Job summary
Sister
Department: Children's Services, unplanned care
Band 6, £38,682 - £46,580 Per annum, pro rata,
Fixed term until 24 May 2026 to cover maternity leave.
Full time, 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working.
Are you an enthusiastic, caring, and ambitious registered children's nurse? Are you motivated to develop yourself and your colleagues to deliver quality care? If so, we would love to have you join our team! We collaborate with medical staff, allied health professionals, support staff, and play therapists to provide dynamic, high-quality, family-centred care to children, young people, and babies.
In this Band 6 role, you'll have the opportunity to shine as a leader in a supportive and nurturing environment. You'll be at the forefront of driving improvements in care while mentoring and supporting junior colleagues in an acute clinical setting. We're on the lookout for someone who is not only competent and caring but also courageous and compassionate, with the proven ability to work both independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'
Please note that we are not able to offer sponsorship for this role.
Interview date 20 August 2025
Main duties of the job
Provide holistic care, assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care.
Support the ward manager in the daily running of the ward.
Communicate effectively with patients, carers, and the multidisciplinary team.
Participate in staff development, training, and performance reviews.
Promote effective communication and leadership within the team.
Ensure compliance with local and national policies and guidelines.
Maintain confidentiality and safeguard the welfare of children.
Participate in clinical audits, risk management, and quality improvement initiatives.
Act as a role model and contribute to the development of the ward.
The successful candidate will need to demonstrate their dedication to continuous professional development. We hold high expectations for our staff and are deeply passionate about career progression. With the unwavering support of our dedicated Paediatric Practice Development team, we are confident that we have much to offer any candidate who joins us. We are committed to nurturing your ongoing development by providing access to relevant courses and in-house training.
Some examples of training/courses available:
High Dependency course
PILS/EPLS
Assessor/supervisor training
Appraisal training
Caring for children with diabetes or cancer
Skills training (Venepuncture/cannulation, NGT, central line, tracheostomy, etc)
About us
Ward 4: Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) Ward 4 is open 24 hours a day, has 16 PAU beds that flexes capacity to meet the ever-changing needs of our children. We offer access to expert, evidence based and family centred assessment, treatment, and care on a short stay basis.
Ward 5 Is an Inpatient ward with 22 bed spaces offering Medical, Surgical, Oncology and Orthopaedic care for 0-16-year-olds. The Ward offers every opportunity for the successful applicant to progress and develop, offering the necessary training courses which provide the skills and competencies to care for children requiring high dependency nursing.
We are committed to consistently prioritising patient experience in all aspects of our care, and we are actively pursuing new initiatives to further enhance this focus. We look forward to welcoming you to our team!
Job description
Job responsibilities
We also work very closely with Neonatal Unit, our Planned Care colleagues and our Childrens Emergency Department, which is part of the emergency medicine division.
Please refer to attached Job description for further information.
NHS Staff Survey: Our Compassionate Culture and Leadership scores reflect a workplace where kindness, respect, and empathy are the normnot the exception.
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Free on-site parking
- Free Refreshments
- Great flexible workingopportunities
- Discounted gym membership
- Lease car scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- On site nursery (chargeable)
- Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouragingdiversity, and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once enough applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust,all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We also work very closely with Neonatal Unit, our Planned Care colleagues and our Childrens Emergency Department, which is part of the emergency medicine division.
Please refer to attached Job description for further information.
NHS Staff Survey: Our Compassionate Culture and Leadership scores reflect a workplace where kindness, respect, and empathy are the normnot the exception.
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Free on-site parking
- Free Refreshments
- Great flexible workingopportunities
- Discounted gym membership
- Lease car scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- On site nursery (chargeable)
- Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
We believe success lies in the diversity of our employees and are committed to promoting equality, encouragingdiversity, and embracing inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone interested in working for us.
MKUH is committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and as such we offer a range of flexible working practices.
We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once enough applications have been received.
MKUH uses identification scanning technology to confirm the authenticity of documents; all prospective employees of MKUH will have their original documents verified using this technology.
By applying for this role, you accept if successful, that information from your application will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. Your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which aims at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.
Upon commencing employment with the Trust,all employees (except Medical & Dental Staff on national terms and conditions) are subject to a probationary period lasting a period of six months with an option to extend for a further six months to a total of 12 months.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse (Child)
- BLS / ILS / PILS
Desirable
- EPLS
- HDU module or equivalent
- Practice assessor training
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of NMC Code of Conduct
- Knowledge of current Nursing Issues
- Knowledge of Scope of professional practice
- Understanding of holistic family centred care
- Ability to recognise own limitations
- Able to communicate concerns in a timely manner
- Knowledge of child protection issues
- Understanding of pressures and targets within inpatient care
Desirable
- Acute paediatric experience in the NHS
Communication
Essential
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Good communication skills with children and families
- Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Be able to communicate effectively via telephone, individual or group discussion
- Ability to communicate with all members of the multidisciplinary team on regular basis
- Able to deal with the emotional consequences of illness/trauma (difficult and upsetting situations, in particular)
- Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role.
Skills
Essential
- Planning skills
- Prioritising skills
- Punctual, good attendance record
- Ability to synthesise complex information
- Ability to maintain concentration under stressful conditions
- Ability to recognise, report and diffuse conflict situations
- Ability to work within a high turnover, pressurised environment on a daily basis
- Professional approach
- Good documentation and record keeping
- Up to date clinical skills
- Ability to calculate drug dosage
Desirable
Personal and people development
Essential
- Articulate. Decisive, Assertive, Innovative, Calm, Motivated.
- Flexible approach to working hours
- Team player
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse (Child)
- BLS / ILS / PILS
Desirable
- EPLS
- HDU module or equivalent
- Practice assessor training
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of NMC Code of Conduct
- Knowledge of current Nursing Issues
- Knowledge of Scope of professional practice
- Understanding of holistic family centred care
- Ability to recognise own limitations
- Able to communicate concerns in a timely manner
- Knowledge of child protection issues
- Understanding of pressures and targets within inpatient care
Desirable
- Acute paediatric experience in the NHS
Communication
Essential
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Good communication skills with children and families
- Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Be able to communicate effectively via telephone, individual or group discussion
- Ability to communicate with all members of the multidisciplinary team on regular basis
- Able to deal with the emotional consequences of illness/trauma (difficult and upsetting situations, in particular)
- Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role.
Skills
Essential
- Planning skills
- Prioritising skills
- Punctual, good attendance record
- Ability to synthesise complex information
- Ability to maintain concentration under stressful conditions
- Ability to recognise, report and diffuse conflict situations
- Ability to work within a high turnover, pressurised environment on a daily basis
- Professional approach
- Good documentation and record keeping
- Up to date clinical skills
- Ability to calculate drug dosage
Desirable
Personal and people development
Essential
- Articulate. Decisive, Assertive, Innovative, Calm, Motivated.
- Flexible approach to working hours
- Team player
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.
