review and monitoring of staff absence.

Responsible for health and safety within the Aylesford Unit /Rigby Unit including clinical incidents, risk assessments and COSHH.

Lead Education and Development Nurse

To develop teams, individuals and self to enhance performance, ensuring that staff training needs to meet organisational objectives are pursued through the principles of IPR and PDP and knowledge & skills framework, in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

To assess the skills and training needs of staff and, in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team, identify priority areas and develop and maintain educational programmes in order to deliver expert and specialist care for patients and carers.

Lead Chemotherapy Nurse

Work with the Head of Chemotherapy and lead chemotherapy clinicians in developing a safe, robust clinical chemotherapy service.

Lead Acute Oncology Nurse

Work with the Head of Acute Oncology and Lead Acute Oncology Clinicians in developing a safe, robust acute oncology service.

Operation lead of the acute oncology service.

To undertake a specialist role in the management of cancer of unknown primary patients.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered General Nurse
• Degree in health-related subject or equivalent
• Recognised Teaching /Assessing Qualification
• Post registration chemotherapy qualification
• Advanced Communication Skills
• MSc level qualification of equivalent knowledge

Desirable

• Nurse Independent Prescriber
• Post registration qualification in Haematology/Oncology

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience in haematology/oncology including experience at band 6
• Experience as a team leader
• Evidence of managing and improving the patient experience
• Ability to lead, motivate and support teams
• Evidence of implementing and managing change
• Development and provision of education and training programmes
• Evidence of development of clinical guidelines

Skills

Essential

• Teaching/ assessment skills
• Effective communicator
• Ability to motivate self and others
• Computer literate
• Identifying and providing training needs
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Presentation skills
• Clinical and non-clinical decision making
• Critical analysis skills
• Ability to work to strict deadlines
• Computer skills
• Formal and informal teaching
• Writing for publication skills
• Counselling skills
• Central venous access device management
• PICC placement
• Chemotherapy administration

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to work on own initiative
• Prioritising skills able to meet deadlines
• Effective time manager
• Team player
• Problem solver
• Diplomatic
• Assertive and confident
• Personal and professional maturity
• Resilient and able to work in an emotionally demanding environment
• Empathetic and able to support patients and their carers/relatives when communicating sensitive and delicate information

Other

Essential

• Ability to work both on own initiative and within a team
• Flexibility
• Effective time management skills
• Projects a strong professional image

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).