Senior Healthcare Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical:

1. Assists with the care of patients by:

- Under the delegation of the Registered Nurse undertake care delivery, record the patient interventions carried out utilising the patients nursing records. These records must be countersigned by the Registered Nurse who delegated the duties.

- Demonstrate respect for the individual patient, ensuring religious, cultural and social needs are considered at all times and acknowledge their individual rights.

- Where required, assist nursing staff if they are conducting procedures or investigations.

- Assisting patients in gaining access to, and in the use of, appropriate toilet facilities including catheter care, measuring and recording body waste/fluid balance accurately.

- Ensure patients nutritional needs are met by assisting in the preparation of patients prior to meals and beverages, giving help and assistance in feeding/drinking as necessary. Record intake on food charts, where in place. Support nutritional monitoring by weighing patients.

- Assist, direct and escort patients/visitors where and when appropriate.

- Ensuring a clean and safe environment for patients and escalating any concerns.

- Fluid balance monitoring.

- Handling patients personal possessions, ensuring money and valuables are kept securely.

- Speciating one-to-one as appropriate.

- Carrying out of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation as required.

2. Complete all appropriate documentation relevant to care provided and update patients named nurse / shift coordinator where required.

3. Assist patients in maintaining their personal hygiene, grooming and dressing needs with specific concern for their religious, cultural and personal preference, ensuring privacy and dignity at all times.

4. Perform and record patients vital signs as directed - temperature, blood pressure, respiration and pulse, oxygen saturations, modified early warning scores, height & weight, urine testing (including Midstream Specimen, 24Hr urine collection, etc.) - as per Trust policy, reporting results to the Registered Nurse on duty, or in their absence to a Medic.

5. Provide a clinical phlebotomy service on site and outreach sites demonstrating expertise according to Phlebotomy guidelines and ensure that the samples and specimens are forwarded to appropriate laboratory services. Perform venous cannulation. Carry out central venous catheter bloods and central line care as per trust policy. Have a basic understanding of normal and altered blood values and escalate results as appropriate to the Registered Nurse or in their absence a Medic.

6. If working under bloods closer to home, you must own and hold vehicle business insurance, must hold valid UK drivers license and be confident driving around Greater Manchester and surrounding areas

7. Must feel confident and comfortable working alone

8. Perform electrocardiograms (ECG) in line with Trust policy and reporting to the Registered Nurse and/or medical staff once completed.

9. Prepare individual patients and the environment to ensure effective movement and/or handling procedures. Assist patients in their mobility requirements; provide assistance to patients moving from stretchers, wheelchairs and toilets. Assist patients to improve and maximise their mobility, utilising equipment as directed by the multi professional team.

10. Assist in meal service as required in line with Trust hygiene and food handling policy.

11. At the delegation of the Registered Nurse transfer the patient/client from one care area to another, i.e. outpatients environment to discharge lounge/ward/other department. Chaperone the patient as required ensuring appropriate support.

12. Welcome and orientate patients, visitors and others to the unit/department and ensure that all communications result in effective customer care.

13. Assist in the correct procedure of duties relating to last offices for deceased persons. Ensure that all religious and cultural wishes, obligations are adhered with, in line with Trust policies and procedures.

14. Communicate well within the team at all times. Demonstrate a pleasant and approachable manner and help create and promote a good team working relationship, by being fully involved, committed and participative to achieving full potential. Proactively help patients and carers to take an active role in care delivery. Develop personal awareness of others perceptions, acknowledging and changing behaviour in response to any constructive feedback.

Clinical Support:

1. Where appropriate, to answer queries promptly and courteously, taking appropriate actions according to the mode of enquiry or the information required. As appropriate, inform or refer enquiries or problems to the relevant qualified staff.

2. Assist the Registered Nurse in the process of undertaking clinical risk assessments e.g. recording height and weight, updating the nurse on any changes to a patients condition/ circumstances. Responsibility for undertaking the risk assessments lies with the Registered Nurse.

3. Appropriately record and monitor dietary intake of patients, informing relevant staff of progress and/or any difficulties relating to dietary/fluid intake.

4. Assist in providing conditions to meet the patients need for rest and sleep.

5. Actively support and assist in alleviating distress and anxiety of patients or carers, consistent with their personal beliefs and preferences.

6. Prepare trolleys for specific clinical procedures in line with trust policy utilising aseptic non touch technique practices.

7. Recognise and report abusive behaviour to an appropriate member of staff, documenting the same.

Environmental Support:

1. Be responsible for self and others through identifying risks and undertaking work activities in a safe manner.

2. Maintain cleanliness in the work environment, ensuring a clean and safe environment for patients, adhering to infection control policies and guidance in line with Trust health and safety policies.

3. Prepare and maintain environments for clinical procedures.

4. Contribute to the general tidiness and cleanliness of the clinical environment including the correct disposal of waste.

5. Assist with the checking of clinic/department linen stock, where required. Contribute to the supply and maintenance of materials and equipment to ensure the efficient running of the clinical environment.

6. Assist with the checking and recording of deliveries to the clinical areas against original orders. Ensure stock rotation is undertaken to minimise the risk of equipment becoming out of date.

7. Assist in the transfer of materials and equipment as requested, including the maintenance of equipment as appropriate.

8. Report faults on the clinic/unit/department as necessary.

9. Reports all accidents and complaints according to the agreed policy to shift coordinator or senior staff.

10. Contributes to the continuous improvement of services. May be required to demonstrate and assist more junior staff to gain clinical experience, skills and knowledge.

11. Undertake all training required to perform duties effectively to the requirements of the post, including but not limited to attending all required mandatory training courses.

12. Maintain own professional portfolio in accordance with personal development plans.

13. Demonstrates the agreed set of values and accountable for own attitude and behaviour.

Administration:

1. Assist in preparing patients notes, relevant charts, nursing documentation, etc. and ensure that patient notes are available within the clinic/department and secure at all times.

2. Undertake clerical duties as directed by the Registered Nurse in relation to all verbal and written communications, ensuring messages and communications are passed to other team members, storage of patient information and retrieval of such information.

These duties and responsibilities are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and staff may be required to undertake other duties and responsibilities consistent with the band.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Basic literacy and numeracy skills
• Vocational healthcare qualification at level 3 or equivalent experience

Additional Information

Essential

• Requires a full UK driving license and must be currently driving / have access to a vehicle

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in an acute care environment, undertaking a range of clinical commitments

Desirable

• Experience of working in more than one speciality within an acute care environment

Skills

Essential

• Ability to communicate clearly with a wide range of people
• Able to work using own initiative, following instructions from a Registered Nurse
• Basic IT skills
• Phlebotomy skills
• Effective customer care skills
• Requires a full UK driving license and must be currently driving

Desirable

• Competent in routine observations and tests
• Undertake ECG recordings
• Ability to demonstrate care skills to more junior healthcare support workers
• Cannulation experience

Knowledge

Essential

• In-depth understanding of the healthcare support worker role in an outpatient setting
• Participate in personal development

Desirable

• Evidence of recent training

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Essential

• Committed to delivering high standards of patient/ customer care
• Empathetic and caring
• Professional outlook and positive attitude
• Honest and trustworthy
• Available to work flexibly/ weekends/short notice

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.

Employer details

Employer name

The Christie NHS FT

Address

Outpatients - E00021

550 Wilmslow Road

Manchester

M20 4BX

Employer's website

https://www.christie.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)