Job responsibilities
Job Summary
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
KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS
1.0 OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
1.1 Responsibilities for
establishing and maintaining communication and relationship both
internally and externally.
1.2
Establish and maintain effective communication and foster good working
relationships with all
multidisciplinary teams, both internal and external.
1.3
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.
1.4
Responsible for cascading information to ward staff and chairing staff meetings
from which minutes are provided.
1.5 Make use of electronic internal / external mail and
Internet systems as appropriate and
necessary.
1.6
Deal effectively with comments, complaints, or incidents that affect staff and
users of the ward in accordance with
complaints, risk management, or human resources procedures.
1.7
Bring to the attention of the Senior Sister/Charge any factors which may
adversely affect patient care or service provision.
1.8
Report all serious incidents to the appropriate Manager/Director within 24
hours; these include Never Events,
serious falls, and grade 3 or 4 pressure ulcers.
2.0 KNOWLEDGE SKILLS & EXPERIENCE (also see person specification)
2.1
Be knowledgeable about the specific care requirements of patients who may be
admitted to the area.
2.2
Be knowledgeable about current infection control procedures and policies and
ensure all staff and visitors adhere to these at all times.
2.3
Be knowledgeable about the risks of infection and take responsibility for
minimising cross infection within the clinical environment, assist in giving
information and placing patients appropriately.
2.4
Be knowledgeable about all aspects of Acute Medical care.
2.5
Ensure that patient care is evidence based and that the patients journey is
streamlined.
2.6
Use a wide range of knowledge in determining at the time of assessment or
admission, the most appropriate and safe patient pathway.
2.7
Identify, assess, and act accordingly at any point on the pathway including
discharge when patients are no longer meeting the agreed appropriate and safe
patient pathway.
2.8
Assess and act upon potential problems or issues to ensure a safe, effective
environment for staff, patients, and visitors.
2.9
Identify, analyse, and act upon staff situations when there is conflict and /
or deviation from Trust or local policies and procedures.
2.10
Identify, analyse, action and discuss with Senior Sister/Charge Nurse as
appropriate any change management issues that arise.
Planning
and organisational skills
2.11 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.
2.12
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.
2.13
Be aware of Trust financial position and target objectives and ensure that ward
area is as effective as possible in meeting these objectives.
2.14
Work with the multi disciplinary team to streamline care and shorten patient
length of stay.
12.15
Work with the multi disciplinary team towards protocol led discharge for
suitable patients.
2.16 Participate in Directorate/Departmental Sisters
meetings
2.17 Be involved in practice development and patient
experience issues.
3.0 RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PATIENT CARE
THERAPY & TREATMENT
3.1
Oversee set patient care programmes in accordance with agreed policies, using
expert nursing experience and skills.
3.
2 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.
3.3
Act as a role model when carrying out and demonstrating demonstrating nursing
care and procedures.
3.4
Ensure all staff carry out all appropriate general risk assessments within 24
hours of admission document and plan care accordingly e.g. manual handling,
pressure risks, slips trips and falls, nutrition.
3.5
Ensure clinical staff assess the conditions of patients within the clinical
area, ensuring that signs and symptoms are acted upon accordingly and in a
timely fashion.
3.6 Ensure clinical area staff effectively manage the
admission, transfer, and discharge of patients while incorporating other
relevant Trust policies, for example Patients Property.
3.7
Ensure clinical area staff carry out appropriate nutritional risk assessments
and follow current policies as indicated e.g. red tray policy, protected
mealtimes.
3.8
Ensure clinical area staff participate in delivery of meals to patients and
take responsibility for monitoring and recording dietary and fluid intake for
group of patients.
3.9
Undertake nurse led services which will include autonomous nurse led discharge
within defined protocols where appropriate.
3.10 Supervision of, and participation
in the discharge planning system and process and deal with speciality or
complex plans of care by liaison with community nursing services and other
agencies.
3.12
Work with patients, carers/relatives, nursing and other healthcare
professionals in secondary care to promote timely discharge, through
appropriate discharge planning.
6.13 Provide telephone advice to patients and / or their
carers as appropriate
6.15
Provide expert advice and support to colleagues in the care and management of patients
within speciality.
6.16
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.
6.17
Ensure accurate, comprehensive contemporaneous and clear documentation of
patients care.
6.18
Ensure that own and others written reports are in accordance with Trust policy
and NMC guidelines
6.19 Be familiar with the policy for safe
administration of prescribed therapies, including Medicines Management,
Intravenous Therapy, Patient Group Directives, clinical guidelines for example
Diabetes, Warfarin.
6.20
Demonstrate the ability to safely
monitor and provide care for the patient once therapies have been administered.
4.0 RESPONSIBILITIES
FOR DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY AND/OR SERVICES
4.1
At all times act in accordance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines
and NMC Codes of Practice standards and guidelines.
4.
2 Be aware of and support policies and procedures existing and being introduced
throughout the Trust
4.3
Assist Senior Sister/Charge Nurse by cascading information and new policies and
guidelines to staff in the clinical area
4.4
Represent clinical area at forums and meetings as requested by Senior Sister/Charge
Nurse.
4.5
Assist Senior Sister/Charge Nurse in staff appraisal and the progress of staff
while completing goals and development plans.
4.
6 Assist Senior Sister/Charge Nurse in the formulation of induction and
training programmes and assist in the delivery of these to staff and learner
nurses.
4.7
Undertake agreed mandatory training and to seek out opportunities to enhance
knowledge, skills and develop practice.
4.8
Participate in the teaching and development of staff and ensure records kept of
all training activities within the department. Ensure these records are sent to
the Training department to maintain the ESR (electronic staff record).
4.9
Ensure risk assessment of working environment and conditions, equipment,
chemicals and activities is routinely carried out within the department.
5.0 RESPONSIBILITIES FOR FINANCIAL AND
PHYSICAL RESOURCES.
5.1
Assist Senior Sister/Charge Nurse by ensuring supplies are managed in
accordance with budgetary limits and constraints, including regular stock reviews,
to ensure best value from supplies and to set stock limits.
5.2 Work within Productive Ward principles to ensure
storage is Well Organised (WOW).
5.3
Assist Senior Sister/Charge Nurse with staff training to ensure they are
competent in the use and care of special equipment, maintain details on the
Medical Devices register within the ward.
5.4
Ensure that all equipment within the department is serviced and maintained on a
regular basis and that records are kept.
5.5
Report and assist Senior Sister/Charge Nurse in management of health &
safety issues within the ward area.
5.6
Assist Senior Sister in ensuring an adequate nursing skill mix to cover the 24
hour period.
5.7 Authorised signatory for timesheets on a shift by shift
basis.
5.8 Contribute to the drawing up of department budgets,
capital bids and new services.
5.
9 Inform the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse of any changes, which affect the
standards of care, the service delivery, or have an impact on the budget.
5.10
Ensure the ordering, safe custody, usage, and recording of drugs within agreed
Trust policy.
