Community Nurse- Health visiting (AfC Equivalent band 5)

Job responsibilities

The post holder will be an experienced trained nurse. This role is to support the universal delivery of the Healthy Child Programme as delegated by the aligned caseload Health Visitor (HV).

The post holder will be professionally responsible and accountable for the assessment, planning and evaluation of packages of care delegated by the named Health Visitor/ Clinical Team Leader.

As the key health worker, the associate community nurse will promote the health and wellbeing of children and families across the 0-19 years life course to enable each child to reach his/her full potential in order to minimise effects of social, cultural and racial inequality.

The post holder will establish and maintain a good working relationship with GPs, Children Centres, family hubs, Early Years Providers and teachers and other health and social care partners, to provide a comprehensive service to children and parents across the 0-19 years life course.

The post holder will be required to develop health promotion role, to strengthen integrated working across the health visiting team to deliver public health priorities and support development and review of health care plans for reception years within the local nursery/primary schools in order to support children with diagnosed medical needs.

Key Tasks and Accountabilities:

Key tasks and accountabilities are intended to be a guide to the range and level of work expected of the post holder. This is not an exhaustive list of all tasks that may fall to the post holder and employees will be expected to carry out such other reasonable duties which may be required from time to time.

To undertake all responsibilities listed below:

1. To provide skilled, effective and evidence-based nursing care to children and to operate safely and in line with best practice guidance.

2. Be responsible for the day to day management of their own workload as delegated by the named health visitor/ clinical team lead and feedback accordingly.

3. Work collaboratively in partnership with children, young people, parents/ carers and other agencies e.g. education, social services, other healthcare workers and the voluntary sector to meet the needs of children, young people and families living in Newham.

4. To organise and prioritise own work without direct supervision and in accordance with NMC guidance reporting any issues, concerns or personal limitations to the team lead.

5. To identify, prioritise and implement public health programmes of care that meet the needs of the child/parents whilst taking into account risk and its effective management e.g. consent, safe delivery of interventions.

6. To identify and record all new problems and concerns on electronic clinical records (RiO) and report back to the Team Lead or named Health Visitor.

7. To liaise with, and where appropriate initiate referrals to, all those involved in the delivery of care to ensure adequate care and support to children, parents and carers.

8. To encourage participation of parents, carers and relatives in activities, health assessments including undertaking clinical skills such as New Born Blood Spot (NBBS) promoting uptake of immunisations schedule, healthy start vouchers scheme, 2yr & 3-4 years free child care scheme during the programme working collaboratively with community nursery nurses.

9. To take appropriate action in regard to any accident or incident to clients, staff or visitors within the scope of the post holders responsibility and in line with LBN health and safety policy.

10. To plan, deliver and evaluate health promotion and education sessions based on identified local needs in partnership with members of the skill mix teams children centres, family hubs, libraries with parents / carers, teachers and other professionals.

11. To deliver key health messages around disease prevention to improve the health outcomes and wellbeing for children and families.

12. To undertake various health screening programmes and reviews within own sphere of competence as delegated by the Clinical Team Leader / named health visitor- Ages and Stages questionnaires (ASQ), vision and hearing, Blood Spot tests.

13. To participate in research and audit to ensure the development of effective and innovative practice which support continuous quality improvement and maintenance of clinical standards.

14. Adhere to local safe guarding procedures. Represent health at neighbourhood action meetings, core group meetings and other meetings as delegated by the named Health Visitor. Monitor the health of children who have the child protection plans and those of concern. Contribute to accurate reports for case conferences and participate in the decision making process for child protection.

15. Contribute to reports for social services initial investigations as part of Universal Partnership/Partnership Plus (UP/UPP) caseload, in partnership with the named Health Visitor.

16. Refer children to other agencies as appropriate and document referrals in clinical records contemporaneously.

17. To be involved with the delivery of Ante- natal programmes and Breast feeding support groups within LBN.

18. To maintain accurate health records for all children in accordance with LBN record keeping/documentation guidelines. To record all activity onto the electronic patient record, ensuring data entry is up to date. To be aware of and act in accordance with LBN policies, national procedures, legislation and professional standards.

19. To work in partnership with other members of the Integrated Neighbourhood teams, including attending the Team around the Family (TAF) meetings.

20. To ensure maintenance procedures are adhered to and all equipment is in good working order and well stocked.

21. To provide preceptorship / mentorship to apprentices, pre-registration and other students and community nursery nurses. Student mentorship will comprise of planning, teaching, and assessing.

