Admiral Nurse

Job responsibilities

JOB PUROSE

In collaboration with Dementia UK, Sunderland GP Alliance (SGPA) are looking to recruit a registered nurse (RN, RNMH, RNLD) with a passion for and experience of, providing relationship-centred dementia care with a strong sense of advocacy and equalities for this client group to launch a new Admiral Nursing service within Sunderland's neighbourhood model of care.

Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses who work with and support people with dementia and their families who have complex needs. Under the supervision of the existing Frailty leads, you will provide specialist one-to-one support, guidance and practical solutions for families, alongside supporting best practice and providing role modelling across Sunderland. The Admiral Nurse will work closely with the city's existing Frailty Specialist Teams and in to practice-based Frailty MDTs as well as providing support to specialist, Geriatrician-led dementia clinics.

Admiral Nurses will base across Sunderland place, working in the community to deliver care closer to home. You will work under the direct management of SGPA and will receive ongoing support from Dementia UK to maintain and strengthen your clinical expertise as a specialist nurse within dementia care. You will become part of the wider network of Admiral Nurses and will have the opportunity to access relevant post graduate courses and develop professionally, underpinned by the Admiral Nurse Practice Standards Framework.

The successful applicant will be a NMC registered nurse, with relevant post-registration clinical experience of working with people living with dementia and supporting their carers/supporters in different settings. Experience in a community or primary care setting is desirable.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Summary of Responsibilities:

The Admiral Nurse will support, deliver and coordinate relationship-centred dementia care within Sunderland, in order to improve the experience of carers/families affected by dementia with complex needs as part of the multi-disciplinary team.

In line with the Admiral Nurse Practice Standards, the post holder will provide:

Specialist bio-psychosocial assessment and support for people with dementia and families with complex needs

Facilitation of education and training for staff in the delivery of evidence-based dementia care

Support with policy development and quality improvements in relation to dementia care

Consultancy to other health and social care professionals regarding dementia

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Clinical

Advise on the care of people with dementia and their carers/families with complex care needs from peri diagnosis to post bereavement support

Provide specialist nursing assessment, using the Admiral Nurse Assessment Framework for carers/families affected by dementia

Provide a range of bio-psychosocial interventions to promote health and wellbeing for people with dementia and their carers/families

Work within the multi-disciplinary team to deliver person centred care for people living dementia and/or their carers.

Work collaboratively with other professionals to improve the identification and management of co morbidities and frailty for people with dementia and their carers/families

Develop and support care plans for people with dementia and families including positive risk management

Support people with dementia, carers/families and staff to understand and respond to changes in behaviour and relationships as a result of dementia

Provide care coordination for a clinical caseload of families with complex needs as identified within triage assessment in clinics or via home visit if required

Ensure the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and that all legal requirements relating to Mental Capacity Act 2005, Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007), and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (2009)[2] are considered and adhered to in relation to patient care

Act as an advocate for people with dementia and their carers/families to promote their rights and best interests

Participate in case conferences and best interest meetings where required

Work collaboratively with health, social and voluntary sector services to achieve coordinated care

Work in partnership with colleagues to promote the use of advance care planning for people with dementia and to support and inform families, around advance care planning, best interest decisions and end of life care

Manage care transitions and support people with dementia and their carers/families to reduce the frequency of crisis situations

Ensure that care is delivered in accordance with relevant local and national guidelines.

Recognise the limits of own competency and professional boundaries and make appropriate and timely referrals to other services where required.

Education & Support

Support the facilitate and support the development and delivery of innovative dementia training and education to staff, to improve competence and confidence, in line with best practice and guidance

Participate in and/or support formal training events promoting best practice in end of life dementia care and disseminating Admiral Nursing work

Provide mentorship, offer clinical expertise and act a role model on the delivery of evidence-based practice in dementia care within Sunderland

Support the development and delivery of work streams as part of NHS North East and North Cumbria ICBs dementia strategy, where appropriate

Work proactively with key local and national stakeholders to support integrated care pathways and holistic models of care, through dissemination of specialist skills and knowledge

Support delivery of local policy and procedures for Sunderland PCNs to improve identification, assessment, ongoing support for people with dementia and their family carers

Evaluation and Audit

Support the audit and evaluation of quality improvements and initiatives aimed at improving the delivery of dementia care within Sunderland where appropriate to the role

Collect quantitative and qualitative data to support the evaluation and audit of the Admiral Nurse Service

Ensure information and data recorded is relevant, accurate, complete and captured in a contemporaneous manner

Professional

Ensure all nursing practice is carried out in accordance with the agreed policies and procedures of Sunderland GP Alliance and the NMC Code

Attend and actively participate in practice development, clinical supervision, and continuing professional development supported by Dementia UK and underpinned by the Admiral Nurse Competency framework

Develop own competence through use of the Admiral Nurse Practice Standards and portfolio development using resources provided by Dementia UK

Maintain professional registration in line with NMC guidance, including re-validation

Ensure compliance with Trust clinical governance requirements

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of evidence-based recommendations on supporting people with dementia and their carers/families

Maintain positive working relationships with Dementia UK

The employer is Sunderland GP Alliance and the post-holder is expected to comply with the Alliances employment policies and procedures.

Please note that this job description serves to provide an illustrative example of the duties and responsibilities the post holder will undertake during the course of their normal duties. It is not therefore an exhaustive list and the post holder may be required to undertake other responsibilities and duties that correspond with the role.

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrate all the 6 Admiral Nurse competencies:
• oPerson-centred care
• oTherapeutic skills
• oTriadic relationship centred working
• oSharing knowledge
• oDelivering best practice
• oCritical reflective practice
• Effective role-modelling
• Collaborative and multi-agency working
• Act as a decision maker and advocate
• Ability to use Information Technology to improve the delivery of care
• Good organisational skills
• Evidence of continued professional development

Desirable

• Knowledge of research methods and methodologies.
• Understanding of the Admiral Nurse competency frameworks
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Understand sources of research and critically apply them within practice
• Knowledge of relevant policies/national strategy e.g. MCA/DoLS/ACP/NICE guideline/Care Act
• Understanding of General Practice and Primary Care commissioning and service delivery

Other

Essential

• Appointment to this role will be subject to a satisfactory DBS check
• The postholder must be able to travel reliably and independently between multiple sites

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse (RNM/RNMH/RGN/RNLD)
• Post-graduate training/ education in dementia/older people
• Willingness to complete Dementia UKs Pre Admiral Nursing e-learning course prior to starting in post
• Willingness to work towards continued professional and practice development through Dementia UKs Admiral Nurse Academy, including the level 6 or 7 Admiral Nurse Competency Framework Module.
• Post-registration clinical experience of working with people with dementia and their carers/supporters
• Experience of completing holistic nursing assessments
• Experience of providing bio-psychosocial interventions
• Experience of facilitating and delivering training
• Experience of working as an autonomous practitioner

Desirable

• Additional nursing qualification
• Degree level qualification in dementia / older peoples care
• Mentorship Qualification
• Relevant teaching qualification
• Experience of managing care across care transitions
• Experience of working with patients/ clients to develop practice
• Experience of recent involvement in practice/ service development
• Experience of audit/ evaluating clinical practice

Motivation & Skills

Essential

• Flexibility and creativity
• Good communication skills
• Ability to operate effectively with a constantly developing relationship with key stakeholders and associated
• Ability to learn through practice
• Ability to work in groups/one to one
• Ability to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy
• Demonstrates a commitment to quality of care
• Demonstrates integrity, compassion and a caring nature
• Ability to treat families affected by dementia with respect and dignity, adopting a culturally sensitive approach that considers the needs of the whole person

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).