Job summary
- Main area
- Nursing Associate
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 222-LS-MINT-279
- Employer
- West London NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Hounslow East MINT
- Town
- Brentford
- Salary
- £29,460 - £31,909 per annum inclusive of HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 27/09/2024 17:00
Employer heading
Nursing Associate
Band 4
West London NHS Trust provides a full range of mental health, community and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow.
We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.
Job overview
Hounslow Mental Health Integrated Network Team (MINT) is a dynamic and integrated community and outpatient mental health team committed to providing comprehensive and high-quality mental and physical health care that addresses the needs of our diverse community. We accept referrals for service users transitioning from Children & Adolescents up to Specialist Older Adults. We are currently seeking to expand our multidisciplinary team and are inviting applications for the position of Nursing Associates. This opportunity will allow you to work alongside a dedicated team of professionals focused on improving the mental and physical health of our community under the Community Mental Health Framework for adults.
You will play a key role in dissolving the barriers that can exist between mental and physical health, social care, voluntary and community social enterprise (VCSE) and local communities. You will be working in secondary care, Monday to Friday, to deliver integrated, personalised, place-based and well-coordinated care for adults. We are moving towards a ‘whole system’ of mental health care, which will provide timely access to support, care and treatment.
Please note we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this post.
Main duties of the job
As a community based Nursing Associate your duties will include but not be limited to:
§ Carrying a small caseload of routine to complex cases updating care plans and risk assessments as required
§ Screening patients for physical and mental health needs such as weight management, diabetes risks and smoking cessation.
§ Assist with management of the local depot and physical health clinics
§ Medication management including monitoring of stock levels of the service to enable nursing staff to administer depots
§ Provide advice to service users and their triangle of care on the management of their mental and physical health, medications and any contraindications
§ Liaise with external stakeholders such as GPs, primary care networks, inpatient wards, crisis teams, social care and housing regarding ongoing needs
§ Assist with the transfer of cases between services or back to the GP at the end of treatment.
§ Escalate concerns to wider MDT using local processes
§ Identify and participate in local and service line service improvement using approved methodology
Working for our organisation
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Registered Nurse Associate on the NMC register
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working in a mental health setting at Band 3 or equivalent
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience of working at Band 4 or equivalent
- Experience of working in a community mental health team
- Experience of working in a physical health setting as a band 3 or band 4
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Able to demonstrate knowledge and skills appropriate to the role of the Nursing Associate within mental health services.
- Awareness of contemporary evidenced based practice in mental health
- Act in such a manner as outlined in the Code of Professional Conduct and which meets the requirements of the Mental Health Act
- Maintain and demonstrate awareness of professional and organisational developments
- To understand performance reports and how they relate to team
- Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and clinical records data bases (e.g. SystmOne or RiO)
- Excellent communication skills, fluency in written and verbal English
Desirable criteria
- Routine ECG recording
Skills
Essential criteria
- Procedures to enable effective monitoring of a person’s condition Accurately measure weight and height, calculate body mass index and recognise healthy ranges and clinically significant low/high readings Use manual techniques and devices to take, record and interpret vital signs including temperature, pulse, respiration (TPR), blood pressure (BP) and pulse oximetry in order to identify signs of improvement, deterioration or concern Undertake venepuncture measure and interpret blood glucose levels Collect and observe sputum, urine, stool and vomit specimens, interpreting findings and reporting as appropriate Recognise and escalate signs of all forms of abuse At the earliest opportunity escalate to the MDT & Management team signs of self-harm and/or suicidal ideation Undertake and interpret neurological observations Recognise signs of mental and emotional distress including agitation, or vulnerability Recognise emergency situations and administer basic physical first aid, including basic life support.
- Provide support in meeting the needs of people in relation to rest, sleep, comfort and the maintenance of dignity: Observe and monitor comfort and pain levels and rest and sleep patterns Use appropriate bed-making techniques, including those required for people who are unconscious or who have limited mobility Use appropriate positioning and pressure relieving technique Take appropriate action to ensure privacy and dignity at all times Appropriate action to reduce or minimise pain or discomfort Support people to reduce fatigue, minimise insomnia and take appropriate rest.
