Community Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

TITLE OF POST: Community Nurse

RESPONSIBLE TO: Community Team Leader

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Head of Care

LOCATION: You will be based at the hospice at North Anston and will be required to care for children across the hospice catchment area within their homes.

JOB PURPOSE: To provide and ensure a high standard of holistic care to children and young people with life limiting and life-threatening conditions alongside the family both within the hospice and in the community.

To support the delivery of flexible and responsive home-based care for children and young people. This is inclusive of short breaks, respite care, urgent care, and end of life support.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

CLINICAL:

· Assess, plan, evaluate and deliver high quality nursing care to meet the diverse and individual needs of children, young people and their families.

· Work with other team members to ensure that plans of care are carried out to the agreed standard and are evidence based.

· Identify and escalate significant changes in a child/young person’s condition or well-being, outside area of competence.

· Deliver prescribed end of life care, evaluating child/young person’s presentations/observations and utilising evidence based resources contribute to clinical reassessment.

· Deliver post death care and support to the wider family

· Establish professional relationships with children, young people and their families and members of the multi-disciplinary team, including showing empathy and understanding when communicating complex information where they may be barriers to understanding

· Record accurately using relevant systems.

· Represent Bluebell Wood at external multi-disciplinary meetings presenting the needs of the child/young person and the offer of Bluebell Wood’s service, professionally and effectively.

· Promote working relationships within Bluebell Wood and with service users and families.

· Work flexibly to meet the needs of the service.

· Have up to date knowledge of safeguarding procedures and support referral processes.

· Use clinical knowledge and expertise in deciding appropriate administration of drugs, route to be administered and doses of the drug, within a set of prescribed defined parameters.

· Undertake initial nurse assessment of new referrals received at Bluebell Wood, present outcome from assessment at referral and assessment panel

· To work closely with the Transition Coordinator to identify the transition needs of young adults and their individual bespoke support needs

· Support the development of Advanced Care Plans

· To communicate with children, parent and carers, utilising empathetic or reassurance skills during episodes of crisis, acute illness or deterioration.

· To communicate effectively utilising developed negotiation skills with children, their families and others, where they may be barriers to understanding

· To work in collaboration with other professionals from both health and other agencies

LEADERSHIP:

· Lead in the delivery of direct care to a child/young person receiving short break support, ensuring good use of resources and facilities available.

· Be accountable for and supervise the practice of Support Workers.

· Share good practice in order to improve standards of care.

· Learn from the team’s wider range of skills and expertise, offering development opportunities.

· Assist other team members to deliver evidence based clinical care, and be a positive role model.

GOVERNANCE:

· Ensure a consistent approach to all aspects of care delivery by following guidelines. policies and prescribed care, recommending changes to advance practice.

· Report all incidents/accidents and near misses in line with reporting procedures to facilitate change and improvements.

· To contribute to the development of policies and procedures and to propose policy or service changes and recommendations to decision makers as needed

· Maintain confidentiality of children, families, and staff at all times

PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

· Develop and maintain palliative care knowledge and skills across a range of procedures and practices including medicines management

· To actively participate in own regular appraisal process and be responsible for own professional development, including identification of own individual needs and professional development needs, and plan to achieve these

· Actively participate in a research and evidence-based culture

· Develop and maintain an awareness of evidence-based practice and current developments in children’s palliative care and the implications these may have for the delivery of care

· Maintain professional development by keeping up to date with current research and developments within the field of palliative care and in accordance with continuing professional development requirements

· Comply with the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) ‘The Code’ (NMC, 2015, updated 2018)

· Maintain a high standard of conduct and physical appearance to retain public confidence.

· Maintain confidentiality of children, families, and staff at all times

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

· Attend staff development programmes, including all mandatory training and eLearning as required

· Take an active role in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee and to be responsible for setting and agreeing a personal development plan with your line manager

· Ensure personal and professional development through reflective practice and peer supervision

SAFEGUARDING

· Compliance with hospice and Local Safeguarding Children’s Board policies, procedures, and practice

· To follow hospice policy regarding the management of safeguarding concerns

· Communicating and escalating concerns over a child in need of protection or a child in need of support to safeguarding lead, child protection teams or other statutory partners or agencies

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

· Promote equality, diversity, and rights of all, including children, young people and their families, and staff

· Actively promote the consultation of children, young people and families and encouraging their involvement and participation in decision-making

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

· Ensure that your professional conduct within and outside of the hospice does not conflict with professional expectations

· Maintain and always promote confidentiality and ensure the data protection framework is met

· Maintain standards to reduce the risk of Healthcare associated infections

· Lead and guide staff, providing the support needed to maintain morale and enable them to work effectively

· Support appropriate staff learning and development within the team

GENERAL

All Bluebell Wood employees are required to:

· Abide by the Health & Safety at Work Act

· Adhere to policy and procedures around safeguarding children and young adults.

· Respect confidentiality applying to all Hospice areas.

· Work within Hospice policies and procedures

· Comply with the Hospice no smoking policy.

· Participate in and contribute to team meetings.

· Co-operate and liaise with colleagues.

· Always behave in a professional manner, reflecting and maintaining the values and ethos of Bluebell Wood

All Bluebell Wood employees are expected to:

· Demonstrate a commitment to their own development, to take advantage of education and training opportunities and develop their own competence.

· Support and encourage harmonious internal and external working relationships.

· Make a positive contribution to fundraising and raising the profile of the Hospice.

This job description is not exhaustive. It will be subject to periodic review and may be amended following discussion between the post-holder and employer.

Date of issue: June 2021

Review date: June 2022

Person Specification

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge and skills in technical nursing, e.g. tracheostomy, gastrostomy care, ventilation
• Knowledge of the disabled child/ill child/young person with a life shortening condition
• Evidence of continued professional development.
• Ability to work quickly and accurately in, very stressful, situations to provide highly skilled nursing care
• Able to work with a high degree of autonomy. Ability to adapt to different care scenarios and environments
• Ability to support a caseload, skills in collaboration and liaison with others and comprehensive care planning skills
• Able to plan own work and demonstrates prioritisation and organisational skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of bereavement and complicated grief
• Extensive knowledge/expertise of the issues relating to caring for children and young people within a variety of settings
• Assessment & diagnostic skills

Other

Essential

• Legally entitled to work in this country
• Ability to be flexible in relation to working patterns
• Full driving licence with access to a reliable vehicle and business insurance cover
• Able to travel extensively to meet the needs of all our children, young people and their families

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Confident and assertive
• Cheerful and positive outlook and attitude
• A good negotiator and communicator

Qualifications

Essential

• NMC Nursing Registration (Childrens Nurse), plus evidence of recent professional development

Desirable

• Degree/Diploma in palliative care or related area

Experience

Essential

• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working
• Community experience

Desirable

• Experience in a variety of settings, to include palliative care
• Experience of providing training for staff / others
• Experience of short break services
• Experience of symptom control/ management in palliative care
• Experience of using end of life care pathways and delivering bespoke care to support preferred place of death

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice

Address

Cramfit Road

North Anston

Sheffield

S25 4AJ

Employer's website

https://www.bluebellwood.org/ (Opens in a new tab)