Staff Nurse - Mental Health

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

This is a generic band 5 staff nurse job description designed to reflect mental health services Trust-wide.

Individuals will be expected to:

To contribute to an integrated team of staff in providing a high quality of care and treatment both on an individual basis and with a purposeful group programme within a core facility.

Have an understanding of and a commitment to the philosophy mental health or learning disability services and the local service provision.

Be responsible and accountable for the Assessment, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation of treatment and care for defined service users within the pathway.

Utilise core nursing / specialist skills within the role of primary nurse.

Contribute specific professional support and advice to the team, service users and carers.

Work in partnership with other teams within and outside of the organisation.

Oversee and support junior members of staff in implementing planned treatment and care.

Support the Management Team in carrying out their duties.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

Workload Management

To work flexibly to cover shifts to provide a 365 day per year service.

Act as shift co-ordinator as required and to participate in the planning and co-ordinating of the shift to ensure smooth and effective running of the service and role model best practice.

Co-ordinate and lead the team to make effective use of team skills to provide the best possible standards of care and treatment / interventions.

To prioritise workload in keeping with the team and service objectives.

Take full involvement as a primary nurse by assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating treatment / care for named service users.

To actively participate and contribute to service users reviews, ward rounds, meetings as applicable.

To provide care and specific interventions for other service users as allocated on a daily basis, and directly in accordance with their written care plan.

Communication

Maintain accurate and up to date care plans for each service user.

Maintain effective use of systems for service user and carer documentation.

Contribute to keeping statistical service records, be involved in the evaluation process, as required by the manager.

Develop good working relationships with consultants, their teams and other trust teams and services to ensure effective service delivery and best use of resources.

Develop positive relationships with non-statutory and voluntary agencies to develop working partnerships as appropriate to the service development and local delivery.

Positively embrace service user / carer involvement in all aspects of service delivery wherever and whenever possible.

Inform all service users of their right to access their care plan, and to actively encourage them to read, write / evaluate their care plan.

In conjunction with the team contribute constructively to develop and communicate a shared philosophy of culture and practice.

To work within the boundaries of accountability and confidentiality.

Human Resources / Supervision / Management

Know, maintain and constantly strive to improve all standards of care and procedures (written and implicit) within the team.

Ensure that high standards of care are maintained by self and peers.

To provide direction, guidance and support to junior staff.

Participate in and provide clinical supervision.

Participate in and provide managerial supervision.

Participate in and implement (under supervision) Personal Development Planning.

Participate and be actively involved in team reflective forums / sessions.

To be involved in the induction programme for all new starters.

Resource Management

To be involved in the off duty planning and day to day cover of the service.

Manage individual / teams time and resource effectively.

Show appropriate regard for budgetary constraints within the service.

Participate in the selection and recruitment of junior staff when appropriate.

Decision Making and Advice

To make comprehensive risk assessments and implement management plansappropriately.

Identify training needs and contribute to the education and development of all staff and students.

Initiating and Implementing Change

Take responsibility for creating an environment that respects and values equality, diversity and rights.

Take responsibility for creating an environment that promotes health, safety and securityfor service users, carers and staff.

Take responsibility both individually and in partnership with the team to develop clinical governance.

Ensure own and teams practice is based on best practice.

Maintain awareness of developments in clinical practice.

Demonstrates positive desire to improve / change, be flexible and confident.

Initiate and seeks clinical autonomy.

Actively promote and facilitate innovation of clinical practice.

Act in a manner which will promote a positive image of the service, the trust, with thepublic, service users and other staff.

PROFESSION SPECIFIC

To contribute specific professional support and advice to the team, service users andcarers.

Maintain an up to date awareness of current thinking in mental health, health and nursing research, and apply this in practice.

Administer medication within the NMC and Trust guidelines.

To be involved in the smooth running of medication / clinic room issues including ordering medication and supplies and ensuring policies and protocols are in place and adhered to.

To educate and train the team with issues relating to medication.

Educate and train the team in monitoring service users physical observations including Blood pressure, Pulse, Respirations, BM, Weights etc.

Link with local pharmacy to develop good working relationship.

To provide supervision and support for workers as appropriate.

Act as mentor for nursing students.

Liaise with Link tutor at University and ensure the nursing team have the relevant training to mentor students.

For full job description, please see attached supporting documents.

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Experience

Essential

• Involvement in a systematic approach to care: Assessment, care planning, implementation and evaluation.
• Awareness of the Care Programme Approach.
• Working with individuals who have mental health needs or working with people with a learning disability.
• Knowledge of key worker/primary nurse system.
• Working as a member of a multi-disciplinary team/working with other disciplines.
• Knowledge of collaborative working within a recovery based model of intervention.
• Clinical/Professional Supervision.

Desirable

• Implementation of the Care Programme Approach.
• Experience of leading and supervising junior/unqualified staff.
• Experience of working with a care pathway approach toward recovery.
• Experience of working with risk assessment models i.e. HCR 20.
• Experience using risk tools to support assessment and interventions in relevant clinical setting.

Physical Attributes

Essential

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post, working various shift patterns including nights.
• A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Special Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with patients therapeutically on a 1:1 basis or in groups.
• Awareness of the skills in the prevention and management of violence and aggression.
• Ability to lead and motivate staff.
• Ability to coach, train, mentor and act as a role model to other team members and learners.
• Ability to work without direct supervision.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Ability to travel around the Trust as appropriate to the role.

Desirable

• Evidence based practice.
• Knowledge of Recovery Models i.e. Recovery Star, My Shared Pathway, etc.
• Thorough understanding of the role of primary nurse system and the concept of clinical supervision.
• Knowledge of Psychosocial interventions.
• An awareness of the IMROC model.
• Knowledge of NHS initiatives specific to the clinical service.

Qualifications

Essential

• 1st Level Registered Nurse on the appropriate part of the register.

Desirable

• Relevant post basic qualifications
• CBT/PSI.
• Experience of mentoring/supporting learners or ability to demonstrate the skills required for effective mentoring.

Values and Behaviours

Essential

• Commitment to adopt the Trusts core Values and Behavioural standards.
• In addition to the core standards an ability to demonstrate the following role specific behaviours:
• Enthusiasm.
• Motivated to work in chosen speciality.
• Professionalism.
• Resourcefulness.
• Flexible attitude.
• Common sense approach.
• Initiative, tact and diplomacy.
• Positive self-image.
• Effective team member.
• Ability to cope with change.
• Commitment to high clinical standards when working with patients.
• Reliable.

Training

Essential

• A commitment to undertake mandatory training including the management of violence and aggression.
• Willingness to undertake training in nursing mentorship .

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).