Trauma Assessment Unit Enhanced Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

To deliver an effective, high-quality TAU enhanced practitioner service to include the management of an identified caseload, exercising a degree of personal and professional autonomy.

To provide professional advice and support to ensure the delivery of safe, effective services for patients undergoing trauma assessments.

To deliver high quality, patient-focused care, acting as a role model for practice across the specialty and the Trust.

Act as a source of expertise, advice, and knowledge for patients, carers, and healthcare professionals for an efficient, effective, and timely patient pathway.

Work within the multi-professional team, facilitating optimal evidenced-based care throughout all aspects of the trauma assessment pathway and in all clinical settings.

Support the planning and scheduling of trauma assessment lists.

Lead the TAU and assist in developing and modernising this service to meet current and future requirements.

Work collaboratively with other acute areas to improve patient flow across the hospital, through both the trauma assessment unit and other departments.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Ares of Responsibility

The post holder will be expected to:

Practice within the legal and ethical framework for the relevant Professional Code of Conduct, ensuring valid registration.

Work both independently and as part of a multi-professional team.

Develop the role of the TAU enhanced practitioner.

Take responsibility for the management of all trauma assessment patients, processing referrals, coordinating nurse-led clinics, and interpreting results, according to agreed protocols.

Provide clinical expertise in the management of patients undergoing trauma assessments, autonomously managing own caseload.

Line management of TAU staff

Clinical

Support consultants with screening and assessment of virtual fracture clinic patients, emergency patients and GP new patient referrals.

Coordinate patients suitable for trauma assessment unit, using guidelines and clinic knowledge to facilitate appropriate care.

Take the clinical lead in assessing and reviewing patients attending the TAU

Perform physical examinations as required.

Lead in clinic-related audit activity, providing expert advice and clinical teaching to the orthopaedic ward team.

Educate, assess, and support patients after trauma assessments, including the aftercare of patients with fragility fractures. Advise patients on the complications of trauma assessment surgery.

Promote good health practices to improve patients recovery time and general health.

Attend and participate in the trauma MDT as appropriate.

Collaborate with colleagues to review traumatic wounds, x-rays and assessment of trauma patients.

Support the ward team with post-operative criteria-led discharge.

Engage with and support digital innovation pertaining to patient tracking processes for TAU patients.

Support the consultants with developing guidelines and enhance services for patients within TAU.

With the trauma assessment lead consultant, audit model hospital trauma assessment data, sharing findings at relevant meetings/forums.

Review the patient-related outcome measures (PROMS), supporting the MDT team with reporting, planning, and the ongoing use of data.

Critically evaluate current practice using Care Quality Indicators as agreed with the multi-professional team.

Use clinical knowledge and professional judgment to act on patients urgent health concerns and test results, liaising with the appropriate clinician.

Develop new processes and policies for TAU patients, which will guide practice.

To participate in investigations into complaints and incidents, including those relating to surgical site infection, as requested by Lead Nurse for Surgery.

Communication

Demonstrate high levels of customer care and be an ambassador for customer care within the Trust.

Demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance, including PSIRF, and clinical risk, demonstrating this daily.

Act as a role model to promote and facilitate high standards of clinical practice.

Act as an information source on trauma care both within and outside the organisation.

Be an empathetic, accessible, and responsive point of contact for patients and carers, ensuring positive patient experience is central to the patient pathway.

Facilitate a robust and timely communication pathway for TAU patients, including those with complex needs.

Promptly answer phone and email queries and concerns in a timely manner.

Take responsibility for timely verbal and written communications with patients, carers, and colleagues.

Ensure all information provided to patients and carers is accurate and up to date.

Ensure all documentation is complete and up to date, in line with professional body and Trust guidelines.

Challenge decisions made by others if they contravene policy or are not in the best interest of the patient.

Research, Audit, and Education

Ensure all provided care is evidence-based.

Participate in and develop audits to support the TAU service.

Monitor standards of care using data to improve, develop, and promote the TAU service.

Undertake continuing professional development, including mandatory and statutory training, maintaining a portfolio of evidence to support clinical supervision, critical reflection, and achievement of appraisal goals.

Facilitate and deliver educational sessions to a wide range of audiences.

Use external resources to keep up to date with the latest national evidence and research.

Develop resources for patients and carers.

Undertake research projects for the trauma and orthopaedic service.

Participate in Quality Improvement projects as requested by the Lead Nurse for Surgery.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Trust Values

Health and Safety at Work Act

The post holder is required to take responsible care for the health and safety of him/herself and other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work. The post holder is also required to co-operate with Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to ensure that statutory and departmental safety regulations are adhered to.

Confidentiality

The post holder has a responsibility to maintain confidentiality and ensure the principles of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA and all applicable laws and regulations relating to Processing of Personal Data and privacy, including where applicable the guidance and codes of practice issued by the Information Commissioner are applied to patient, staff and Trust business/information.

Equal Opportunities

The Trust welcomes all persons without regard to age, ethnic, or national origin, gender or sexual orientation, religion, lifestyle, presenting illness, marital or parental status or disability. We aim to provide a non-judgemental service at all times.

Managing Risk: Maintaining skills and learning from problems

Reducing risk is everyone's responsibility. All staff in the Trust must attend training identified by their manager, or stated by the Trust to be mandatory. The Trust uses risk assessments to predict and control risk and the incident reporting system to learn from mistakes and near misses and so improve services for patients and staff. All staff are expected to become familiar with these systems and use them The Trust has designated the prevention and control of infection as a core issue in the organisation's clinical governance, managing risk and patient safety programmes. In consequence, all employees are expected to:

Follow consistently high standards of infection control practice, especially with reference to hand hygiene and aseptic techniques,

Be aware of all Trust infection control guidelines and procedures relevant to their work.

ORGANISATION CHART

CHIEF NURSE

DIRECTOR OF NURSING

LEAD NURSE

MATRON

Person Specification

Education, Qualification & Training

Essential

• Registered Nurse or AHP
• Degree in related field.
• Recognised qualification in teaching and assessing.
• Evidence of further continued professional development

Desirable

• Masters degree in related subject or working towards.
• Completion of appropriate management and leadership programme.
• MSc, PGDip, or PGCert in Enhanced Clinical Practice or willingness to undertake.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a band 6 role for at least 2 years
• Emergency /Orthopaedic nursing/AHP experience
• Demonstrates a high level of clinical skill
• Evidence of successful change management

Desirable

• Demonstrates knowledge and experience of clinical examination, history taking, pharmacology, pathophysiology etc.
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working across service interfaces

Skills, Abilities & Knowledge

Essential

• Ability to communicate clearly with patients, relatives, and the multi-disciplinary team in English.
• Ability to write clearly and legibly in English.
• Able to effectively prioritise workload.
• Ability to influence and persuade others in the promotion of high standards of patient care.
• Evidence of undertaking audit and developing action plans
• Knowledge of evidence informed and research-based practice.
• Computer literate - MS Office
• Able to analyse and use information and data to inform practice and service needs.
• Good time management skills.
• Ability to work within a team and independently.
• Knowledge and understanding of clinical governance, including PSIRF, and risk.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Quality Improvement methodologies

Special Circumstances

Essential

• Ability to travel to other sites within the Trust.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Address

Stoke Mandeville Hospital

Mandeville Road

Aylesbury

HP21 8AL

Employer's website

https://careers.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)