NursingNetUK

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical 

• To be clinically able to undertake and direct high quality research based clinical nursing care , sharing expertise with the nursing team.
• Develop and maintain own competence in agreed basic and advanced clinical skills.
• Demonstrate clinical knowledge/expertise at the level of advance practice in field relevant to clinical speciality.
• To have excellent verbal and written communication skills so that professional advice or care guidance and instructions are well understood by patients , their relatives and/or carers and members of the multidisciplinary team.
• To manage clinical situations that may be challenging and distressing for junior staff , ensuring the needs of the child and family are paramount.
• To ensure effective patient flow through the department ensuring pathways and processes in place for safe discharge, transfer or admission. 
• Regularly check patient care documentation to see that all aspects of care have been considered, individual patients’ needs identified and that an appropriate plan made in relation to meeting the identified needs.
• Function as an effective role model in the clinical setting in demonstrating the application of breadth and depth of nursing knowledge and skills, and in advising and supporting members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Facilitate the professional development of other nurses working closely with the Clinical Practice Educators. Supports and mentors junior colleagues.
• To work collaboratively with infection control to monitor the ward environment in raising infection control and cleanliness standards.
• To work collaboratively with the senior medical and nursing teams to ensure that clinical governance processes at department level encompass measures to ensure the quality of the fundamental and essential aspects of care are met.

Managerial 

• To effectively manage the patient pathway within Paediatric ED including admission to the ward. 
• To ensure appropriate patient allocation taking into consideration skill mix and patient acuity.
• To promote staff wellbeing by ensuring breaks are managed in a timely way that ensures the nursing service is clinically safe at all times.
• Provide positive effective leadership and act a role model. Delegates appropriately , and empowers  staff to problem solve effectively with their daily clinical workloads.
• Facilitates and supports nurses in working collaboratively with all other members of the multi- disciplinary team.
• Adopts an appropriate management style in accordance with changing circumstances.
• Undertakes annual appraisal for nursing staff as requested by the Paediatric ED Matron. Ensuring that they have a Personal Development Plan, and to assist with the appraisal of other staff in liaison with the Paediatric ED Matron.
• To participate in nursing research and clinical audit where appropriate and directed by the Paediatric ED Matron.
• Promote excellent communications within the department  and multidisciplinary team and to be responsible for appropriate communication structures being in place.
• To promote a culture that anticipates and addresses any patient concerns before they become a complaint.
• To deputise for the Paediatric ED Matron in their absence.
• To meet regularly with the Paediatric ED Matron to discuss issues and developments relating to the ward. 
• To participate in the Trust clinical, professional and managerial meetings and committees relevant to the service.

Professional 

• To maintain and develop own professional knowledge and expertise to meet Revalidation and job requirements.
• To actively share knowledge and expertise and contribute to Trust as a clinical leader.
• To delegate appropriate areas of responsibilities to enhance individual’s level of practice and professional development.
• To reflect as a practitioner, learning from experience and to promote reflective practices within the department.
• To participate within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct at all times.
• To contribute of the profession within the Trust , participating in projects , committees and meetings as agreed.
• Has an annual appraisal and produces agreed performance objectives and a Personal Development Plan.
• Undertake in-house training as appropriate

Educational 

• Act as a role model to junior nurses and students rotating to the area.
• To ensure that all supervisors, mentors, and/or preceptors of learners provide adequate support and supervision.
• To have undertaken a recognised assessor training and participate in the formal assessment of learner nurses.
• To foster an environment conducive to learning, enquiry, and research that is linked to the trust’s research strategy.

Health, Safety & Security:

• Work with team members to ensure maintenance of a clean and safe environment that is conducive to therapeutic and ethical practice.
• Be accountable for and ensure own competence in practice.
• Promote nursing practice and care delivery in line with relevant research and evidence base and with reference to trust policies and guidelines.
• Identify potential risks for all staff, patients and visitors, take action as required and adhere to relevant incident reporting procedures. 
• Ensure the safe custody and administration of drugs in accordance with local and Trust policy and legal requirements.
• Handle and dispose of all body fluids in accordance with universal precautions

Provision of Care to Meet Health and Wellbeing Needs:

• Act as an advocate for the patient and their families, providing them with information and directing them to the relevant support services where appropriate.
• Respect people’s dignity, wishes and beliefs; involve them in shared decision-making and obtain their consent before undertaking nursing procedures.
• Ensure that treatments prescribed by the medical staff are carried out, and that multidisciplinary team members are informed of changes in the patient’s condition. 
• Ensure safe and timely transfer of patients in accordance with ASPH policy.
• Ensure safe discharge of patients in accordance with ASPH Discharge Policy

General responsibilities

• The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and well-being and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
• To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues. 
• To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of ASPH Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations. 
• To support the department and organisation by carrying out any other duties that reasonably fit within the broad scope of a job of this grade and type of work.

For further information about this post, please contact: Rebecca Sedgwick, Unit Manager PED