Job summary
Do you have a nursing experience within a palliative care or comparable setting?
Do you want to develop your ward management skills into a specialist role and be part of a pro-active multi-disciplinary and professional team, who put excellent patient care as their priority?
Do you have a passion for working collaboratively in an environment of thriving on positive change and making a difference to those with palliative and end of life care needs?
Are you passionate about supporting and empowering patients to live well until their very last moment in their life?
- Through holistic needs assessment
- Providing individually planned care informed by patient wishes
- Supporting patients and their families/carers to have open and honest conversations about their wishes for end of life care
If so, then the role of Ward Sister at Pilgrims may be just the job for you!
Main duties of the job
We are seeking well-motivated and forward thinking professionals to join our multi-disciplinary team, in supporting patients across east Kent.
As a member of the wider clinical team, the successful candidate will be involved in assessing and developing appropriate plans of intervention and support for patients and their families, acting as a resource in providing advice on active palliative care management.
As the Ward Sister, you will be responsible for assisting in the leadership of the IPU, providing high standards of safe and evidence based specialist palliative care.
Key duties include:
- Acting as a role model and maintaining high clinical profile within the multi-professional
team.
- Providing clinical leadership for the nursing team, and create a supportive environment in which patient and family focused specialist palliative care can flourish
- Taking a proactive approach to effective admission and discharge planning, ensuring continuity of care for patients
- Providing advice and guidance related to symptom management
- Recognising and appropriately responding to changes in patients conditions
- Actively contributing to service development
- Being involved in the supervision and education of other health professionals
- Making recommendations for the development of and changes to working practices and processes as required
About us
As an award-winning employer, Pilgrims provides end of life care services to patients and their families across east Kent.
Our commitment is to provide open, compassionate care and expertise for patients and their families – both in the community and in-patient units.
Our Vision
“Of a community where people with a terminal illness, and their family and friends, are supported and empowered to live well in mind and body until the very last moment of their life”.
Other Benefits
As an Employer of Choice, our commitment to supporting our employees and volunteers is a key priority.
Our hospices offer:
- Modern, friendly and highly professional working environments
- Opportunities for professional development through a range of extensive learning
- Alignment with NHS pay rates and continuity in membership of the NHS pension scheme
- A sense of achievement in supporting a worthwhile cause
- A sense of wellbeing
- A good work-life balance
- NHS and financial discounts i.e. Blue Light Card
This advert will be closed once sufficient applications have been received. This can happen quickly, so if you’re interested, please apply as soon as possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Purpose and Scope of the Role:
The post holder is responsible for assisting in leading the nursing team on the in-patient unit in the delivery of the highest standards of safe, clinically competent, evidence based specialist palliative care. They will be a senior member of the multi-professional team and will act as a resource and role model. ________________________________________________________________
POSITION IN ORGANISATION
Reports to: IPU Senior Ward Sister
Line Manager for:Inpatient unit Registered Nurses and Health Care Assistants
Band: 6
Location: The post is ward based at our Canterbury hospice, however you may be required to travel between sites
Clinical Responsibilities and Management:
- Act as a role model, maintaining a high clinical profile in the multi-professional team and demonstrating the ability to critically assess clinical situations in any setting, interpret complex information, prioritise needs and coordinate appropriate care
- Provide clinical leadership for the nursing team and create a supportive environment in which patient and family focused specialist palliative care can flourish
- Co-ordinate the day to day management of the clinical area and management of risk, supporting clinical colleagues and ensuring patient needs are met in a safe, effective and timely manner
- Take a proactive approach to effective admission and discharge planning, ensuring continuity of care for patients
Finance / Resource Management
- Ensure that inpatient unit patient equipment is used and maintained in a safe and serviceable condition and that faults are reported promptly.
- Monitor the use of flexi bank and additional hours, being mindful of keeping within the agreed budget and highlighting excess use to the Senior Ward Sister for Inpatient Services
Audit, Research and Policy Development
- Initiates and undertakes audit projects to inform standards of practice and instigates and participates in research, disseminating findings into practice
- Works in partnership with staff in clinical practice to increase the utilization and dissemination of research and supports them to deliver audit outcomes and action plans
Education / Training / Teaching / Policy Implementation
- Create a learning environment for all staff, providing mentorship, clinical supervision and training opportunities through sharing and imparting specialist palliative care knowledge and skills.