- Provide care and support with hygiene and the maintenance of skin integrity: Observe and reassess skin and hygiene status using contemporary approaches to determine the need for support and ongoing intervention. Identify the need for and provide appropriate assistance with washing, bathing, shaving and dressing Identify the need for and provide appropriate oral, dental, eye and nail care and suggest to others when an onward referral is required Prevent and manage skin breakdown by applying the current best practice relating to wound care. Identify and manage skin irritations and rashes in consultation with the MDT Monitor wounds and undertake wound care using appropriate evidence-based techniques
- Provide support with nutrition and hydration: Use contemporary nutritional assessment tools Assist with feeding and drinking and use appropriate feeding and drinking aids Record fluid intake and output to identify signs of dehydration or fluid retention and escalate as necessary Support the delivery of artificial nutrition and hydration using oral and enteral routes.
- Provide support with maintaining bladder and bowel health: Observe and monitor the level of urinary and bowel continence to determine the need for ongoing support and intervention, the level of independence and self-management of care that an individual can manage Assist with toileting, maintaining dignity and privacy and use appropriate continence products Care for and manage catheters for all genders Recognise bladder and bowel patterns to identify and respond to incontinence, constipation, diarrhoea and urinary and faecal retention.
- Provide support with mobility and safety: Use appropriate risk assessment tools to determine the ongoing need for support and intervention, the level of independence and self-care that an individual can manage Use appropriate assessment tools to determine, manage and escalate the ongoing risk of falls Use a range of contemporary moving and handling techniques and mobility aids Use appropriate moving and handling equipment to support people with impaired mobility.
- Provide support with respiratory care: Manage the administration of oxygen using a range of routes and approaches Take and be able to identify normal peak flow and oximetry measurements Use appropriate nasal and oral suctioning techniques Manage inhalation, humidifier and nebuliser devices.
- Preventing and managing infection: Observe and respond rapidly to potential infection risks using best practice guidelines Use standard precautions protocols Use aseptic, non-touch techniques Use appropriate personal protection equipment Implement isolation procedures Use hand hygiene techniques Safely decontaminate equipment and environment Safely handle waste, laundry and sharps.
- Meeting needs for care and support at the end of life: Recognise and take immediate steps to respond appropriately to uncontrolled symptoms and signs of distress including pain, nausea, thirst, constipation, restlessness, agitation, anxiety and depression Review preferences and care priorities of the dying person and their family and carers, and ensure changes are communicated as appropriate Provide care for the deceased person and the bereaved respecting cultural requirements and protocols.
- Procedural competencies required for administering medicines safely: Continually assess people receiving care and their ongoing ability to self-administer their own medications. Know when and how to escalate any concerns Undertake accurate drug calculations for a range of medications Exercise professional accountability in ensuring the safe administration of medicines to those receiving care Administer medication via oral, topical and inhalation routes administer injections using subcutaneous and intramuscular routes and manage injection equipment Administer and monitor medications using enteral equipment Administer enemas and suppositories Manage and monitor effectiveness of symptom relief medication Recognise and respond to adverse or abnormal reactions to medications, and when and how to escalate any concerns Undertake safe storage transportation and disposal of medicinal products.
Desirable criteria
- Have insight into own strengths and development areas with respect to the trust’s values and behaviours
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- Emotional resilience
- Clear personal and interpersonal boundaries
- Able to deal with inter-related information and activities
- Excellent team player and ability to facilitate partnership working
- Motivated and committed to maintain and promote high standards of nursing care
- Ability to impart knowledge; supervise and direct the work of unregistered staff
- Ability to work under direction and using own initiative and work as a team member of a team
- Able to contribute to and support the assessment of patients’ needs
- Effective communication and positive inter personal skills
- Be aware of and maintain standards of organisational conduct
- Interest in personal and professional development
Desirable criteria
- Experience of receiving and providing clinical supervision
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Georgina Hyslop
- Job title
- Team Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
For more information or an informal discussion please contact Dusanka Cizmic, Lead Practitioner, by emailing [email protected], or Georgina Hyslop, Team Manager, by emailing [email protected] or phone 020 8483 2816.
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