Sister/Charge Nurse (XR06)

Job description

Job responsibilities

The jobholder will play an essential role assisting the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse with the 24 hour continuing responsibility for the effective and efficient management of the ward / department. They will contribute to the provision of professional, clinical, managerial leadership and supervision for the nursing team. The jobholder is responsible for helping to develop and maintain a ward or departments philosophy that has the patient at the centre of compassionate safe and quality care delivery. By assisting with managing the administrative and financial aspects of the ward, the jobholder will support the cost effective use of resources.

As an experienced nurse the jobholder will assist in co-ordinating activities on the ward or department ensuring effective communication is maintained at all times, providing support to qualified and unqualified nurses within the ward/dept. He/she will play a key role in the assessment of patient care needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care.

The jobholder will act as a role model, promoting quality evidence-based practice, developing the nursing team and ensuring effective management of the ward/department in the absence of the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse.

3. ORGANISATIONAL CHART

5. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Qualifications

Registered Nurse (RN Adult for adult clinical areas or RN Child for childrens areas (Level 1 or 2)

Recognised teaching/assessing qualification (desirable)

Experience

Significant post registration experience at staff nurse level or equivalent minimum 2 years as a band 5

Experience of clinical audit and standard setting

Working with a wide range of professionals including medical, nursing and management colleagues

Clinical experience within the speciality (desirable)

Skills

Written and Verbal communication skills.

Ability to communicate effectively within a multi-disciplinary team

Ability to teach, supervise and assess qualified and unqualified staff

Time management skills

Recruitment and selection (desirable)

Demonstrates problem solving and analytical skills

Ability to prioritise workload and met deadlines whilst paying attention to detail

Ability to work under pressure

Clinical leadership

Appraisal skills

Knowledge

Insight into clinical speciality

Insight into current issues in nursing/professional issues

Ability to demonstrate knowledge of current issues in health and social care

Personal Attributes

Demonstrates personal and professional behaviour and integrity at all times

Role model

Compassionate and caring

Excellent interpersonal skills

Innovator

Motivator of self and others

Assertive

Courage

Flexibility, adaptable, capable of lateral thinking

Ability to manage and identify stress in self and others

Positive approach to change

Self-confidence, uses this to lead, involve and challenge others appropriate

6. 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 clinical area, valuing the contribution of all team members, encouraging a positive and creative working environment

Commitment to own development and the development of junior staff

7. WEST YORKSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF ACUTE TRUSTS (WYAAT)

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.

By bringing together the wide range of skills and expertise across West Yorkshire and Harrogate we are working differently, innovating and driving forward change to deliver the highest quality care. By working for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust this is your opportunity to be a part of that change.

WYAAT is the acute sector arm of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, one of the largest integrated care systems in the country. The Partnerships ambition is for everyone to have the best possible health and wellbeing, and the work of WYAAT, and each individual trust, supports that ambition.

8. CORE BEHAVIOUR AND SKILLS

Leadership and management skills

Effective communication skills

Teaching and assessing skills

Preceptorship skills

Organisational skills

Time management skills

Quality improvement skills

Understanding of evidence based practice research conscious

Team player

Learns from incidents and complaints

Conflict resolution

Managing stress

Uses initiative to resolve issues within their own control

Remain professional at all times

Able to deliver feedback effectively

9. CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Understands the business of the ward

Understanding of the local and national nursing agenda

Understanding of relevant national service guidance pertinent to the service

Awareness of Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust guidelines and policies

Understanding of organisational structures

Commitment to clinical audit, research and evidence based practice

Awareness of budget management

Awareness of Human resources policies and guidance as pertinent to the management and leadership of the clinical team

Knowledge and understanding of current issues in health and social care

10. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Leadership

Support Senior Sister / Charge nurse in providing leadership to the clinical team

Support and inspire staff to provide efficient, effective, safe, quality care to patients

Deliver a positive patient experience

Promote the building of effective teams and collaboration between teams

Anticipate problems and take preventative or mitigating actions, or have contingency plans available

Assist in the line management of the nursing team, including individual and team performance, attendance, management and workforce planning

Help to ensure the effective deployment of staff is mapped against the flow of patients to provide safe and effective care

Support and participate in local and trust-wide recruitment events

Help to manage the use of bank and agency

Support the senior sister / charge nurse to Investigate and respond to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events

Support in the delivery of an effective, safe, quality service within budgetary envelope

Raise and respond to concerns with regards to risk, danger, malpractice or wrongdoing by following the LTHT whistle blowing policy and supporting processes

Deputise for Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in their absence

Clinical

Act in accordance to the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Code: Professional Standards Practice and Behaviour (March, 2015)

Fulfils the requirements as directed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council to maintain and revalidate registration

Supervise ward staff with regards clinical practice and patient experience to promote the delivery of excellent clinical standards

Provide a visible clinical lead and role model to the nursing and wider team by delivering high quality compassionate care as an expert practitioner

Ensure that documentation standards are maintained in accordance with NMC and LTHT guidelines, whether written or computerised.

Promote and maintain positive working relationships between all staff, internal and external to the Trust, involved in the care of patients

Help to set, monitor and seek to continuously improve standards and the quality of patient care, including those standards defined in local and national guidance

Maintain a safe working environment

Ensure the safe use and efficient management of equipment and supplies

Promote compassionate evidence based practice, wherever possible

Work with Senior Sister / Charge Nurse to ensure that clinical governance processes at ward/dept level encompass measures to ensure the quality of the fundamental and essential aspects of care

Balance clinical risk and clinical decision making against context

Work with the Infection Prevention and Control Team and Facilities to monitor the environment to maintain and raise standards

Undertake duties on other wards or departments as and when required by the service

Act in such a way that safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults at all times. Is familiar with and adheres to the LTHT safeguarding policies.

Quality Improvement

Has a responsibility to improve the quality and safety of our services. It is expected that in fulfilling a clinical leadership role you will be proactive in promoting and using the Leeds Improvement Method. Contribute to quality improvement programmes as required

Keep up to date with and communicate service developments, advances and research.

Through the use of audit, local research, metrics and feedback continually seek to identify practice that needs improvement. Implement and evaluate any resultant improvement plan.

Actively promote patient involvement and feedback within service improvements to promote a positive patient experience

Maintain and sustain the momentum of improvements until they are firmly embedded into the values and culture of the clinical area

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse (RN Adult for adult clinical areas or RN Child for childrens areas (Level 1 or 2)

Desirable

• Recognised teaching/assessing qualification

Experience

Essential

• 2 years minimum post registration experience at staff nurse level or equivalent
• Working with a wide range of professionals including medical, nursing and management colleagues
• Audit and standard setting
• Evidence of continued professional development

Desirable

• Clinical Experience within the specialty.

Skills & behaviours

Essential

• Local and national nursing agenda.
• Current issues in health and social care
• Standards of professional practice
• Compassionate and caring
• Capable of lateral thinking
• Motivator of self and others
• Positive approach to change
• Assertive courageous
• Flexible
• Adaptable
• Able to manage stress in self and others
• Excellent written and verbal skills
• Ability to organise and prioritise own and others workload.

Desirable

• Skills and knowledge required to lead and develop team members

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.

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

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF

Employer's website

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