Heart Failure Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

Job responsibilities

To deliver and evaluate a specialist nursing service for patients with heart failure alongside the existing team. To include:

Demonstrate appropriate practice in the care management of patients referred to the Nurse delivered heart failure service.

Triage referrals to the inpatient Nurse heart failure service to ensure patients are seen in as an inpatient or outpatient as appropriate.

Triage referrals from GPs for suspected HF clinic and that seen in a timely manner.

To work within trust wide clinical guidelines, policies and procedures, including those agreed for heart failure.

Assessment of individuals physical, psychological and social needs, requiring clinical reasoning, investigative and analytical skills aiming towards advance practice level

Planning, implementation and evaluation of specialised individual plans of care, recommending the best course of intervention. This necessitates high levels of autonomy and advocacy.

Demonstrating highly specialist knowledge, skills and innovative practice in the area of heart failure, underpinned by a sound evidence base and acting as a source of expertise.

Use of recognised outcome measures, assessment tools and clinical skills to evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter interventions as required.

Developing, implementing and evaluating referral systems for patients with heart failure.

Making appropriate and timely direct referrals to other health care professionals and other specialist services across primary, secondary and tertiary care. This will necessitate liaison with a wide range of individuals and a sound knowledge of the multidisciplinary team and the roles of its constituent professionals and the services provided

Establishing timely involvement and continuing support of patients and their families and carers

To act as an Independent non-medical prescriber in accordance with NICE guidance, local Trust heart failure guidelines and his or her scope of practice.

Requesting appropriate investigations and the analysis, interpretation and comparison of the findings.

COMMUNICATION

Promoting collaborative working across the trust and network and in partnership with other professionals and agencies, advising on practice and service development and delivery in relation to heart failure.

To liaise with health care professionals in both the hospital and the community, including the Community Heart Failure Service, to streamline care and maintain continuity

To work closely with the Consultant Cardiologists and other relevant Consultants to ensure that a high standard of care is delivered to heart failure patients.

Providing and receiving highly, sensitive information including diagnosis, prognosis and issues relating to lifestyle and behaviour change and where there may be significant barriers to acceptance requiring counselling and motivational interviewing skills.

Presenting specialised information relating to area of practice across the trust and network.

Ensuring concise and accurate documentation is kept in accordance with Trust policy including maintenance and management of records and reports.

To use and develop effective communication tools, verbal and non-verbal to communicate with patients who may have barriers to understanding or communicating. For example patients with hearing or sight problems, cognitive problems or difficulty in accepting diagnosis.

QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS

Participating in the development and implementation of appropriate standards, protocols and operational policies.

To assist with the development and implementation of policies, procedures, guidelines and standards relating to a specialist nurse service for people with heart failure as required. Ensuring practice is based on best evidence, including the interpretation of national guidance at local level.

Demonstrating continuous evaluation of practice and service delivery. Designing and conducting audit and making appropriate changes following evaluation

Active participation in National Heart Failure audit on behalf of the Trust.

Promoting and disseminating current research and audit findings.

Demonstrating a highly specialist knowledge and application to practice of the clinical trials relating to heart failure.

Identifying researchable questions, gaps in practice and sources of potential funding.

MANAGERIAL AND ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSIBILTIES

Planning and evaluating heart failure nursing activities in collaboration with the Director of Nursing and Quality, General Manager, Consultant Cardiologist and Lead Nurse

Developing, managing and monitoring the service in line with local and national requirements and guidelines.

Participating in the construction, implementation, review and modification of business plans to meet future service needs.

Identifying opportunities for improvements to the services and manage change in collaboration with others.

Generating, providing, analysing, recording and storing information to support decision-making.

Assessing, monitoring and managing risk, working within the clinical governance framework to improve service quality.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

To provide specialist advice with regard the purchase and commissioning of resources relating to the speciality.

Responsible for ensuring any equipment relating to practice is properly used and maintained.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The post holder will develop self and contribute to the development of the knowledge and practice of others by:

Providing support, information, education and training to meet the needs of multi-disciplinary professionals, patients, families and carers.

Supporting and challenging others on specific aspects of their practice.

Developing and evaluating written information.

Supporting student nurse placements.

Participate in developing strategies for sharing knowledge and influencing practice, including identifying, designing, delivering and evaluating learning initiatives.

Challenging professional and organisational boundaries in the interests of patients.

Providing evidence of academic achievement and professional experience and standing.

Facilitating open channels of communication to feedback ideas

Identifying and undertaking individual personal development plans for self, maintaining a professional portfolio, collecting evidence of personal development and reflective practice.

Participation in identifying, recommending, delivering and evaluating training

Establishing and maintaining a regional and national network of contact

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse
• Relevant post-registration courses
• Evidence of CPD

Desirable

• Education to degree level
• ILS provider
• Independent non-medical prescriber
• Module in Heart Failure
• Recognised teaching qualification
• Clinical assessment qualification

Experience

Essential

• Relevant post registration experience to include: coronary care/cardiology experience/general medicine.
• Evidence of working recently and clinically with heart failure patients.

Desirable

• Palliative care
• Development of protocols and guidelines.
• Teaching/training - groups/individuals
• Research
• Extensive experience of complex assessment of health and social needs.

Knowlage

Essential

• Decision making involving complex facts/situations.
• Multidisciplinary working
• Ability to relate theory to practice
• Ability to work autonomously
• Specialist knowledge of heart failure
• Local and National Clinical Governance issues
• Basic physical examination skills such as manual BP, apex heart rates and assessment of fluid overload is essential.

Desirable

• Clinical audit
• Awareness of the wider local and national agenda/policies around service provision for heart failure.

Personal Skills

Essential

• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills
• The ability to effectively communicate in both written and verbal form
• Time management
• Organisational skills
• IT skills
• Interpersonal skills when having challenging conversations.
• Working within scope and role
• Innovative
• Diplomatic
• Flexible approach to individual and team working
• Enthusiastic
• Excellent team-player
• Self - motivated

Desirable

• Interview skills
• Counselling skills
• Presentation skills

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).