Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

Emergency Department Assistant

This job is now closed

Job summary

Emergency Department Assistant. Band 3 Contract : Permanent. Full-Time 37.5 hours per week.

The Whittington Emergency Department (ED) serves the diverse local community of North London in and around Archway and Highgate. We are a busy but very friendly central London ED, seeing more than 100,000 patients in the last year and our recent CQC inspection last year praised the training and development opportunities for staff. We provide high quality emergency care and maintain an above average performance for initial assessment, ambulance handovers and four-hour performance.

We have very strong nursing leadership and can offer support from our substantial senior team, which includes our ED Matrons who provide a clinical support rota as well as Emergency Nurse Practitioners (ENPs) and senior clinical nurse leaders who provide support on a shift-by-shift basis. We also have a dedicated and innovative practice development nurse, devoted purely to the development of the team of nurses and ED Assistants.

Main duties of the job

You will be given the opportunity to rotate through the department including developing your skills in minor injury in our Urgent Treatment Centre with support of the ENPs, Majors where we assess the majority of ambulance patients, the fast-paced assessment area and will also gain new skills and training in mental health.

We are looking for dedicated, compassionate and dynamic healthcare assistants with acute hospital experience to join our team of Emergency Department Assistants in this fast-paced acute environment. Emergency Department experience isn't essential, as we will provide you with a training plan to develop your skills in specialist techniques such as plastering, cannulation and wound care.

Post holders would be expected to rotate onto nights and weekends on a four-week rota basis. Flexible working will be considered as part of the trust values.

We would welcome applications from individuals who are from underrepresented groups in the organisation

About us

Working for your organisation should read: Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.

Date posted

23 October 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£27,948 to £29,468 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

220-WHT-1616

Job locations

Whittington Hospital

Magdala Avenue

London

N19 5NF

Job description

Job responsibilities

Patients are to be treated with dignity, respect and discretion whilst maintaining their confidentiality.

Support and engage with mental health patients in the Department providing assistance to nursing team in caring for patients presented with mental health. Participate in the completion of risk assessments and care planning.

Ensure that patients personal hygiene requirements are met. This will include assisting with washes, bed bathing, assisting patients to use the shower and bath, providing mouth care and cleaning dentures.

Promote continence by ensuring that patients toilet needs are met. This will include the giving and taking away of bedpans and urinals, emptying catheter bags and bowel and stoma care. Patients are to be helped to use the toilet or commode and the needs met for patients with incontinence.

Take and record observations of patients temperature, pulse, respiration, oxygen saturations and blood pressure. To monitor patients blood sugars. Any abnormalities to be reported to the qualified nurse.

To carry out routine urine testing, record results and report any abnormalities.

To collect blood and urine specimens and label as required.

To undertake phlebotomy after training.

To cannulate patients after training and competence assessment

To perform E.C.Gs after training.

To apply plaster of paris after training

To assess pressure areas and skin integrity and report to qualified nurse of any change.

To escort patients to other departments and hospitals as necessary.

After undertaking basic life support training, summon help and assist the qualified nurse in an emergency situation. To organise own workload and establish priorities

MOVING AND HANDLING

To assist patients with nutritional needs and feeding patients if required

To carry out non-complex assessments within scope of practice and as required meet the needs of the patient.

Adhere to Trust policy on moving and handling.

Maintain the comfort of patients confined to bed by helping to reposition them as required.

Assisting patients to mobilise in liaison with Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists,

DOCUMENTATION

Complete all documentation in conjunction with qualified staff. To evaluate care given using the appropriate documentation.

All written entries on documentation must be clear, legible and signed. ALL entries must be counter-signed by a qualified member of staff.

To fill in fluid charts and observation charts as required.

INFECTION CONTROL

Be aware of and adhere to the Trust guidelines relating to infection control.

Take steps to prevent cross infection by using universal precautions and hand washing. This includes wearing uniform in accordance with hospital policy.

Assist in keeping ward clean and tidy in adherence to Health and Safety and Infection Control Policy.

To participate in local departmental infection control audits.

Beds, lockers, bed tables and general bed areas to be cleaned thoroughly when patients are discharged or transferred.

To follow the Trust policy on the safe disposal of sharps.

COMMUNICATION

To be able to communicate effectively with patients, other Trust staff and the general public. This includes being polite and respectful to everyone who comes in contact with you.

To answer the phone clearly and politely stating your name and who you are and to relate any messages promptly and accurately.

To be willing to undergo computer training.

OTHER DUTIES

To ensure that patients sign the disclaimer on admission and are made aware of the Trust policy of the safe keeping of valuables. Complete property book as required.

Report any accidents or incidents according to Trust Policy.

To go to other departments and collect patients belongings etc and to collect items from pharmacy.

To go to other areas and work as the service needs or under the direction of your manager.

To refer patients/service users to other members of the team when their needs are beyond the scope of the EDA.

To assess for and order a wide range of equipment to promote independence.

To attend and contribute to team meetings and case discussions using effective communication.

To work collaboratively with other agencies and organisations to ensure delivery of an equitable and integrated service.

To initiate referrals to other agencies, including Social Services, where appropriate.

Effective Management of Self and Work

EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT.

To regularly participate in one-to-one meetings, objective-setting and clinical supervision and appraisal with line manager in line with Trust policy.

To complete all relevant competencies within agreed timeframes.

To attend organised training sessions.

To keep an up-to-date continuous development portfolio.

To assist in the training and development of others, including the orientation of new staff.

QUALITY

To demonstrate a high standard of care at all times

To adhere to Whittington Health policies and procedures at all times.

To participate with senior nurses in the re-development of the role as required by the service.