Diabetes Specialist Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job overview

We are seeking to recruit a full-time Band 7 DSN within our Adult Insulin Pump HCL service, who shares our ambition to take this new exciting service forward. They will need to be dynamic, motivated, an effective team player, with vision, drive and enthusiasm, possess demonstrable experience of required clinical skills as a DSN.

The successful candidate would be expected to work within the skilled team of DSNs providing care for in-patients and outpatients within the speciality of insulin pump therapy, diabetes technology and care of people living with Type 1 Diabetes. They will also need to be able to support patients with Type 2 diabetes. The role will also include delivering education sessions to patients, ward nurses and other health care professionals.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real tangible impact on the lives of patients living with Type 1 Diabetes.

Main duties of the job

• Practice autonomously within the Diabetes MDT.
• Maintain good communication, ensuring all staff members working within the area are valued and enhance effective working relationships throughout the Diabetes department, offering peer support, attending and contributing to regular team meetings.
• Provide excellent and evidence-based care in all aspects of Diabetes for people to facilitate safe patient care and admission avoidance.
• Assist with reviews, updates and implementation of policies and guidelines within your area.
• Incorporate appropriate technology to their practice to enhance patient experience, e.g. insulin pump therapy, Glooko application, and CGM.
• Use professional judgement in managing complex and unpredictable care events and capture the learning from these experiences to improve patient care and service delivery.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wave—a national programme that’s changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.

This means we’re working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.

We’re a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.

Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The ideal candidate will be required to:

• Play an integral leadership role in the operational and strategic development of specialist service on insulin pump therapy, technology and care of patients with Type 1 Diabetes.
• Possess strong nurse-led outpatient clinic experience in Type 1 Diabetes services, in terms of a working knowledge, awareness or a willingness to learn the new and developing Diabetes technologies (e.g. insulin pumps, CGM, and HCL systems),
• Act as a point of contact and clinical expert working with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to provide specialist care, education, and support for those patients and their carers using intensive Diabetes technologies, with the full support of the Consultant Diabetologists / Endocrinologists and the nursing team,
• Independently manage a caseload of patients with diabetes who are on Insulin Pump therapy or other Diabetes technology working towards (out-patient and in-patients), managing and co-ordinating complete programmes of care.
• Independently run diabetes nurse led clinics for outpatients needing highly specialized nursing skills, support and advice.
• Provide highly specialist advice to patients, family, their carers and staff with Diabetes for both in-patients and outpatients
  • Carry out assessments (interpretation of biochemistry and clinical condition) to determine the basis of the problem.
  • Development of treatment plans, advice on drug treatment, client centred goals and discharge planning; taking into account personal + cultural preferences and barriers to change.
  • To optimise Diabetes management and Glycaemic Control to prevent or reduce the risk of complications.
  • Advice on type and dose of medication.
  • To keep up to date with new technologies for delivering insulin and new drugs for treating Diabetes
• Communicate sensitive and complex information in an understandable form to staff, patients and carers, requiring negotiations, persuasion, motivation and counselling skills including situations where there are barriers to understanding.
• Work with and support managers and clinical staff to identify areas where changes in practice for insulin pump therapy are required.
• Work in secondary care, providing expert complex-case management and supporting people with diabetes in the acute multidisciplinary setting.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Adult) NMC registered Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Relevant teaching / mentoring qualification
• Relevant postgraduate qualification in Diabetes supplemented by specialist training, experience and short course
• Recognised prescribing qualification and / or willingness to undertake

Experience

Essential

• Post registration experience in acute medicine or specialist medicine
• Recent Diabetes care experience at Band 6 or Band 7 grade
• Proven experience of intensive Type 1 Diabetes management

Desirable

• Experience of Hybrid Closed Loops (HCL)
• Experience in Diabetes transitional care from paediatrics to adults

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.

Employer details

Employer name

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

Address

The Princess Alexandra Hospital

Harlow

Essex

CM20 1QX

Employer's website

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