Neuromuscular Clinical Nurse Specialist

Job description

Job responsibilities

SEE ATTACHED for further in-depth job description.

Duties and Responsibilities

This is not an exhaustive list of duties and a regular review will take place with the postholder as part of their ongoing development and performance management.

The post holder will be a clinical expert in the field of neuromuscular diseases and have the skills necessary to lead in practice development and innovation, with specific regard to the development of autonomous nursing practice and nurse led services.

The post holder will work autonomously and collaboratively, using expert knowledge and skills to help design and deliver services across organisational, professional and geographical boundaries.

The post holder will undertake a key role in enabling the Trust to meet both its strategic and national targets and will be responsible for policy development and implementation.

The post holder will provide expert nursing to a cohort of neuromuscular patients referred for specialist intervention, care and support, being a point of contact for assessment, information and advice for the patient, family and carers and all staff involved in the care of the patients.

The post holder will function as key worker for children/young adult and adult neuromuscular patients whilst undergoing care at RJAH, other hospitals, community and hospice settings across the tertiary area, and will liaise with the site-specific key workers for those patients where required.

Assessment of patients in Nurse Led Clinics who have a diagnosed long term neuromuscular condition. Care is provided in line with NICE guidance and nationally agreed Standards of Care, using identified patient pathways and in liaison with other members of Neuromuscular MDT.

With other members of the clinical MDT organise and support patients undergoing muscle investigations including neurophysiology, muscle biopsies, spinal surgery and sleep studies.

Liaison with other health professionals across primary and secondary care, including GPs, Consultants, Community Nurses and Therapists including Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists. Making referrals as required in order to coordinate patient care.

To offer ongoing support to a large cohort of patients and their families via direct telephone and email contact. To provide advice with clinical and diagnostic queries, help with practical issues related to equipment, housing, home adaptations, care packages, education, employment, benefits and emotional support in times of crisis.

To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to patients, relatives, carers and professionals health, social care and education to ensure a consistent approach to patient care.

Arrange and lead on Mobile Muscle Clinic visits and follow up home visits to monitor patient clinical progress, care provision and social and emotional aspects, in order to support patients and carers in meeting their long-term care needs.

Provide assessments and reports and attend MDT meetings related to individual patients' holistic needs. Liaising with Continuing Health Care, Social Care, Department of Work and Pensions (to support benefit applications), Education (Education and Health Care Plans) and employers.

Provide specialist advice and support where individuals or services are undergoing change such as the transition from child to adult services or in the reorganisation of services.

To develop and support transition pathways across paediatric and adult services.

To support patients and their families at the time of diagnosis, progression of illness and pre and post bereavement, in conjunction with the clinical psychologist within the neuromuscular team.

Awareness of threshold for safeguarding concerns for paediatric patients, including Universal offer, Early Help and Child in Need. Attend meetings and regular reviews including Child in Need, Team Around the Child and Team Around the Family.

Recognise and identify vulnerable children and adults, sharing safeguarding concerns with Neuromuscular MDT and liaison with relevant Trust leads. Make verbal and written referrals to safeguarding teams, provide reports including, Summary of Concerns, attend Child Protection and Vulnerable Adult Case Conferences and Core Group meetings as required.

The postholder will identify and coordinate the provision of palliative care for children and adults within the tertiary and catchment areas. This will include initiating, updating and coordinating of Advance Care Plans and ensuring that copies of these ACPs are disseminated to the relevant professionals.

The post holder will liaise with paediatric and adult hospices to make referrals and will coordinate and have a key role in organising and attending Neuromuscular Symptom Control clinics.

Ensure ongoing bereavement care and support as required; attending Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) meetings etc.

Provide specialist advice to the Trust on policy matters relating to the care of patients with neuromuscular disorders and palliative and end of life care for children and adults.

Communicate effectively including providing complex and sensitive information requiring skills of explanation, motivation and persuasion to overcome physical, emotional, mental and cultural barriers.

Ability to demonstrate advanced empathetic interpersonal and communication skills when dealing with patients and carers throughout the patient pathway

Use opportunities for informal, following patient contact, and formal periodic waiting list validation, to check for patients lost to follow up in liaison with patient pathway coordinator.

Responsible for liaising with the national specialist neuromuscular community as well as a range of charities; including SMA UK, Action Duchenne etc.

Participate in neuromuscular research and apply research findings to nursing practice, promoting and disseminating Evidence Based Practice.

Liaison with research teams to support trial access for patients and enable recruitment as required for further trial and investigative drugs and devices.

Able to take Informed Consent for Research and complete updated clinical data as part of ongoing data collection studies.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

Essential

• Qualified as either Registered Childrens Nurse or Registered General Nurse
• Masters Level Qualification (working towards or willing to undertake)
• Teaching and assessing or equivalent qualification

Desirable

• RCN or dual RCN/RGN
• Post graduate qualification in any of the following: Neuromuscular Disease, Palliative Care, Research, Genetics.
• Advanced Communications Skills course
• Independent prescriber

Experience

Essential

• Significant clinical practice in paediatrics/ neurology/ neuromuscular disease/ complex/long term health care needs
• Leadership and management experience at band 6 and above
• Significant experience at autonomous practice and able to demonstrate sound clinical decision making
• Experience of case load management of patients with long term conditions, including children and adults with disabilities, complex care needs in hospital and community settings
• Palliative care experience
• Experience of working within a Multidisciplinary Team

Desirable

• Experience of working as a specialist or advanced practitioner

Knowledge (including specialist or technical knowledge required)

Essential

• Awareness and understanding of Extended Scope Practitioner practice
• Extensive knowledge of a range of neuromuscular conditions including diagnosis, therapies, treatment and interventions
• Knowledge of holistic approach required in management of long-term conditions, emotional, psychological and behavioural effects and management strategies.
• Understanding of a wide range of different roles and responsibilities within health, social care and educational organisations
• Understanding of disability awareness, current legislation and benefit entitlement
• Ability to critically analyse relevant information
• Awareness of Clinical Governance/Safeguarding/Risk Management/Health and Safety

Desirable

• Awareness of relevant NICE guidance, Standards of Care and legislation related to care of Neuromuscular patients

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• Able to undertake physical examination and assessment of patients. Ability to undertake a holistic nursing assessment, interpret findings, formulate plan of care with ongoing evaluation
• Awareness of boundaries of professional experience / extended practice. Commitment to improve and maintain own development and skills with evidence of on-going professional development
• Ability to lead and effect change within a multidisciplinary team. Ability to work autonomously and manage time effectively. Ability to influence and enhance patient care. Ability to work across professional boundaries
• High degree of interpersonal and communication skill. Ability to communicate in a variety of settings with patients with diverse needs.
• Ability to act confidently as an advocate for children and adults. Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues in the health care setting. Evidence of teaching patients, carers and other professionals within health, social care and education settings
• Research and Audit skills Presentation and teaching skills Able to use IT systems such as Microsoft applications and data bases

Desirable

• Extended Role Nursing Skills
• Participation in policy, procedure and service development and skills in project leading

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

Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Neuromuscular Office, TORCH Building, RJAH

Neuromuscular Office, TORCH Building,

Oswestry

SY10 7AG

Employer's website

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