Job responsibilities
SCOPE AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
The CNS role is a member of the wider hospice team and is required to:
Operate in line
with the hospice values and principles.
Practice within
the NMC Code and HPC code of practice and adheres to all relevant professional,
legal and regulatory guidelines.
Develop role
within the Scope of Professional Practice and guidance on advanced practice.
Assume
responsibility for own professional development and update and maintain own
clinical skills as required for the role, working in partnership with Head of
Department, Medical Director and wider organisation.
Provide a
visible clinical profile, having both an advisory and clinical input into
patient care.
Provide
specialist advice and support to patients and carers.
Acts as a role
model professionally and behaviorally.
Work
with the multi-professional team and clinical/non clinical services team to
promote learning.
Work in
partnership with all allied Health professionals, to support and enhance
patient care.
KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITY
Work in partnership with the
medical team to set, implement and monitor standards of patient care in line
with the philosophy and principles of palliative care.
Work
as part of a Specialist Palliative Care Team, demonstrating expert clinical
leadership and practice.
Carry
out a high standard of clinical assessment using emerging advanced practice
knowledge and skills, increasingly determining/providing clinical management
plans treatment and interventions including prescribing where appropriate.
Maintain
clinical records in line with hospice and NMC guidance.
Develop
with supervised training, advanced clinical judgment to plan, implement and
evaluate care for patients with complex palliative needs in the community
setting.
Anticipate
problems and risks and take action before crises arise.
Liaise
with the multi-disciplinary team and inpatient services where to facilitate
effective discharge planning
As an
independent prescriber, prescribe safely in accordance with local policies,
national standards and formularies relating to independent prescribing.
Acquire
and maintain knowledge and skills to influence the setting of practice
standards, and to participate in the monitoring of standards, to ensure best
practice and the delivery of evidence based and cost effective care, monitoring
and reviewing care plans.
Contribute to the development and
delivery of the hospice core business strategy.
Provide
a
source
of expertise to
all health care practitioners,
including
undertaking joint assessments as required
with members of the wider MDT.
Identify clinical issues and incidents within the specialty that may affect the quality of palliative care services.
KEY
PERFORMANCE AREAS
In order to meet the objectives the post holder will have
responsibilities in four main areas of work:
1. Clinical
2. Managerial
3. Teaching
4. Research.
CLINICAL
Provide clinical excellence and
leadership in palliative care, acting as a role model and resource for other
staff
Assess, diagnose, plan and
implement programs of evidence based care and treatment for patients with the
support of the medical team.
Admit, refer and discharge
patients in accordance with hospice policy and procedures.
Provide specialist advice and
support to patients and carers.
Provide a visible clinical
profile, having both an advisory and clinical input into patient care thus
providing support to the multi-disciplinary team and facilitating the clinical
development of registered nurses, health care assistants, other members of the
multi-professional team and students on placement.
As an independent and supplementary
prescriber, follow all Non-Medical Prescribing Policy and Procedures.
Encourage and participate in
practice development utilising research and evidence based findings.
Promote a multi-professional
approach to care facilitating effective communication and co-operation within
and beyond hospice departments.
Review the outcomes of treatment and
care in conjunction with other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
Ensure safe custody and
administration of drugs in accordance with good practice, hospice policies and
procedures, Nursing and Midwifery Council and regulatory and legal
requirements.
Maintain
links with other NMP Palliative Care Specialists in order to share or learn
from examples of good practice.
Develop/maintain
skills to critically evaluate relevant research findings to influence current
and future practice.
MANAGERIAL / LEADERSHIP
Support the operational day to day
running of the team including for example the scheduled huddle and referral
screening meetings
Facilitate and participate in
case-load management and oversight, liaising with the hospice medical staff/community
consultant and ensuring auditing of case load
Attend, and participate in,
appropriate management meetings and other relevant committees as required.
Demonstrate vision to develop the
services.
Seek opportunities to lead and
support quality initiatives, auditing practice and reviewing quality.
Work within the guidelines laid
down by the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Code of Professional Conduct.
Maintain current registration and
revalidation with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Lead and monitor new service developments
in keeping with organisational strategy and priorities.
Access clinical supervision and
study for own practice in keeping with individual and service development
plans
Manage
own time and work effectively to meet the objectives, skills and competencies
required for the role.
Develop
as a proactive member as part of the senior clinical team in ensuring the
totality of hospice skills are used to best effect to ensure appropriate and
timely responses for patients.
TEACHING
Create/promote a learning
environment by maximising teaching/learning opportunities for all nursing/care
staff.
Participate in education programs
within and outside the hospice as required.
Participate
in formal and informal reviews of palliative care.
To be
aware of ones own continuous professional development needs and maintain an
annual personal development plan.
Develop
knowledge and skills to act as a resource and advisor in relation to Palliative
Care Management for Community Trust colleagues, GPs and hospital Trust, care
home staff.
RESEARCH
Assist staff in developing their
skills in the understanding and use of research to inform practice.
Ensure all clinical decisions are
evidence based and to assist staff in bridging the theory/practice gap.
Develop
further knowledge and understanding of audit and research processes and
demonstrate this by application to the delivery of high quality, clinically
effective care in practice.
Lead
on audits and evaluation of work that may be required to develop and improve
palliative/end of life care with particular emphasis on prescribing, medicines
management and symptom control.
COMMUNICATION AND KEY WORKING
RELATIONSHIPS
Medical
Director
Clinical Services Director
Heads of Departments
CNS Team (Hospital and Community)
Consultants in Palliative Medicine
Team Leaders/Allied Health
Professionals across hospice departments
Multi Professional Team
EXTERNAL
Ensures effective network working relationships
and communication
with Nursing/ AHP
colleagues and relevant organisations, primary
care, cancer network and other
hospices.
General Practitioners.
District Nurses.
PROFESSIONAL
Be
aware of professional responsibilities for maintaining own competence and
compliance with all policies, standards and guidelines related to role and
advanced practice.
Be responsible for maintaining a personal awareness of
professional developments in nursing in general but particularly in palliative
care.
Undertake relevant further personal education and development
necessary to performing the role.
Be available for professional advice and career development for
other practitioners.
STATUTORY DUTIES
Ensure the security of information accessed in the course of your
duties ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act, Caldicott principles
and information governance best practice guidance
Report any hazards or incidents in accordance with the Health
Safety and Risk Management Policy and procedures
Comply with the East Lancashire Hospice no smoking policy in all
hospice premises and grounds
Be responsible for maintaining own vaccinations including
Hepatitis B immunity (as applicable)
Ensure that infection control measures are followed in relation to
your role
Work at all times to safeguard the
rights of individuals promoting their wellbeing and protecting those at risk
from harm, acting on any concerns related to safeguarding children and adults
at risk in line with policy and local guidance
Work at all times to respect
peoples individuality, rights and diversity to ensure equality
