Job summary
We are recruiting for a Newborn Hearing Screener who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.
The post holder will work as a member of a team that screens the hearing of newborn babies within East and North Hertfordshire. To gather and accurately record clinical and test data relevant to the screening process.
This post involves direct handling of newborn babies and contact with their parents and continued communication with Healthcare Professionals.
At the heart of everything we do are our core values:Include,Respect, andImprove. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.
Main duties of the job
The Newborn Hearing Screener will plan, organise and carry out day to day work tasks or activities.
To identify which baby requires screening on the Postnatal Ward, Special Care Baby Unit and in Community Clinics by communicating and assessing with midwifery, medical staff and child health.
To make judgments involving a range of facts or situations which require analysis or comparison in conjunction with protocols and procedures already in place.
To obtain informed consent from parents before any screen is carried out by explaining the process of the screen and involving the parents from the start.
To carry out the hearing screening of newborn babies within the maternity unit using specialised equipment, (full training will be provided). To accurately record clinical and test result data by data input.
To promote professional, welcoming and caring environment endorsing a family friendly approach.
You are required to complete the Health Care Level 3 Diploma, in the event of this being a fixed term post the Health care Level 3 Diploma does not need to be completed, as the post is only fixed for 12 months and the diploma requires the screener to be here for 24 months + to complete it
About us
At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
- The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
- New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
- Hertford County, Hertford
- Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work as part of an established hospital-based team that provide newborn hearing screening 7 days a week, 365 days per year to all eligible newborn babies born in our area.
To undertake training commensurate with the role and complete the Level 3 Diploma for Health Screeners qualification. This is a competence-based qualification which is assessed in the workplace which includes online training so must be IT competent; to undertake a period of face-to-face training and supervision and successfully pass an External Clinical Assessment (ECA) before working unsupervised
To identify which babies, require screening by using the Smart4Hearing (S4H) database in addition to liaising with the ward staff.
Ensure all parents of eligible babies are offered the newborn hearing screen in a timely fashion.
To organise workload with colleagues to cover postnatal wards, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), ensuring as many babies as possible have completed screening prior to discharge from hospital.
Ensure that a high-quality service is maintained to promote the principles of family friendly hearing services for children.
Ensure that parents and carers are given clear and accurate information regarding NHSP.
To explain the screening tests and possible outcomes to parents to obtain informed consent.
Offer the automated otoacoustic emission (AOAE) and/or automated auditory brain response (AABR) screening test and gain verbal consent.
Carry out the hearing screening of newborns in both inpatient and outpatient facilities, accurately recording clinical and test data.
Maintain up to date knowledge of NHSP procedures and protocols relevant to the role of NHSP screener.
To explain the results of the screening tests and their significance to parents
To refer babies to local audiology services in a timely manner using local processes and procedures
Always maintain confidentiality of the babies and their families.
The postholder will sometimes need to work with anxious, distressed or emotional parents, to ensure babies and families retain their dignity, privacy and individuality at all times
Establish and maintain effective methods of communication to the parents, primary care teams, other NHSP teams where appropriate and audiology services where follow-up is indicated.
Always ensure the safety and security of equipment and report any problems to the NHSP local manager at the earliest opportunity.
Be aware of Safeguarding issues and adhere to local procedures.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work as part of an established hospital-based team that provide newborn hearing screening 7 days a week, 365 days per year to all eligible newborn babies born in our area.
To undertake training commensurate with the role and complete the Level 3 Diploma for Health Screeners qualification. This is a competence-based qualification which is assessed in the workplace which includes online training so must be IT competent; to undertake a period of face-to-face training and supervision and successfully pass an External Clinical Assessment (ECA) before working unsupervised
To identify which babies, require screening by using the Smart4Hearing (S4H) database in addition to liaising with the ward staff.
Ensure all parents of eligible babies are offered the newborn hearing screen in a timely fashion.
To organise workload with colleagues to cover postnatal wards, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), ensuring as many babies as possible have completed screening prior to discharge from hospital.
Ensure that a high-quality service is maintained to promote the principles of family friendly hearing services for children.
Ensure that parents and carers are given clear and accurate information regarding NHSP.
To explain the screening tests and possible outcomes to parents to obtain informed consent.
Offer the automated otoacoustic emission (AOAE) and/or automated auditory brain response (AABR) screening test and gain verbal consent.
Carry out the hearing screening of newborns in both inpatient and outpatient facilities, accurately recording clinical and test data.
Maintain up to date knowledge of NHSP procedures and protocols relevant to the role of NHSP screener.
To explain the results of the screening tests and their significance to parents
To refer babies to local audiology services in a timely manner using local processes and procedures
Always maintain confidentiality of the babies and their families.
The postholder will sometimes need to work with anxious, distressed or emotional parents, to ensure babies and families retain their dignity, privacy and individuality at all times
Establish and maintain effective methods of communication to the parents, primary care teams, other NHSP teams where appropriate and audiology services where follow-up is indicated.
Always ensure the safety and security of equipment and report any problems to the NHSP local manager at the earliest opportunity.
Be aware of Safeguarding issues and adhere to local procedures.
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
- GCSE A* to C (or equivalent) in English, Maths & IT
Desirable
- Level 3 Diploma in Health Screening
- NVQ in a health and social care related subject at Level 2 or above
- Passed an OSCE in Newborn Hearing Screening within the last 3 years
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrate empathy for the needs and experience of the woman's health
Desirable
- Hospital or community experience in patient care
- Working with families
Skills
Essential
- Ability and confidence to handle newborn babies
- Ability to work individually and as part of a team
- Ability to carry out clinics independently
- Ability to multi task
- Demonstrates an adaptable and flexible approach towards their work
Desirable
- Effective communication skills with multidisciplinary teams
- Intermediate IT Skills
Knowledge
Desirable
- To be able to understand the process and methodology that is involved with the actual hearing screening test and its application
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
- GCSE A* to C (or equivalent) in English, Maths & IT
Desirable
- Level 3 Diploma in Health Screening
- NVQ in a health and social care related subject at Level 2 or above
- Passed an OSCE in Newborn Hearing Screening within the last 3 years
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrate empathy for the needs and experience of the woman's health
Desirable
- Hospital or community experience in patient care
- Working with families
Skills
Essential
- Ability and confidence to handle newborn babies
- Ability to work individually and as part of a team
- Ability to carry out clinics independently
- Ability to multi task
- Demonstrates an adaptable and flexible approach towards their work
Desirable
- Effective communication skills with multidisciplinary teams
- Intermediate IT Skills
Knowledge
Desirable
- To be able to understand the process and methodology that is involved with the actual hearing screening test and its application
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.
