Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Palliative Care - Hospice

Job responsibilities

Job Title: Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Palliative Care 

Reports to: Consultant Nurse 

Location: The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House, Hillington PE31 6BH

Salary 8A (plus on call enhancements) 

Hours of Work: Up to 37.5 hours pw. Part time (minimum of 22½ hours per week) or job share would be considered. 

Annual Leave: 25 days (increasing to 27 after 5 years and 31 after 9 years FTE) + public holidays

Job Summary

This exciting role will provide the post holder with the opportunity to work with a dynamic and rapidly expanding organisation. The post holder will join our growing senior multidisciplinary team to support specialist palliative care to patients and their families across our Hospice services.

The Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) will act as an expert practitioner and role model which encompasses the four pillars of advanced practice: - clinical practice - leadership and management - education – research.

Key Responsibilities:

· To autonomously manage a complex clinical caseload of patients living with serious, advanced, life-limiting conditions including cancer, respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological conditions, multimorbidity and frailty

· To provide a level of advanced and comprehensive assessment of patients’ holistic needs, including physical assessment and carer assessment, based on a specialist body of knowledge and experience

· To create, deliver and engage the integrated clinical team in support and care plans tailored to each individuals’ priorities and goals, including advance care planning

· To be a non-medical prescriber.

· To be a source of expert clinical advice and support within the Integrated Clinical Team, contributing to professional development, clinical governance, education and training, research and audit

· To work in collaboration with clinical Leads to lead service development projects and engage the Integrated Clinical Team in systems and processes to include patient care

· To participate in the clinical On Call Rota.

Key Responsibilities:

· To provide specialist palliative care to patients, within the hospice outpatient clinics, inpatient unit and community setting.

· To undertake in-depth holistic assessments of patients with palliative care needs, regardless of their diagnosis and plan care to meet patient outcomes.

· To provide information, advice, psychological and spiritual care to patients, their families and carers, liaising and referring on as necessary to appropriate healthcare professionals in the hospice, hospital and community

· To visit patients and families when a specialist consultation is needed or see patients in a clinic or the inpatient unit where appropriate.

· To attend and participate in multi-disciplinary palliative care meetings around patient care management, and present patients at the community MDT.

· Provide a rapid response service for patients needing urgent specialist care.

· To represent the hospice and patients at meetings, as required

· To maintain and promote effective and efficient working and communication with all involved in the patient, to ensure appropriate sharing of information

· To provide support and expertise to other professionals, as required, acting as a role model and a resource providing expert knowledge and support.

· To comply with relevant drug policies, including Non-Medical Prescribing and legislation concerning drugs and administration

· To be accessible and approachable by staff, patients and the public to ensure that open and honest communication channels are created and sustained.

· Ensure effective, reactive and timely triage and assessment of new referrals.

· Support the patient with Advance Care Planning including discussion/completion of the Respect Document

· To administer drugs in accordance with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Guidance NMC Standards for the Administration of Medicines.

· To comply with Hospice policies, standards, guidelines and procedures. To understand the obligation to comply with/acknowledge external stakeholder policies.

· Report any safeguarding concerns via appropriate channels and encourage others to do so if appropriate.

Communication

· Utilise and demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment.

· Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating.

· Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication.

· Act as an advocate for patients.

Delivering a quality service

· Prioritise, organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality.

· Participate in quality assurance audits and safety processes across the organisation and its activities.

· Participate in shared learning across the service and wider organisation.

· Assess the impact of policy implementation on care delivery.

· Understand and apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and abused adults and be aware of statutory vulnerable patient’s health procedures and local guidance.

Team working

· Understand own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time.

· Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working.

· Delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence.

· Create clear referral mechanisms to meet patient needs.

· Prioritise own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team.

· Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery.

· Discuss, highlight and work with the team to create opportunities to improve patient care.

· Manage and lead on the delivery of specifically identified services or projects as agreed with the management team.

· Actively participate in MDT meetings to ensure sharing of information between professionals in a timely manner.

Management of risk

· Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients.

· Monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.

· Participate in mandatory and statutory training requirements.

· Apply infection control measures within the service according to local and national guidelines.

· Interpret national strategies and policies into local implementation strategies that are aligned to the values and culture of General Practice and care homes.

Managing information

· Use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in planning, implementation and monitoring of care, presenting and communicating information.

· Understand responsibility of self and others to the Freedom and Information Act.

· Develop and maintain a mechanism and process for data capture that will evidence successful service delivery.

· Collate, analyse and present clinical data and information to the team.

Learning and development

· Undertake mentorship for wider team members.

· Disseminate learning and information gained to other team members to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments (e.g., courses and conferences).

· Actively participate in annual reviews in order to identify own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate.

· Provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning.

· Undertake and participate in clinical supervision sessions with the clinical lead.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check

· This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order (as amended) and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Equality and diversity

· Identify patterns of discrimination and take action to overcome this and promote diversity and equality of opportunity.

· Enable others to promote equality and diversity in a non-discriminatory culture.

· Support people who need assistance in exercising their rights.

· Monitor and evaluate adherence to local chaperoning policies.

· Act as a role model in the observance of equality and diversity good practice.

· Accept the rights of individuals to choose their care providers, participate in care and refuse care.

· Assist patients from marginalised groups to access quality care.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience in palliative care
• Symptom control management, theory and practice e.g. syringe drivers
• Ability to lead change and lead new ways of working
• Ability to encourage change in others and foster a collaborative approach within a multi-disciplinary team
• Demonstrate an effective level of management of self and evidence of effective time management
• Proven teaching experience
• Able to present and receive complex information within the multi professional team
• Demonstrate negotiation and influencing skills
• Assertiveness skills and the ability to deal with conflict
• Evidence of the ability to teach groups and individuals

Desirable

• Project Management
• Service Development
• Working in the community and in the patients own home
• Advanced communication course

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered practitioner with current registration
• Educated to degree level with postgraduate education in Palliative Care
• Independent non-medical prescriber
• Clinical Assessment Skills

Desirable

• Educationalist qualification or proven teaching experience.
• Educated to Masters level, or working towards, in palliative care or a similar related qualification

SKILLS APTITUDE & ABILITIES

Essential

• Good IT skills
• Good presentation skills
• Awareness of national and regional developments in palliative and end of life care
• Effective communicator
• Motivator of self and others
• Supervise, educate and develop others
• Team player who can initiate delegate and complete projects
• Ability to develop and populate high level project plans
• Ability to prioritise work and deliver to tight deadlines
• Line management experience

Desirable

• To have the ability to work single handed with individuals and groups within a supportive environment.
• Be able to identify Staff strengths and weaknesses and act accordingly

Other

Essential

• Full UK driving licence
• Access to own transport.
• Ability to work flexible hours
• Provide out of hours cover on a rota basis

DISPOSITION / ATTITUDE / MOTIVATION

Essential

• To have the ability to work without supervision.
• To have the ability of problem solving.
• To have a co-operative nature and be able to get on well within a multidisciplinary team.
• Able to work well within a busy environment.

Desirable

• To have interest in lifelong learning.

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).