22. To provide cover for sick or absent colleagues as required across the borough.

23. Keep accurate and contemporaneous records in line with policies and NMC guidelines and use the Early Help record templates as required.

24. Ensure that all records are perused and transferred out / in as per service record keeping procedure on RiO.

25. Record statistical data for input onto the ICT system to meet data entry deadlines as required by the service. Participating in clinical audit programmes and action research quality and improvements.

26. Provide mental health support as tier 1 practitioners to children, young people and their families and where necessary refer on to other services where concerns are identified.

27. Contribute to quality data collection which will be used to inform users and commissioners and improve the development of an evidence-based 0-19 years service.

Professional Responsibilities

1. Comply with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct (March 2015).

2. Seek out and make use of research findings relevant to the work of the area of Practice so as to ensure that clinical practice within the team is evidence based.

3. Participate in clinical and Safeguarding supervision and be responsible for own professional development through active learning and reflective practice.

4. Undertake regular review of performance with line manager to agree personal and service objectives (PDS).

5. Develop practice through continued education, which will benefit development and delivery of service and meet continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. Attend mandatory and other training. Keep an electronic record of all training.

6. Report any incidents / accidents to the line manager and complete the reporting forms within the RADAR system.

7. To maintain appropriate and up to date knowledge and skills by undertaking continuing education in accordance with personal and service needs.

8. Be aware of and act in accordance with, LBN code of conduct, dress code, clinical and organisational policies and guidelines.

9. To act as a mentor to student nurses and support staff, for example Community Nursery Nurses and those in apprenticeship roles.

10. To actively participate in the teaching and support of colleagues within the skill mix team and assist in induction of new staff.

11. To participate in own and others annual appraisal and maintain a personal development.

12. Undertake other duties as required that are commensurate with the aims of this post.

Other Special Requirements

Essential

• Willingness and ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to maintain service delivery.
• This post is subject to a enhanced DBS check.
• The Local Government & Housing Act 1989 imposes restrictions on political activities for certain categories of local government employees. This post may be considered politically restricted in accordance with the provisions of the above Act. Should this be the case you will be notified and your contract of employment amended
• This post is exempt from The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974).

Personal Style and Behaviour

Essential

• Ability to be professional, emotionally intelligent and able to communicate effectively in diverse situations.
• Flexible attitude to change and new ways of working.
• Ability to demonstrate excellence in Customer Service in line with Nursing 6Cs
• Ability to put the Cs into practice.
• The six Cs - care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
• Ability to design and deliver a health promotion topic
• Antenatal groups &school readiness groups skills
• Ability to contribute to the training for education staff, parents and children and young people.
• Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload while at the same time adhering to the quality and work standards required by the service.
• Ability to critically examine own working practice and to contribute
• to the process of continual development of the Health Visiting/school health service.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a nursing team in an acute or community
• setting.
• Experience of working with children.
• Experience of contributing to team working.
• Experience of planning and carrying out health promotion programmes.
• Experience of working on own initiative and as part of a team.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Paediatric Sick Children Nurse / Child Branch. RGN/RN, with childrens nursing experience.
• Post registration qualification in childrens nursing or equivalent.
• Mentor or practice based learningtraining.
• Current valid NMC registration.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Evidence of self development within the nursing sphere.

Other Special Requirements

Essential

• Willingness and ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to maintain service delivery.
• This post is subject to a enhanced DBS check.
• The Local Government & Housing Act 1989 imposes restrictions on political activities for certain categories of local government employees. This post may be considered politically restricted in accordance with the provisions of the above Act. Should this be the case you will be notified and your contract of employment amended
• This post is exempt from The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974).

Knowledge

Essential

• Understanding of the child development and assessment needs of children aged 0- 19 years.
• Knowledge of recent developments in health and education relevant to
• health visiting practices.
• Knowledge of the audit process.
• Knowledge of evidence based practice.
• Knowledge of clinical governance and risk management
• Knowledge of clinical supervision.
• Knowledge of managing difficult situations and conflict resolution.
• Knowledge of how equal opportunities can be implemented in practice.
• Understanding of the importance of clinical supervision and clinical effectiveness.
• Knowledge of child protection law and procedures.
• Understanding of the need of children from diverse ethnice and cultural groups.

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.

UK Registration

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