Asthma Nurse Specialist

Job responsibilities

Assessment of patients attending the site with asthma symptoms in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Assessing inhaler technique and providing education to improve patient inhaler technique.

Recommending treatment changes/prescription changes to improve inhaler technique.

Monitoring symptom reports to evaluate outcomes of recommended treatment changes.

Providing patient education to increase insight into their condition and to aid adherence to provided treatments.

Compiling personalised asthma action plans.

Recognising the critically ill patient and treating accordingly.

Recognising own limitations, and escalating concerns to senior staff promptly.

Communicating with GP services to ensure up to date treatment plans are adhered to in the community.

Communicating with GP services about patient enquires and potential escalation in treatments.

Understanding all possible diagnostic tests undertaken to support an asthma diagnosis.

Arranging diagnostic assessments to aid asthma diagnosis.

Understanding the latest guidance regarding asthma biologic treatments including latest licencing and necessary criterias to be met.

Understanding eligibility criteria under NHS England guidance for asthma biologic treatments.

Understanding and ability to apply most up to date guidance from NICE and BTS / GINA.

Recommending patients for treatment with asthma biological treatments, via multidisciplinary team working on both a local and regional level.

Providing education for treatment with biological medications to prepare patient for receiving the treatment and aid adherence.

Co-ordination of multi-disciplinary team who work together to manage service provision.

Managing referrals into the service from a variety of sources and triaging patients into the most relevant nurse led clinic.

Managing adherence issues and exploring these issues with patients, and discussing the potentially reasons behind lack of adherence and work with the patient to address this.

Managing difficult conversations with patients regarding treatment options and possibility of discontinuation of treatment if patient is not compliant.

Understanding and working within the boundaries of a specially commissioned service.

Managing own workload.

Managing own CPD.

Managing patients in a nurse led clinic environment, under the direction of, and in conjunction with, medical staff, hosted both in person and a virtual environment.

Establishing sound working relationships within the multidisciplinary working team both on site, regionally and on a national level.

Managing the needs of tertiary service being run within a busy acute hospital, listening to and addressing competing interests in the service.

Triaging communications received by the team.

Taking an active role in weekly local MDT sessions.

Taking active role in monthly regional MDT sessions.

Taking an active role in various regional and national meetings.

Making good relationships with pharmacological colleagues for up to date information and training with the latest medical therapies.

Liaising and managing the paediatric cohort of patients coming over to the adult service, including inter hospital visits, arranging clinic, liaising with the young adults and parents, liaising with safeguarding and other multidisciplinary teams, and research.

Managing daily phone calls/ emails and triaging these in appropriate manner.

Completing both local and national audits.

Updating local policies and procedures.

Providing education to staff within the trust.

Working collaboratively with research staff.

Assist and participate in research projects.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse / Midwife
• Post-basic specialist Qualification relevant to speciality
• Recognised Teaching Qualification
• First Degree

Desirable

• Research qualification
• Recordable specialist qualification
• Masters
• Independent Nurse Prescriber

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable Post-Reg. experience
• Evidence of undertaking the relevant speciality successfully at Band 6
• Extensive clinical experience
• Evidence of the application of management / leadership skills and managing staff
• Involvement in audit

Desirable

• Experience as Specialist Sister
• Participation in research
• Management qualification

Knowledge

Essential

• In depth specialist knowledge

Skills

Essential

• Teaching / assessment skills
• Organisation and negotiation skills
• Effective communicator
• Leadership & motivation skills
• Evidence of audit and change management ability
• Computer literate
• Ability to motivate self and others
• Root Cause Analysis

Desirable

• Evidence of leading and facilitating change
• ECDL

Other

Essential

• Evidence of continued professional development
• Diplomatic
• Assertive and confident
• Personal and professional maturity
• Recognition of own limitations
• Demonstrates enthusiasm
• Ability to work both on own initiative and within a team
• Flexibility
• Able to travel 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).