Job overview

The Palatine Ward is a joint collaboration between the haematology and transplant service and the teenage and young adult (TYA) service, providing high quality care for adult patients with haematological malignancies and TYA (16-24 year old) patients with all types of cancers. We also treat paediatric patients receiving radioiodine treatment. 

We are a 31 bedded ward - all rooms are en-suite side rooms - with specialist HEPA side rooms for isolating severely immunocompromised patients. We also have a specialist room for the treatment of patients undergoing radioiodine radiotherapy. We give established evidence-based specialist treatments including chemotherapy and immunotherapy. We are JACIE accredited and regularly carry out autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants and provide exciting new treatments such as CAR T-cell therapy, all supported by a comprehensive and thorough training process, inclusive of UKONS certificate for the delivery of Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT) and care of patients receiving SACT. Our Clinical Practice Facilitator team (CPF) are here to support you for your education and development needs and you will be fully supported during your orientation program and beyond. The Christie is also very research active, so we have the opportunity to support patients on clinical trials. We believe in team work on The Palatine Ward. 

Main duties of the job

A nurse on The Palatine Ward will deliver care to a team of patients by monitoring them closely, performing clinical observations and fluid balance, escalating concerns to the Acute Oncology Outreach team, senior colleagues, the shift coordinator and the medical team. The role will include the administration of multiple lines of medications via all routes and monitoring the effects on patients. There will be training and develop opportunities provided to ensure the nurse becomes competent in accessing central lines such as Hickman lines/PICC lines and in the delivery of SACT – whether this be oral, sub-cut, IV infusion or bolus administration. As the role develops the nurse would be expected to undertake the exciting role of stem cell re-infusion and CAR T-cell administration – these interventions are preceded by a strict conditioning process which the nurse will be responsible to oversee and administer whilst on shift. 

At The Christie we have a large specialist Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) who all strive to provide Gold Standard care to our patients, it will be within the role of the staff nurse to independently liaise with these key MDT members to maintain excellent care provision.

A vested interest in Haematology and TYA Oncology is essential. We will invest in their development with a period of supernumerary practice, a comprehensive inhouse training package, support from the CPF team and ongoing peer support and coaching from a preceptor/allocated team member. 

Working for our organisation

The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.

We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.

We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.