NORS Perioperative Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

Donor Organ Retrieval (on-call rota. Activity carried out on a 24-48 hour on-call period)

Participates in the out-of-hours rota to support the organ retrieval teams.

Attends organ retrievals in donor hospitals across the United Kingdom and occasionally abroad travelling by road, sea or air. The nature of organ donation is inherently upsetting as all the donors are deceased and may be young children and/or they may have died under traumatic circumstances. The post-holder is required to undertake duties under these distressing circumstances.

Logs into TransplantPath, uses the clinical information regarding the donor circumstances to establish the equipment required.

Liaises with the Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation (SNOD) at the donor hospital and the Oxford retrieval consultant surgeon to arrange suitable arrival and travel time, contacts retrieval team and prepares all the equipment for retrieval.

Organises the transport for the retrieval team after notification of a retrieval. This involves liaising with the transport provider to supply details of retrieval time and location. Occasional need to contact third-party transport company when the units provider cannot meet the requirements.

Prepares and organises the clinical area to receive donors for multiorgan retrievals.

Safely identifies, prepares, checks and assembles equipment required for the relevant retrieval. Confirms sterility of equipment and responsible for the surgical count.

Provides skilled assistance to the surgeon during the retrieval operation.

During retrieval operation, provides general theatres support. Ensures paperwork is done. Organizes and safely packs organs as required by the Consultant Surgeons.

Accurately assembles and manages organ perfusion machines. These tasks require a high level of dexterity and speed by the operator. Some of these machines are at an early stage of development and automation is minimal.

Ensures the safe collection of samples necessary to accompany the organs and samples for various research projects, ensuring compliance with the policies of the HTA license.

Participates in perfusion research projects, learning new techniques and perfusion machines as necessary.

Receives and processes complex surgical and clinical information from the retrieval surgeon. Relates this information to other professionals including transplant coordinators and NHS Blood and Transplant ODT.

Ensures operational efficiency of organ perfusion machines. Downloads and analyses data.

Ensures safe and effective management of organs on return to the Oxford Transplant Centre.

Disposes of organs which are not suitable for transplantation in accordance with Human Tissue Act guidelines.

Monitors equipment, ensures data collection and recording of data in the retrieval team database and Transplant Centre databases as required.

Independently works within the guidelines of Oxford Adaptation of the National Operating Procedures, National Retrieval Standards and the Quality and Safety of Organs for Transplantation Regulations 2024 (Updated May 2024).

Responsible for adhering to the Human Tissue Authority codes of practice, standards and licensing.

Provides comprehensive training in donor and organ perfusion and the setting up and operation of highly specialised and complex donor and organ perfusion machines for other NORS teams, clinical staff and new members of the Oxford team.

May be trained to perform or assist on developing new technologies to monitor transplant patients or transplant function.

Administrative and General Duties (Activities carried out during non-on call hours)

Ensures necessary data are recorded and analysed. Reports data to NHSBT and presents data to various groups/meetings.

Collects and returns organ-specific data promptly for accurate transplant outcomes

Maintains clear, full and accurate records of work carried out.

Liaises with senior staff concerning problems that may arise.

Actively participates in governance and team meetings.

Actively participates in training as appropriate.

The post holder may be asked by the Director of the Oxford Transplant Centre, the Clinical Lead for Organ Retrieval and their appointees to perform reasonable duties relating to this position that are not specifically laid out in this document.

Acts as a clinical and professional role model at all times and demonstrate specialist knowledge and high standards of clinical practice and provide support or advice when necessary.

Act as an ambassador for the trust and NHSBT. Actively networking to raise the profile of NORS practitioners, including Actings as a mentor to students and newly qualified staff including teaching and assessing, upholding the philosophy of evidence-based practice.

Ensures appropriate quantities of equipment and consumables for retrievals are available at all times.

Be responsible for the safe transport of high-cost surgical equipment, fluid and drugs, under the transport of dangerous goods act, therefore adhering to legislation.

Participates in the sourcing, procurement and ordering of equipment for retrieval team. Monitors stock levels and places orders to replenish supplies.

Researches, investigates and procures new equipment when required.

Participates in meetings, deliver activity reports and assists with unit decisions about retrieval processes.

Ensures the NORS teams procedures and paperwork are kept up to date and compliant with HTA standards, continuously evaluating and modifying local policies to ensure compliance.

Participate in the maintenance and cleaning of specialist medical equipment, reporting any faulty equipment to the appropriate Team Leader or E.M.E. Department.

Maintain competency in the use of specialist medical equipment appropriate to the clinical setting.

Multiple roles are being developed and considered regularly that fully include the peri-operative in the working of the Oxford Transplant Centre. Roles are allocated to members of the team based on their knowledge and aptitude.

This job profile is not a definitive or exhaustive list of responsibilities but identifies the key responsibilities and tasks of the post holder. The specific objectives of the post holder will be subject to review as part of the Appraisal and Development Plan process.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE's (or equivalent) including Maths and Science
• Upper 2nd class degree or above

Desirable

• Degree (or equivalent) in Biological or Biomedical Science
• Registration with the HCPC or NMC

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience as an employee in a laboratory, operating theatre or patient facing environment

Desirable

• 12 - 18 months experience as an employee in a clinical environment

Personal

Essential

• Effective organisational and time management skills
• Available to arrive at the Oxford Transplant Centre within 30 minutes of notification when on-call
• Excellent communication skills.

Technical Skills

Essential

• Computer literate with experience of working with the Microsoft Office package.
• Analytical skills with the ability to deal with complex situations, in unfamiliar environments and within strict timeframes.
• Ability to work accurately and reproducibly

Desirable

• Advanced keyboard skills (e.g. ECDL).

Behavioural

Essential

• Alligned to the trust values.
• Conduct themselves in a professional manner.
• Display good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work for extended periods of time, as required. Including standing for extended periods, working with limited breaks, long travel periods and disrupted sleep patterns.
• Ability to work accurately and reproducibly
• Positive attitude to all tasks and stakeholders

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Churchill hospital

Old road, Headington

Oxford

OX3 7LE

Employer's website

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