Cardiology Nurse Specialist

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

An exciting and challenging opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, imaginative and motivated nurse to work with the cardiology team. The Nurse will function independently and work within a team of nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners. The ideal candidate will currently be working within cardiology and have coronary care experience.Following a period of induction training you will be expected to work independently within the Emergency Department and Acute Admissions Units assessing and managing patients with cardiac chest pain. Undertake nurse led post MI clinics and deliver Phase one cardiac rehabilitation to patients with confirmed diagnosis of MI. Assess and manage patients with heart failure both in the inpatient and outpatient setting offering education and support to patients, carers and families.The post holder must exhibit excellent communication and organizational skills.There is scope to develop within the team and acquire the necessary skills for career progression.The successful candidate would work across all areas of the nursing team but with initial time spent within the ACS service allowing for service progression. The ideal candidate would be a non-medical prescriber or a desire to pursue this quickly upon appointment.

An Enhanced DBS Certificate with the checking of Adults' Barred Lists is required for this post.

Shortlisting will commence w/c 6.01.2025

Interview Date :TBC

Main duties of the job

Work within the existing ACS and HF nursing team to provide service within the trust demonstrating expert knowledge within the area of ACS and HF

Autonomously review patients presenting to A&E or AMU with cardiac sounding chest pain or Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Independently take a history from the patient and liaise with clinical teams to facilitate safe discharge, with relevant follow up, or admission to appropriate area.

Autonomously undertake nurse led post myocardial infarction clinics. Assess the patient's recovery, symptoms and treatment. Then, working within agreed protocols, make recommendations regarding medications and treatment whilst exercising judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care.

Independently assess relevant cardiology patients in non-cardiac areas. Request appropriate diagnostic tests; interpret the results and provide evidence based management plans based on the findings. Work with the existing heart failure team to ensure all patients with a suspected diagnosis of heart failure have undergone the relevant investigations which will confirm or refute diagnosis

About us

St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside and one of the few in the country to achieve OUTSTANDING rated by the Care Quality Commission.

We provide a full range of acute adult services to our local population of circa 360,000 and provide tertiary services across the North West, North Wales, and Isle of Man. We are a Major Trauma Unit and the Mersey Regional Burns Unit.

Our '5 Star Patient Care' strategy is at the heart of what we do; supporting our vision to provide world class services for all our patients by getting it right for every patient, every time.

Our latest achievements include:

Acute Trust of the Year HSJ Awards November 2019
Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
Best acute Trust in the North West for quality of care (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
Best place to work in the North West (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

In the NHS Staff Survey 2021 the Trust scored the highest marks in the North West for the following areas:

Standard of care
Best place to work
Care of patients being the Trust's priority
Staff engagement
Staff morale
Compassionate & inclusive
Providing safe environments for staff

Please see attached Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our benefits for staff. Accessible version available upon request.

Date posted

20 December 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

409-6871591

Job locations

Whiston Hospital

Warrington road

Prescot

L35 5DR

Job description

Job responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

Assist the heart failure team to ensure that all relevant patients are educated, on correct treatment, undergone appropriate investigations and reviewed at least once prior to discharge in accordance with NICE guidelines

See HF patients in clinic to assess condition, symptoms and treatment. Make changes/additions to current medication as appropriate and communicate with GPs and community nursing team.

Co-ordinate and implement cardiology care in conjunction with relevant health care professionals and multi-disciplinary teams to ensure appropriate ACS and Heart Failure treatment; investigations and follow up are undertaken.

Discuss complex patients with a senior member of the cardiology team and take appropriate action post discussion.

Complete a risk factor assessment and offer appropriate lifestyle advice when appropriate.

Liaise and support primary and secondary care clinicians with cardiology clinical care and management.

Administer intravenous ferinject/frusemide for day case patients in accordance with agreed protocol.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Maintain Professional Registration

Adhere to the NMC Code of Practice and The Scope of Professional Practice

Identify, contribute to or lead on some aspects in development and dissemination of evidence- based guidelines, standards and protocols as required to ensure nursing care is appropriate and consistent with clinical guidelines.

In accordance with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the post holder will actively participate in the prevention and control of infection within the capacity of their role. The Act requires the post holder to attend infection prevention and control training on induction and at regular updates and to take responsibility for the practical application of the training in the course of their work. Infection prevention and control must be included in any personal development plan and/or appraisal

To report and record any untoward incidents

To assist in the promotion of effective communication with all staff, patients and relatives and other departments as required

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Offer supervision and support to the community teams

Offer clinical supervision to other colleagues

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES

Develop co-ordinate and participate in cardiology education and training programmes and evaluate their effectiveness for key areas.

