Melanoma Clinical Nurse Specialist

Job responsibilities

Key Duties:

To be a point of contact/ keyworker for patients with Melanoma that are undergoing SACT or in the advanced stage of their disease

Working autonomously, maintain a caseload of patients and demonstrate practice in holistic needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care promoting the philosophy of person-centred care for patients with Melanoma.

Provide nurse-led clinics for Melanoma patients undergoing treatment, assessing, diagnosing and managing complications of treatment and disease.

Utilising advanced communication skills when discussing diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options for Melanoma with sensitivity and expertise.

Assess educational and information needs for patients and families, and devise plans to ensure their needs are met.

General Duties:

Clinical Practice:

As above and in addition:

Visit ward areas including ED and review patients where appropriate, provide leadership, support and guidance to staff in monitoring the planning, delivery and evaluation of individualised specialist care.

Act as an advocate for patients within the department, to ensure a patient orientated approach to the delivery of care and to meet standards within the NHS plan and relevant guidelines

Ensure all patients receive high quality clinical care and good patient experience, having regard and sensitivity for their customs, culture, religious beliefs and lifestyle.

To be responsible for maintaining a safe environment for patients, visitors and other staff within the clinical environment.

Recognise and avoid situations that may be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the individual.

Participate in case conferences in relation to the management of patients, ensuring the coordination of ongoing care.

Support and enable patients and carers to make informed decisions relating to their treatment and management.

To utilise advanced communication skills in supporting patients and their carers during the delivery of bad news such as disease progression, terminal illness and in the event of death.

Promote collaborative working relationships and effective communication between all members of the trust, community and tertiary services/ MDT to improve the management and outcomes of the patient group.

Promote high quality care and assist in the development of the specialist service, through the use of evidence based practice and clinical standards.

To regularly discuss patients with the Dermatology / Skin Oncology CNS team identifying specific patients that may require additional support that are entering the SACT or advanced malignancy phase of their pathway.

Knowledge Skills and Experience

The post holder will provide direct, highly specialised care and advice to patients with Melanoma demonstrating advanced clinical skills and expert knowledge for those undergoing SACT or with advanced malignancy.

To have knowledge of SACT available for the treatment of Melanoma. This includes understanding how the treatment is delivered and common side effects.

To have knowledge of advanced Melanoma and the potential complications relating to the disease. This includes symptom management strategies such as appropriate medical management or specialist referral.

To utilise advanced health assessment skills and non-medical prescribing to support with recognising and managing patients with adverse symptoms relating to their malignancy and / or treatment.

Professional Leadership and Management

Organise own work and manage caseload and practice, identifying and maintaining supportive networks for self and other staff members.

To be fully aware of national targets and corporate, divisional and directorate objectives in conjunction with the MDT use the available resources to meet these targets.

To be involved in the development, assessment and implementation of guidelines, protocols and pathways.

Develop the role according to patients changing needs and research findings, within the resources available.

Maintain accurate records of clinical service ensuring confidentiality are maintained.

Facilitate a high-quality, cost-effective service through monitoring, audit and other quality initiatives agreed by the trust (quality surveillance programme).

Provide a leadership role, demonstrating a high standard of care utilising their specialist knowledge to provide support and advice when necessary.

Attend and participate in the multi-professional team meetings acting as the patient advocate and supporting nursing views.

Lead the development of patient focused education, including training to self-manage ongoing consequences of their disease or treatment.

Identify and intervene where circumstances contribute to unsafe environment for patients or staff. To bring instances to the attention of the Nurse consultant and lead SACT nurse.

Work within the framework of clinical governance to continuously improve quality and safeguard standards of care, and maintain a patient focused service, promoting and implementing evidence-based practice with measurable standards and outcomes.

Initiate and be involved in audit projects that measure standards of care. Help to identify and highlight any gaps in evidence/ service provision.

In conjunction with other members of the multi-professional team, review existing policies and protocols and develop new ones as required.

Education, research, training and development

Maintain own statutory and mandatory training requirements

Identify and raise awareness of the educational needs of patients and carers and implement appropriate educational programmes.

Support and participate in education and training programmes, developing training packages as required.

Participate in the trust CNS development days utilising it as a platform to share good practice and discussion of challenging situations.

Promote and undertake nursing research updating own knowledge to promote excellence in clinical practice.

Utilise research findings in the delivery of specialist patient care, developing new ways of working and to disseminate relevant information to staff.

Participate and contribute to audits and research within the speciality and collaborate with colleagues.

To regularly liaise with the trials team and have an awareness of clinical trials available for the specialist patient group.

Qualifications

Essential

• First level registration
• First level degree
• Post-basic qualification in cancer/palliative care or relevant subject
• Evidence of significant continued professional development
• Recognised teaching/ assessing qualification
• Advanced heath assessment
• Non-medical Prescribing
• Advanced communication skills course

Desirable

• Msc Degree

Experience

Essential

• Relevant experience at Band 6 or above
• Oncology/ Palliative care/ clinical nurse specialist experience

Desirable

• Experience of delivering SACT and managing the side effects

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Leading, developing and monitoring service change
• Good understanding of issues that relate to cancer patients and their individual needs
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team and with MDT process
• Able to work under own initiative within boundaries of role
• Able to prioritise
• Organisational skills e.g. Managing patient case-load
• Exemplar written communication skills
• Knowledge of current issues and the impact of national cancer targets

Desirable

• Knowledge of Melanoma and the current treatment options and pathways.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to work autonomously and as a team member
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Highly motivated
• Able to deal with the emotional aspects of the post e.g. Breaking of bad news
• Articulate and assertive
• Good mediator
• Committed to quality care

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).