Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
To continually develop clinical expertise and act as a positive role model promoting a high standard of care to fulfil the Nightingale House mission statement and aims.
To deliver evidence based care to patients and their carers in line with their physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs.
To promote and maintain continuity of high standards of nursing care in the absence of the person with continuing responsibility.
To be responsible following induction period for the assessment of care needs, the planning, delivery and evaluation of care; and to offer supervision and support to junior staff in the clinical area.
Provide supervision and guidance to junior staff as appropriate and required within role and responsibility.
To work at all times in line with the NMC code of conduct and duty of candour requirements.
Key Relationships
Nursing team
Medical team and Advanced Nurse Practitioners
Hospice Allied Health Professionals
Rehabilitation Team
Family Services Team
Day Services Team
Heart Failure CNS
All Hospice departments
Specialist Palliative care team community and acute
Primary and community care teams
Note:
The hospice encourages and supports staff aiming to develop knowledge and skills working within a specialist area of clinical practice.
Clinical
Work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team to provide holistic person centred care, integrating nursing care with psychosocial and spiritual needs.
Assist with initial and on-going assessment of patient and family needs and develop skills as a named nurse.
Act as an associate nurse to plan, initiate, supervise and participate in patient and family care, discussing issues with senior team members as appropriate.
Evaluate and up-date nursing care plans in response to the changing problems/needs of patients and families.
Monitor nursing practice, encouraging development of colleagues through discussion of current and proposed care plans.
At all times maintain appropriate and adequate records of your work.
Maintain effective communication with patients and families throughout their contact with the hospice; providing when necessary: -
Telephone support and advice
Access to nursing/medical staff for conditional information or future planning.
Information and access to allied professionals.
Bereavement support and access to follow-up support.
In discussion with the Head of Clinical and Patient Services and Ward Manager, identify an area of special clinical interest in which to develop additional knowledge and skills to act as a link nurse for the rest of the team.
As necessary or required develop awareness and experience working on the unit during night shifts and also within other services across the hospice i.e. heart failure, family support, days services and rehabilitation, to extend knowledge and skills in this specialist setting.
Participate and gain confidence and experience leading patient case reviews and team meetings.
Actively participate in all aspects of the patient experience of hospice care from initial assessment and admission through to discharge planning and placement.
Work at all times within the policies and guidelines required/appropriate to your role.
Management:
1. Take responsibility for the management of the in-patient unit team when required in the absence of more senior grade staff, following the principles identified in the Mission Statement and aims of Nightingale House Hospice.
2. Liaise with multi-professional agencies within the hospice, primary care, community and hospital to provide continuity of patient care.
3. Be responsible for maintaining high standards of nursing care, when in charge of the team and unit, and help create and maintain positive relationships between all groups involved in the welfare/care of patients.
4. Be responsible for the co-ordinating of all activities when in charge of the team supported by the Ward Manager and Head of Clinical and Patient Services.
5. Ensure the promotion of safety, well-being and the interests of the patients, staff and visitors to the in-patient unit as directed in the hospice guidelines, policies and procedures.
6. At all times follow, the Code of Professional conduct to ensure that all staff within their sphere of responsibility also follow professional requirements.
Education and Development
1. Identify own learning objectives and attend relevant study/shadowing opportunities following discussion with line manager/nurse management team.
2. Maintain records of supported study and provide evaluation of study attended, (for inclusion in personal file).
3. Adhere to NMC revalidation requirements at all times.
4. Participate in feedback to colleagues throughout the hospice regarding study days attended and potential service improvement opportunities.
5. Actively participate in personal development review (PDR) and objective setting at initial 6 month review meeting and subsequent PDR meetings with line manager/senior nurse.
6. Develop and maintain up to date knowledge of relevant hospice policies and the impact they have on individual practitioners including: -
Fire policy
Moving and handling policy
Health and Safety Policy
Confidentiality Policy
Complaints Policy
Audit and Research
- Be aware of and disseminate to colleagues current best practice knowledge as appropriate to role.
- Work in partnership with Practice Development Nurse to develop appropriate tools to monitor effectiveness of services /area of special interest in care provision at Nightingale House Hospice.
- Participate or if appropriate lead in the completion of service audits in an appropriate and timely manner and feedback to colleagues.
Clinical Governance
- The post holder will cooperate with other team members to maintain compliance with relevant elements of the clinical governance framework.
- Risk management
- Service user participation
- Staff and Staff Management
- Continuing Professional Development:
- Information Management:
- Clinical Effectiveness & Audit:
General Requirements
This post is subject to the Terms and Conditions of employment of the Hospice as specified in the staff handbook
Health Practitioner
As an individual working within a health care environment you are expected to maintain high standards of care and practice as required in professional guidelines and relevant codes of conduct.
Competence You are responsible for limiting your actions to those that you feel competent to undertake. If you have any doubts about your competence during the course of your duties you should immediately speak to your line manager / supervisor.
Risk Management
It is a standard element of the role and responsibility of all staff of the Hospice that they fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards.
It is a requirement that you adhere to Nightingale House Hospice Policies, Procedures, Protocols and guidelines at all times.
Health and Safety Requirements of the Hospice
All employees of the Hospice have a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. Employees are required to co-operate with management to enable the Hospice to meet its own legal duties and to report any hazardous situations or defective equipment.
Data Protection and Confidentiality
The post holder must treat all information, whether corporate, staff or patient information, in a discreet, secure and confidential manner in accordance with the provisions of the current data protection legislation and organisational policy. Any breach of such confidentiality is considered a serious disciplinary offence, which is liable to dismissal and / or prosecution under statutory legislation and the hospices disciplinary policy. This duty of confidence continues after the post holder leaves the organisation.
Records Management
As an employee of the hospice, the post holder is legally responsible for all records that they gather, create or use as part of their work within the organisation (including patient health, staff health or injury, financial, personal and administrative), whether paper based or on computer. The post holder should consult the IG Lead if they have any doubt as to the correct management of records with which they work.
Professional Reputation
All employees are expected to behave at all times in a manner which upholds and promotes the professional reputation of the hospice.
This job description is an outline of the role and function. It is not intended to describe all specific tasks.
