Junior Sister/Charge Nurse Chemotherapy, WRH

Job responsibilities

To act as team leader for clinical staff.To be responsible for clinical and non-clinical management of a ward area in the absence of the Senior Sister / Charge Nurse.

Assist in the management of the department on a day to day basis and manage the department in the absence of Chemotherapy unit manager including coordination of patient, allocating staff breaks and being a key link with the consultants and pharmacy team.

Assess patients for chemotherapy to ensure their physical condition and blood parameters are satisfactory to safely receive treatment according to treatment protocols / regimes and liaise with medical staff as appropriate.

Administer and dispose of intravenous and chemotherapy safely in accordance with Trust and National Guidelines.

Provide information regarding treatment and side effects to ensure each patient is prepared for their specific treatment and elicit informed consent.

Provide one to one and telephone advice to patients and their families regarding treatment side effects and management of side effects to ensure each patient receives care which is specific and appropriate to their needs.

Use good communication skills to enhance and augment patients understanding and adapt information to their specific needs as they progress through treatment.

Recognise and provide the psychological and emotional support needed by individuals and their families whilst undergoing treatment and refer on to other professionals sensitively and appropriately in order to adequately meet patients needs.

Assess patients with difficult venous access and make recommendations for alternative access to ensure patients receive treatment safely and with minimum risk.

Ensure safe administration of chemotherapy regimens according to trust protocols

Provide follow-up care / maintenance of central venous lines for patients and advise other health care professionals involved as appropriate, to ensure the patients line is safely and adequately cared for in accordance with Trust policy.

Administer other intravenous therapies i.e. Blood, bisphosphonates, to patients according to protocols / regimes to ensure therapies are delivered safely and with minimum risk

Monitor and instigate care to address / prevent reactions to and complications of treatment including administration of prophylactic agents.

Discuss with senior nursing and medical colleagues developments and changes, which affect patients both directly and indirectly.

Operational Responsibilities

Responsibilities for establishing and maintaining communication and relationship both internally and externally.

Establish and maintain effective communication and foster good working relationships with all multidisciplinary teams, both internal and external.

Provide and receive complex and / or sensitive information from patients and staff. For example, breaking bad news to patients, giving complex information about procedures and their outcomes, dealing with performance issues, holding staff meetings. Able to support and talk to distressed patients, visitors, and staff members.

Responsible for cascading information to unit staff and chairing staff meetings from which minutes are provided.

Make use of electronic internal / external mail and Internet systems as appropriate and necessary.

Deal effectively with comments, complaints, or incidents that affect staff and users of the unit in accordance with complaints, risk management, or human resources procedures.

Bring to the attention of the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse any factors which may adversely affect patient care or service provision.

Report all serious incidents to the appropriate Manager / Director within 24 hours; these include Never Events and serious falls.

Planning and organisational skills

Assist in planning of duty rotas or alter planned rotas to ensure maximum service delivery, standards of patient care and human, and resource management. Use e-rostering as it becomes available.

Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse by utilising available resources to ensure safe and effective patient care e.g. periods of unplanned staff absence and / or equipment failure.

Be aware of Trust financial position and target objectives and ensure that ward area is as effective as possible in meeting these objectives.

Participate in Directorate / Departmental meetings and feedback to the team.

Be involved in practice development and patient experience issues.

Responsibilities for Patient Care Therapy & Treatment

Ensure that safe and effective nursing care is delivered, this to be in accordance with Trust policies and best practice guidelines, also Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) Codes of Practice and guidelines.

Act as a role model when carrying out and demonstrating nursing care and procedures.

Ensure clinical staffs assess the conditions of patients within the clinical area, ensuring that signs and symptoms are acted upon accordingly and in a timely fashion.

Provide expert advice and support to colleagues in the care and management of patients within speciality.

Actively contribute to the health and well-being of patients by promoting health through a number of methods e.g. healthy eating, exercise and smoking cessation.

Ensure accurate, comprehensive contemporaneous and clear documentation of patients care.

Ensure that own and others written reports are in accordance with Trust policy and NMC guidelines

Be familiar with the policy for safe administration of prescribed therapies, including Medicines Management, Intravenous Therapy, Patient Group Directives, clinical guidelines for cytotoxic administration.

Demonstrate the ability to safely monitor and provide care for the patient once therapies have been administered.

Responsibilities for Development and Implementation of Policy and / or Services

At all times act in accordance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines and NMC Codes of Practice standards and guidelines.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered nurse Part 1
• 1st level degree or working towards
• Administration of chemotherapy course or completion of SACT passport

Desirable

• Post registration qualification in relevant speciality (palliative care/Oncology/
• Chemotherapy)
• Recognised NMC teaching and assessing qualification
• Advanced communication course training

PERSONAL CRITERIA

Essential

• Articulate
• High professional standards
• Able to remain calm under pressure
• Aware of own strengths and weaknesses
• Flexible and adaptable
• Highly motivated
• Committed to quality improvement

knowledge and skills

Essential

• Expert clinical skills in speciality
• Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills
• Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues across health and social care settings
• Good IT skills
• Able to undertake extended roles
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Good understanding of research and audit

Desirable

• Evidence of writing protocols / standards
• Able to supervise and demonstrate potential to lead
• Knowledge of professional and NHS issues and policies relating to cancer

Experience

Essential

• Proven post registration experience at band 5
• Proven clinical experience of working in clinical haematology/oncology nursing delivering chemotherapy

Desirable

• Evidence of management / leadership skills and autonomous practice
• Evidence of teaching both formal and informal

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).