Contribute to the Multi-disciplinary education and training provision/programme for healthcare professionals involved in cardiology complaints.

Maintain and develop personal knowledge and skills in the field of cardiology nursing

Develop audit skills and undertake training as required

Supervise and support junior doctors and nurses, students and paramedics

RESEARCH & AUDIT

Undertake relevant audit projects and be responsible for collecting all required information such as MINAP and National HF data

Work in collaboration with the audit department to ensure correct data entry

In liaison with the relevant audit departments be responsible for developing an audit tool and database

Provide regular reports / presentations on performance to appropriate personnel

Take appropriate action to improve performance as required

To comply with the Data Protection Policy of the Trust

Involvement in agreed cardiology research projects alongside the wider cardiology team as appropriate

Job description

Job responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

Assist the heart failure team to ensure that all relevant patients are educated, on correct treatment, undergone appropriate investigations and reviewed at least once prior to discharge in accordance with NICE guidelines

See HF patients in clinic to assess condition, symptoms and treatment. Make changes/additions to current medication as appropriate and communicate with GPs and community nursing team.

Discuss complex patients with a senior member of the cardiology team and take appropriate action post discussion.

Complete a risk factor assessment and offer appropriate lifestyle advice when appropriate.

Liaise and support primary and secondary care clinicians with cardiology clinical care and management.

Administer intravenous ferinject/frusemide for day case patients in accordance with agreed protocol.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Maintain Professional Registration

Adhere to the NMC Code of Practice and The Scope of Professional Practice

To report and record any untoward incidents

To assist in the promotion of effective communication with all staff, patients and relatives and other departments as required

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Offer supervision and support to the community teams

Offer clinical supervision to other colleagues

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES

Develop co-ordinate and participate in cardiology education and training programmes and evaluate their effectiveness for key areas.

Contribute to the Multi-disciplinary education and training provision/programme for healthcare professionals involved in cardiology complaints.

Maintain and develop personal knowledge and skills in the field of cardiology nursing

Develop audit skills and undertake training as required

Supervise and support junior doctors and nurses, students and paramedics

RESEARCH & AUDIT

Undertake relevant audit projects and be responsible for collecting all required information such as MINAP and National HF data

Work in collaboration with the audit department to ensure correct data entry

In liaison with the relevant audit departments be responsible for developing an audit tool and database

Provide regular reports / presentations on performance to appropriate personnel

Take appropriate action to improve performance as required

To comply with the Data Protection Policy of the Trust

Involvement in agreed cardiology research projects alongside the wider cardiology team as appropriate

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

RGN
Current NMC Registration
Degree level education or equivalent experience.

Desirable

ILS/ALS
Independent prescriber
Clinical skills and examination course

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

Experience of working in the coronary care setting or recent/current experience in acute cardiology conditions
Experience of managing patients with chest pain in the emergency department
Knowledge and experience in managing patients with ACS in the Acute Trust Setting
Experience of providing phase 1 cardiac rehabilitation
Experience of post MI clinics
Knowledge and experience in managing patients with heart failure in the Acute Trust Setting Skills

Skills

Essential

Highly specialised ECG interpretation skills
Competency in clinical history taking, care planning and interpretation of cardiac investigations
Ability to work across professional boundaries
Ability to prioritise work and organise time efficiently
Excellent communication / interpersonal skills.
Work unsupervised and use own initiative

Desirable

Ability to demonstrate leadership

Other

Essential

Highly self-motivated, conscientious in approach and pays attention to detail.
Flexible and adaptable approach to work
Desire to do things better, to improve, to be more effective and efficient.
Able to measure progress against target.
Demonstrates a caring approach and is patient focused

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

RGN
Current NMC Registration
Degree level education or equivalent experience.

Desirable

ILS/ALS
Independent prescriber
Clinical skills and examination course

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

Experience of working in the coronary care setting or recent/current experience in acute cardiology conditions
Experience of managing patients with chest pain in the emergency department
Knowledge and experience in managing patients with ACS in the Acute Trust Setting
Experience of providing phase 1 cardiac rehabilitation
Experience of post MI clinics
Knowledge and experience in managing patients with heart failure in the Acute Trust Setting Skills

Skills

Essential

Highly specialised ECG interpretation skills
Competency in clinical history taking, care planning and interpretation of cardiac investigations
Ability to work across professional boundaries
Ability to prioritise work and organise time efficiently
Excellent communication / interpersonal skills.
Work unsupervised and use own initiative

Desirable

Ability to demonstrate leadership

Other

Essential

Highly self-motivated, conscientious in approach and pays attention to detail.
Flexible and adaptable approach to work
Desire to do things better, to improve, to be more effective and efficient.
Able to measure progress against target.
Demonstrates a caring approach and is patient focused

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.