Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose

- To assess, plan, implement, evaluate and provide high quality nursing care.

- To work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

- Communicate effectively with patients, carers, relatives and all members of the multidisciplinary team.

- To manage caseload of patients within defined clinical area.

- Maintain and develop high standards of care.

- Take on responsibility for personal development and support the development and supervision of others by developing and maintaining specialist knowledge pertaining to theatres.

- Contribute towards the continuing development of professional practice in the clinical area

- Conduct oneself in a professional manner and be a role model to less experienced/non-registered and new staff at all times.

- Work proactively to ensure that every patient attendance meets the patient’s expectations and needs with timely undertaking of procedure and effective communication with relatives, patients and carers.

- To supervise and teach junior members of staff and learners as required, and maintain own personal development with support.

- To support the senior members of staff in the management and supervision of the defined clinical area.

Patient Care

 - Demonstrate and promote a patient and family centred style of clinical practice.

- To be responsible for the organization of own caseload and appropriately delegate to support workers or other staff members in order to ensure effective time management. To assist the team in the day to day running of the clinical area.

- To communicate with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to aid effective patient care, which will include taking an active role in team meetings and specialist interest group meetings. Either working alone or as part of the multi-disciplinary team, to make recommendations for appropriate and timely discharge/transfer from hospital.

- Respond to emergency situations with composure, maintaining patient safety and seeking immediate support, supporting the patient, family and other staff as required.

- To communicate effectively with patients and carers for potentially complex, sensitive or distressing information; in order to provide patient centred care, to encourage self-management. Patients may have communication, perceptual or cognitive/understanding difficulties.

- To maintain clear, accurate and concise patient records in line with departmental and professional standards and include relevant outcome measures.

- Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality at all times.

- To administer medication and treatment within Procedure for Ordering, Prescribing and Administration of Medication Guidelines.

 Professional Practice

- Ensure clinical practice is evidence based or peer reviewed “best practice”.

- Develop and maintain clinical skills and knowledge necessary to deliver an evidence-based service

- With supervision and assistance take on increased responsibility recognising own limitations and seeking help appropriately.

- Be competent in the use of all Trust IT systems including the use of electronic patient record and email.

- Maintain regular use of emails to keep abreast of information disseminated in the Trust.

- Adhere to the NMC/HCPC Code of Conduct at all times and operate within the NMC/HCPC scope of professional practice.

- Demonstrate own awareness and understanding of accountability, responsibility and duty of care and work towards the provision of support and education for less experienced and non-registered staff on the implications for practice.

Leadership and Management

- Comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures e.g. Health and safety at Work Act (1974), Manual handling, Clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times. This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in the care of GHNHSFT and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters.

- In conjunction with the manager, identify training needs of self, participating in clinical audit and quality projects which contribute to the departmental education programme.

- Report near misses and untoward incidents, complaints, clinical emergencies, injury or medicine administration errors as detailed in the departmental and Trust protocols. Assist lead staff in investigating incidents as required.

- Maintain and contribute to the development of standards of practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction with lead staff.

- Ensure a smart, professional image that enhances the public perception of the Trust and the professionalism of its staff is portrayed.

Education and Training

- Be actively involved in and support departmental education programmes.

- To consolidate and learn new skills and competencies to provide holistic care. To develop clinical reasoning and treatment techniques through the active participation in training and development. To consolidate knowledge and skills learned through this process with the direction of senior staff.

- To participate in the supervision, caseload monitoring and clinical education of student nurses and less experienced staff with support of senior staff, as required. Providing support, guidance, training, and assessing and evaluating competence, in order to fulfil clinical governance requirements and retain a skilled workforce.

- Develop the skills to supervise, mentor, support and educate less experienced and non-registered staff in the clinical practice setting.

- Undertake all mandatory training.

- Demonstrate a commitment to research-based practice and clinical excellence and play an active part in the introduction of research-based change to improve patient centred care.

Most Challenging Part of the Job

- Ability to work under pressure and effective time management.

- Dealing with difficult situations/people.

- Consolidation of training and development of clinical skills.

- 24 hour on-call for theatres.

Physical Effort and Working Conditions

- Will be required to work within recognised manual Handling guidelines.

- Will be required to work standing for long periods (up to 1-2 hours per procedure).

- Act as scrub nurse for procedures covering 8-10 patients per session, each procedure lasting 10-15mins.

- May be expected to frequently manoeuvre patients/objects over 15kgs. Using appropriate aids for short period of time.

- Will have exposure to unpleasant working conditions and will be required to follow Policies and Procedures pertaining to bodily fluid, infection control and COSHH regulations.

- Ability to work where the work pattern may be unpredictable, but a requirement for concentration is essential.

- Will be required to work across theatres and the day unit.