Job responsibilities
Key Accountabilities
Clinical
- Accept referrals as agreed through current referral process and pathways.
- Undertake a holistic assessment of the Specialist Palliative Care needs of patients/carers, and plan appropriate care.
- Be responsible for the provision of Specialist Palliative Care advice and support to patients, health care professionals, and other carers, to meet the needs identified in the assessment.
- Plan and undertake follow up and support visits when required, continuing specialist input to the care of patients and their families.
- Provide accurate information to patients/carers/professionals as appropriate.
- Provide bereavement support to carers and families.
- Act as a resource for integrated care teams, primary and secondary care professionals and social care and tertiary providers involved in the care of patients with palliative care needs.
- Act as a mentor for staff by supporting individual coping strategies.
- Contribute to the weekly SPC multidisciplinary team meeting
- Attend other MDT team meetings when requested to do so in acute and community settings attend and contribute to
- GP Palliative Care (GSF) Meetings
- Liaise with/refer to other services where appropriate to ensure the needs of patients and carers are met.
Communication
- Utilise a wide range of communication skills to facilitate the development of a therapeutic relationship with patients and carers.
- Provide psychological and emotional support.
- Communicate effectively with other professionals involved in the care of patients on the caseload.
- Recognise and respond to complex relationship dynamics between patients, families and carers.
- Use formal and informal opportunities for education to guide and support those involved in the patients care to improve communication skills.
Education
- Contribute to the development, and educational needs of other health care professionals. This includes staff within the hospice but also outsourcing to other professionals to benefit the patients and to support income generation of the hospice by outsourcing appropriate teaching sessions.
- Participate in the delivery of palliative care related courses/study days.
- Provide informal education to other members of the multidisciplinary teams during clinical practice.
- Maintain, update and develop personal professional knowledge and skills to achieve high standards of patient care at all times.
Managerial
- Manage own workload, caseload and capacity through effective caseload management and teamwork.
- Maintain accurate records, including Systmone.
- Participate in regular team business/operational meetings to shape the strategic planning of the service.
- Participate in regular specialist palliative care meetings, with representation from national and clinical network palliative care organisations to facilitate and plan local services.
Clinical Governance/Quality Assurance
- Strive to maintain and improve own knowledge and skills in relation to all aspects of specialist palliative care.
- Understand, interpret, and participate in the research process and utilise relevant findings to inform practice.
- Work within agreed policies/procedures and governance of Bassetlaw hospice.
- Work within national and local standards set for the Community Specialist Palliative care teams.
- Use audit to evaluate standards of care delivered, documentation, workload and education provision.
- Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to palliative care.
- Critically evaluate own performance through reflection, analysis, and performance appraisal development (PAD).
- Undertake clinical supervision and provide clinical supervision for others
- Seek opportunities to lead and support quality initiatives at local, network and national level.
Dimensions
- The Community Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialists provides care, advice and education across the Bassetlaw area inclusive of community and hospice settings .
- To maintain own clinical caseload involving complex case management
- Provide expert clinical support as and when appropriate to staff and/or students
- To give professional advice on issues relating to therapies / management plans within Specialist Palliative Care
Safeguarding
- All employees are responsible for taking all reasonable measures to ensure that the risks of harm to children and vulnerable adults are minimised. They should take all appropriate actions to address concerns, working to agreed local policies and procedures including the guidance on Safeguarding, in partnership with other relevant agencies. This includes accessing appropriate training, advice, and support.
Knowledge Training and Experience
- First level General Nurse Registration
- Post-basic qualification in palliative care.
- Teaching qualification
- Non- medical prescribing qualification or willingness to undertake course
- If candidate does not possess module in palliative care at degree level, advanced communications skills training and psychology level 2 training. Then they must be in agreement to undertake on commencement of post.
- Substantial proven Palliative Care clinical experience
- Knowledge of symptom management at a depth expected for band 7.
- Sound knowledge of palliative care philosophy.
- Knowledge of Clinical Governance including audit and research.
- Basic computer skills.
- Well-developed inter-personal and communication skills.
- Ability to manage stress and distress in self and others.
- Flexibility to accommodate attendance out of normal working hours for: patient/carer contact, education provision, professional development, professional meetings, public relation responsibilities.
- Required to take part in the weekend and bank holiday working rota.
Infection Control
- All employees of Bassetlaw Hospice have an individual responsibility to have knowledge of and employ the basic principles of infection prevention and control practice. All employees must comply with infection prevention and control mandatory training requirements specific to their role.
Planning and Organisational Skills
- Organising and co-ordinating patient care.
- Care planning skills.
- Ability to manage own case load, time etc.
- Ability to work unsupervised and use initiative as required
- Ability to work efficiently and productively with the rest of the team on common projects e.g. teaching courses etc.
