Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

Job responsibilities

• Supports the delivery of Specialist Palliative Care in George Eliot Hospital
• Manages a specialist clinical case load (under the supervision of a Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialist).
• Participates in the development and provision of specialist palliative care education and training within local trust and actively participates in these functions across Warwickshire
• Participates in local audits, research projects, as requested by Lead Nurse

• Works across professional boundaries using creative reasoning and problem solving.
• Supports and manages change within a complex environment including across organisational boundaries in the pursuit of excellent palliative and end of life care.
• Influences the development of others through education and training.
• Utilises patient and public experience feedback to drive innovation and change.

• Assesses; analyses and interprets specialist needs of patients and carers in order to compare varied options for treatment, care/support.
• Provides specialised palliative care advice to patients, carers, and all members of the multidisciplinary health care team concerning clinical investigations, disease and symptom management, and other issues within sphere of competence.
• Uses specialist knowledge to refer patients and carers to other specialist/multidisciplinary services.
• Advises patients, carers and health care professionals on services impacting on palliative care in both acute and primary care settings in addition to social services and voluntary sector organisations across North Warwickshire Place

COMMUNICATION/KEY RELATIONSHIPS-INTERNAL, EXTERNAL

• Uses high level of interpersonal and communication skills for the purposes of facilitating ethical clinical decision making.
• Negotiates with health and social care professionals involving contact with acute and primary care sector together with statutory and voluntary services to facilitate seamless access to and transition between palliative care services for patients and carers
• Uses alternative methods to communicate with patients where there are barriers present i.e. hearing disabilities, mental health, language and sensory impairment.
• Ability to communicate extremely sensitive diagnostic information.
• Uses counselling skills as a therapeutic tool.

CONTROL OF RESOURCES

• Accurately records and manages personally generated patient information in compliance with data protection regulations.
• Maintains data base of service information for the purposes of audit and service development.
• Manages office resources in order to fulfil job responsibilities.

• Facilitates multidisciplinary teams to deliver high quality palliative care

• Demonstrates leadership through clinical expertise, delivering high standards of person-centred care and using the underpinning philosophy of co-creating care with people with specialist palliative care needs.
• Contributes to the delivery of specialist education and training to other professionals involved in patient care.
• Supports and contributes to the development and promotion of the nursing service ensuring the delivery of high quality, cost-effective care.
• Supports patient and public involvement within the sphere of practice.
• Supports and contributes to quantitative and qualitative data collection of the palliative care service in order to provide evidence of productivity, outcomes and quality and contributes to providing GEH with reports
• Participates in service reviews and initiatives to drive service improvement in the field of specialist palliative care.
• Supports and contributes to the implementation and monitoring of adherence to relevant clinical guidelines.
• Takes professional responsibility for ensuring effective communication between all service providers across the care pathway.
• Actively participates in multi-professional meetings, acting as patient advocate and representing nursing views.
• Acts as a role model for excellent communication skills and expertise
• Develops skills in conflict resolution and negotiation skills when dealing with difficult or challenging situations.

PROVISION OF PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

• Develops new skills in response to emerging knowledge and techniques.

JUDGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING/FREEDOM TO ACT

• Actively integrates theory and practice within the field of specialist palliative care.
• Acts as an associate for a clinical caseload under supervision, working to proactively manage care and provide easy access for ongoing support for patients.
• Assesses peoples information needs and provides relevant information to meet those needs through the use of information prescriptions.
• Provides clinical expertise, specialist advice and support across service boundaries.
• Supports the nursing contribution to service development, ensuring the pursuit of excellence in care.
• Follows an agreed care pathway, refers to other professionals and sign-posts to other agencies as appropriate.
• Promotes the service and clinical excellence by contributing to publishing and presenting innovations, audit and research locally, regionally and nationally.
• Supports and contributes to the development of policy and clinical guidelines.

• Participates in policy formation and implementation related to specialist palliative care.
• Works collaboratively to develop and implement specialist palliative care policies/standards.

WORKING CONDITIONS I.E. SHIFT WORK OR REQUIREMENT TO TRAVEL

• Core Hours of 8.30 to 4.30 Monday to Friday with weekend working on a rota of 1 in 5

RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

• Undertakes audit/research projects at request of Lead Nurse.
• Continuously updates and disseminates knowledge of current research within speciality.
• Identifies mechanisms to obtain and use feedback in order to develop patient focussed service.
• Takes personal responsibility for life -long learning and continuous personal development through clinical supervision, appraisal and training.

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Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Minimum 2 years relevant experience at Band 6 or above in a role with significant clinical exposure to palliative care
• Experience of teaching in clinical and formal settings
• Leadership and management experience
• Experience of multi-professional working
• Experience of leading and influencing change
• Experience of audit
• Good palliative care symptom management knowledge
• Knowledge of psychological, social and spiritual aspects of palliative and end of life care
• Knowledge of the role of the contemporary clinical nurse specialist
• Good IT skills
• Knowledge of National Palliative and End of Life Care policy

Desirable

• Experience of research
• Knowledge of broader health care policy

Qualification and Professional Training

Essential

• Relevant post registration experience, at Band 5 or above, in cancer, palliative &/ or end of life care within current role
• Experience of multi-professional working
• Experience of teaching
• Evidence of good communications skills
• Understanding of Cancer, Palliative and End of life Care National Agendas

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• IT literate
• Effective communication.
• Ability to motivate self and others
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Able to concentrate for extended periods when providing clinical care.

Desirable

• Flexible attitude to working
• Exemplar written communication skills.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Diplomatic
• Calm and objective
• Assertive, confident, yet approachable
• Personally, and professionally mature
• Recognition of own limitations
• Demonstrates enthusiasm.
• Able to travel between sites

Other

Essential

• To be able to deal with complex and difficult situations.

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).