Job responsibilities
Utilise highly
competent nursing skills to provide expert care of patients and their families
and carers.
The post holder is
expected to carry out all relevant forms of care without direct supervision and
to supervise, where necessary, more junior nursing staff.
The post will
involve day, night and weekend shifts.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Clinical
Assess, plan and
provide skilled, high quality, evidence-based nursing care for patients with
palliative care needs, including the terminal phase, and support the family
prior to and immediately after death.
Anticipate and
respond to changing patient needs whilst maintaining their independence,
privacy and dignity.
Critically assess
clinical situations, interpret information, prioritise needs and plan
appropriate care.
Work with all
disciplines involved in the total care of patients and their families,
integrating physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs.
Explore emotional
issues including the insight of the patient and family regarding diagnosis,
prognosis and preferred place of care and death.
Ensure the safe delivery,
storage, administration and documentation of drugs in accordance with the St.
Michaels Hospice Medicines Management Policy and the NMC Code.
Complete accurate and timely documentation relating to
patient care and help to develop and improve nursing documentation within the
team.
Assess the information required by the patient and
family/carers. Produce and use appropriate formats to ensure optimum
understanding of identified holistic care needs.
Enable the patient and family/carers to participate in the planning of
care, where appropriate. Assist with teaching and provide support in
preparation for all palliative care treatment needs.
Support and respond to the needs of the Multi Disciplinary
Team by imparting knowledge of the treatment and nursing care for patients.
Learning and Development
Maintain awareness of current medical advances and research
and use educational opportunities to achieve the highest standards of
specialist palliative care.
Participate in creating and supporting a positive learning
environment for student nurses, other qualified staff and support workers and
assist in the assessment of their competencies.
Proactively participate in your Continued Professional
Development (CPD) and ensure that a professional portfolio is kept and updated
in accordance with NMC recommendations.
Participate in educational programmes and specifically
attend teaching identified to meet your development aims and objectives.
Positively commit to annual staff appraisals and regular
performance / competencies reviews to ensure personal professional development.
Engage in reflective practice and assessment of professional
competencies.
Undertake all statutory and mandatory training, as required.
Management and Leadership
Maintain a skilled nursing presence so as to facilitate a
team approach for nursing interventions and Multi Disciplinary Team
working.
Promote professional standards of behaviour and ensure all
staff are aware of their personal accountability and responsibilities.
Act as a mentor, provide support and encourage a learning
environment to new and junior staff and student nurses.
Follow all St. Michaels Hospice policies and procedures and
collaborate with the Multi Disciplinary Team to ensure that these are followed
and observed at all times.
Work closely with the multidisciplinary team to ensure that
the highest clinical standards of care are achieved.
Participate in audits as directed.
Promote a safe clinical environment for all patients, visitors,
and staff.
Professional
Work to maintain the values, vision and aims of St.
Michaels Hospice.
Ensure personal registration with the Nursing and Midwifery
Council (NMC) is maintained and up to date.
Follow and observe the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and
Scope of Professional Practice.
Be responsible for developing self-awareness through
reflective practice, demonstrating a commitment to disseminating information
and sharing experiences.
Contribute to a climate where team members openly discuss
and challenge standards of individual practice and where decision making can be
ratified as a team.
Take responsibility for day to day monitoring of risks,
incidents, accidents and near misses in order to minimise risk to patients,
families, carers, visitors and staff.
Practice and promote patient confidentiality at all times.
Demonstrate efficient time management and a flexible
attitude to working patterns.
Work flexibly to provide a 24 hour, 7 day a week service for
patients.
Work within the limits of your own competency and
responsibility and refer areas that are outside of your competency to the nurse
in charge.
Treat everyone with respect and dignity.
Communication
Communicate respectfully in an open, accurate,
straightforward and confidential way with colleagues across the organisation.
Communicate any urgent or sensitive matters to your line
manager or escalate to the appropriate level.
Proactively share information to identify and reduce risk to
patients and staff.
Keep clear and accurate written clinical records which are
timely and identify any risk or problems that have arisen with details on
responses taken.
Display a good level of competency in using computer
software for record keeping, report writing and communicating.
General responsibilities
Respect and support all colleagues.
Maintain a professional, friendly and
positive influence.
Be aware how your behaviour can affect
and influence the behaviour of other people.
Ensure care for your health, safety and
welfare and that of other people who may be affected by your actions or
missions. These responsibilities apply at all times whilst you are at work or
on duty and apply to all hospice premises and whilst working in the community
or in patients homes.
Adhere and promote the Infection
Prevention and Control Policies in place and ensure the key responsibilities
are followed at all times.
Additional Duties In discussion with the Director
of Nursing, undertake work, as and when required, in support of St. Michaels
Hospice as an organisation.
Public Relations Represent St. Michaels Hospice
in the community and public domain as appropriate.
Be conversant with and adhere to St. Michaels
Hospice Policies and Procedures.
This is an outline job description and
may be subject to change, according to the needs of the service, in
consultation with the post holder.
This
job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time, due to the needs of the
service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent
with your role and banding, including project work, internal job
rotation and absence cover.
