Nurse Specialist (XR06)

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

An exciting opportunity to join the head and neck specialist nursing team has become available; this role is part-time and 20 hours per week. We are a small, friendly, and proactive team based in Bexley Wing, St Jamess Hospital. We act as the keyworkers for head and neck cancer patients. As head and neck CNSs, we are involved in supporting patients from their diagnosis to the end of their treatment, whether this is through a curative or palliative pathway.

We are looking for a highly motivated nurse who can work both independently and as part of a team and who possesses excellent communication skills. Relevant experience at band 5 level is required.

The jobholder will contribute to the development of the speciality service through audit, education and training whilst ensuring costeffective use of resources. There will also be opportunities for both personal and professional development.

The post holder will be responsible to the band 7 team leader. Our offices are in the Bexley Wing SJUH, but you will be required to travel cross-site to our surgical wards and clinics at the LGI.

MAIN DUTIES OF JOB

The post holder will work within the Head and Neck CNS team and alongside the wider Head and Neck MDT. They will be responsible for a defined caseload of patients from diagnosis of primary and recurrent head and neck cancer to end of treatment, providing support management at key points on their journey.

The post holder will, with support, assist in our face-to-face nurse-led clinics in radiotherapy and in pre-treatment as well as supporting patients in our consultant-led combined and systemic clinics. They will conduct ward visits to both our surgical and non-surgical patients and will troubleshoot patient enquiries requiring specialist advice over the telephone.

For enquiries about this post, please contact Alison Reed, Head and Neck CNS Team Leader, on 0113 2068616 or via email: alison.reed9@nhs.net.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Acts in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Conduct

Clinical

Clinical care delivery

- Provide a clinical lead and role model to nursing staff by delivering high-quality care.

- Undertakes clinical procedures where dexterity and accuracy are required.

- Maintain a safe working environment

Responsibilities for patient and client care

- Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates care and treatments using specialist clinical knowledge and skills.

- Organises own clinical workload.

- Receives supervision of clinical care and outcomes from Matron.

Freedom to act

- Refer patients as appropriate to other members of the multi-disciplinary team

- Make clinical assessments and treatment decisions within clearly defined policies and protocols

Communication

- Maintains accurate clinical and other records using the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trusts documentation.

- Support patients and their families communicating sensitive condition-related information and ensuring they receive required information to enable them to participate in their care delivery

- Liaise with Community Services (as appropriate) to ensure seamless provision of care delivery

Education and Training

- Provide training and education of learners and other junior staff

- Actively participate in the development of own personal development plan and performance review

- Provide education and training to patients and their carers.

- Keep up to date with developments and advances within the speciality.

Leadership and management

- Investigate and respond to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events

- Work with the matron to promote the development of nurses undertaking the CNO Ten Key Roles as considered appropriate

- Under the direction of the matron, participates in or leads the development of specific elements of nursing practice, reflecting the CMT and Nursing Directorate business plans

- Participates in the setting, monitoring and improvement of standards and the quality of patient care, including those standards defined in the National Benchmarks for Essential Care

- Promote evidence-based practice, wherever possible

- Engages users' and carers' views on service delivery and development

- Implement policy and practice guidelines specific to the clinical specialty, proposing changes where appropriate

- Contribute to policy and protocol development for speciality area

- Exercises a personal duty of care in relation to equipment, resource and stock control, utilising equipment and supplies appropriately.

Research and Audit

- Contribute to the research agenda

- Undertake audit programmes specific to client group, treatments and developments.

- Participate in clinical trials as appropriate.

THE LEEDS WAY VALUES

Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:

Patient-centred

Collaborative

Fair

Accountable

Empowered

All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values

Additionally, the following are core values which relate specifically to this post:

Commitment to delivering high-quality evidence-based care

Commitment to working in a multi-disciplinary team

Commitment to the specialty area, valuing the contribution of all team members, encouraging a positive and creative working environment

Commitment to own personal and professional development and to the development of others within the team

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Level 1)
• Recognised teaching/assessing qualification
• Post registration qualification in specialty
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Willing to undergo training as necessary

Desirable

• Post registration qualification in specialty

Experience

Essential

• Significant post registration experience at Band 5 or equivalent and experience within a relevant speciality, during which the following experience should have been gained:
• Clinical audit and standard setting
• Experience and knowledge of specialty
• Current issues in healthcare
• Standards of professional practice
• Understanding of the local and national nursing agenda
• Understanding of relevant National Service Frameworks (if appropriate)
• Awareness of Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust guidelines and policies
• Understanding of organisational structures

Desirable

• Service development and or change management (desirable)

Skills & behaviours

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Innovator
• Motivator
• Assertiveness
• Flexibility, adaptable, capable of lateral thinking
• Communication skills
• Teaching and assessment skills
• Organisational skills
• Time management skills
• Change management skills
• Understanding of research-based practice research conscious
• Team player
• Conflict management
• Managing stress
• Uses initiative to resolve issues within their own control

Other criteria

Essential

• Communication
• Teaching
• Leadership
• Excellent written and verbal skills
• Ability to organise and prioritise own and others workload
• IT skills
• Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post

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).