Job summary
Employer heading
Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Nurse
Band 5
Job overview
Temporary Fixed Term Contract for 9 months (37.5 hours per week)
We're seeking an energetic nurse with a minimum of 2 years' post-registration experience, with a keen interest in infection management, to join our Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) team for a 9-month period covering maternity leave.
The OPAT Nurse will play a vital role in delivering nursing care for our expanding OPAT service. Collaborating closely with consultant microbiologists, three OPAT specialist nurses, and nursing teams in the Clinical Investigation Units and LSCFT district nursing teams.
Main duties of the job
As a Band 5 Nurse, you'll serve as a key liaison for OPAT patients, offering guidance, facilitating communication, and managing patient transitions into the OPAT service, as well as providing training and support to patients and carers undertaking Self OPAT. Strong communication, practical, and IT skills are essential for this role.
The OPAT nurse will be expected to rotate between our Preston and Chorley sites according to service needs. For more information or to arrange an informal visit, please contact us.
Working for our organisation
Working with us will give you opportunities to deepen your understanding of antimicrobial stewardship principles, empowering you to apply them in practice and contribute to the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
· You will be work in a supportive learning environment with personalised mentoring and a culture of open communication.
There will be abundant learning opportunities to acquire new skills such as venepuncture, cannulation, central line care, IV infusion pumps, wound dressings, and sutures/clips removal, among others. We offer family-friendly hours with weekends off and there is a shuttle bus service that operates between RPH & CDH sites.
The Band 5 OPAT nurse will also collaborate closely with District Nursing Teams caring for Home OPAT patients, serving as a key contact for queries, troubleshooting, and providing training and support in patients' homes when necessary. Occasional community domiciliary work will be required; thus, a full driving license is essential. This aspect of the role will foster networking skills and provide valuable experience for future endeavours.
Whether you're currently in primary or secondary care, join us to rejuvenate and elevate your skills and knowledge to a high standard.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The OPAT Band 5 Nurse will work closely to support the Band 7 & Band 6 Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), and the Microbiologists.
The Band 5 Nurse will work as a key worker to the OPAT patients providing information, enabling communication and coordinating discharges of patients to the OPAT service and their ongoing care. They will also provide training, practical and emotional support to patients and carers undertaking Self OPAT.
The Band 5 OPAT nurse will act as a key contact for the District Nursing Teams caring for Home OPAT patients to deal with queries, assist with troubleshooting and to provide training and support, in the patient’s own home when necessary.
The Band 5 OPAT nurse will work within the OPAT multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to provide a cohesive patient-centred nursing service in antimicrobial therapy.
The Band 5 Nurse will respond to actual and potential health problems appropriately. The role ensures the provision of excellent care with compassion; working with patients receiving out-patient antibiotics; developing a culture of patient self-management; allowing patients to develop responsibility for managing their own condition; and providing support across service boundaries.
You will be responsible for delivering and evaluating the personalised health and wellbeing care needs of patients, in line with the Trust’s Values & Nursing & Midwifery Professional Framework goals, for example: vital signs and EWS, early recognition and management of acutely ill patients, venepuncture, cannulation, care of central lines, use of IV infusion pumps, wound dressings, removal of sutures/clips, and psychological and spiritual support.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Appropriate NMC Registration
- Diploma or Degree in Nursing
- Knowledge of current best practice guidelines for OPAT
Desirable criteria
- Degree
- Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
- Commitment to ongoing Education / Training
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Post registration experience at Band 5 or above in an acute setting
- Knowledge of clinical governance and safeguarding
- Experience/competence in ANTT
- Experience/competence in management of intravenous access devices including PICC, midline, portacath& hickman lines
- Confidence and competence with IT systems relevant to work role including Microsoft Office - (Word, Power-Point, Excel, Teams)
- Experience/competence in MDLO
- Highly skilled & competent in IV additives
- Confidence/competence in phlebotomy & cannulation
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of relevant policies and procedures
- Experience of implementing changes to benefit patients and improve nursing practice
- Experience as a MDLO cascade trainer
- Experience as a BLS cascade trainer
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills (with patients and other healthcare professionals) Able to document observations, results, decisions and actions etc effectively in patient notes, IT systems and communicate these effectively to appropriate members of the multidisciplinary team.
- Able to obtain and evaluate information to aid decision making with support from the Band 6/7 specialist nurse or microbiologists
- Able to work as part of a team but independently when required
- Confident in wound dressings/stitch removal under direction of B6/7
- Ability to prioritise
- Good time management skills
- Commitment to develop mentorship skills and training of others
- Organisation and negotiation skills
- Demonstrates awareness of research-based practice.
Desirable criteria
- Lead others in change management
- Good teaching skills
- Experience of mentorship and ability to identify learning and development need
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
- Joanne Orton
- Job title
- Lead OPAT Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01772 52105
- Additional information
[email protected] Band 6 OPAT CNS- 01772 522105
Dr Muir (Consultant Microbiologist, OPAT Lead) on 01772 522113 or [email protected]
List jobs with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Nursing and Midwifery