- Ensures that own knowledge is up to date, undertaking all required statutory and mandatory training and attending workshops and training courses as agreed at appraisal for the benefit of continued professional development, to learn new skills and increase knowledge to benefit patient care
Administration
- The post holder will be responsible for the safe documentation and storage of valuables, donations and cash from patients, relatives and the public in accordance with Hospice policy and procedure.
- In accordance with NMC documentation guidelines maintains and records contemporaneous notes for all patient care provided using the electronic patient management system in place within Pilgrims Hospice.
Information
- Contribute to multiprofessional meetings, present structured and appropriate patient information verbally and for the purpose of maintaining a comprehensive electronic clinical record.
- Maintain continuity of patient care through accurate electronic and written documentation, including the use of IT patient management systems, ensuring that patient confidentiality is maintained and information governance procedures are adhered to.
Communication
- The post holder will act as a role model for effective communication skills and will be approachable, reliable and supportive. They will use advanced communication skills to engage in open, focused discussions with other members of the multiprofessional team, patients, families and the general public.
Personal / Professional Development
- The post holder will attend all training and development courses identified through the appraisal process and will also take an active role in maintaining their own personal development plan.
Please refer to the Job Description for further information on the role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Purpose and Scope of the Role:
The post holder is responsible for assisting in leading the nursing team on the in-patient unit in the delivery of the highest standards of safe, clinically competent, evidence based specialist palliative care. They will be a senior member of the multi-professional team and will act as a resource and role model. ________________________________________________________________
POSITION IN ORGANISATION
Reports to: IPU Senior Ward Sister
Line Manager for:Inpatient unit Registered Nurses and Health Care Assistants
Band: 6
Location: The post is ward based at our Canterbury hospice, however you may be required to travel between sites
Clinical Responsibilities and Management:
- Act as a role model, maintaining a high clinical profile in the multi-professional team and demonstrating the ability to critically assess clinical situations in any setting, interpret complex information, prioritise needs and coordinate appropriate care
- Provide clinical leadership for the nursing team and create a supportive environment in which patient and family focused specialist palliative care can flourish
- Co-ordinate the day to day management of the clinical area and management of risk, supporting clinical colleagues and ensuring patient needs are met in a safe, effective and timely manner
- Take a proactive approach to effective admission and discharge planning, ensuring continuity of care for patients
Finance / Resource Management
- Ensure that inpatient unit patient equipment is used and maintained in a safe and serviceable condition and that faults are reported promptly.
- Monitor the use of flexi bank and additional hours, being mindful of keeping within the agreed budget and highlighting excess use to the Senior Ward Sister for Inpatient Services
Audit, Research and Policy Development
- Initiates and undertakes audit projects to inform standards of practice and instigates and participates in research, disseminating findings into practice
- Works in partnership with staff in clinical practice to increase the utilization and dissemination of research and supports them to deliver audit outcomes and action plans
Education / Training / Teaching / Policy Implementation
- Create a learning environment for all staff, providing mentorship, clinical supervision and training opportunities through sharing and imparting specialist palliative care knowledge and skills.
- Ensures that own knowledge is up to date, undertaking all required statutory and mandatory training and attending workshops and training courses as agreed at appraisal for the benefit of continued professional development, to learn new skills and increase knowledge to benefit patient care
Administration
- The post holder will be responsible for the safe documentation and storage of valuables, donations and cash from patients, relatives and the public in accordance with Hospice policy and procedure.
- In accordance with NMC documentation guidelines maintains and records contemporaneous notes for all patient care provided using the electronic patient management system in place within Pilgrims Hospice.
Information
- Contribute to multiprofessional meetings, present structured and appropriate patient information verbally and for the purpose of maintaining a comprehensive electronic clinical record.
- Maintain continuity of patient care through accurate electronic and written documentation, including the use of IT patient management systems, ensuring that patient confidentiality is maintained and information governance procedures are adhered to.
Communication
- The post holder will act as a role model for effective communication skills and will be approachable, reliable and supportive. They will use advanced communication skills to engage in open, focused discussions with other members of the multiprofessional team, patients, families and the general public.
Personal / Professional Development
- The post holder will attend all training and development courses identified through the appraisal process and will also take an active role in maintaining their own personal development plan.
Please refer to the Job Description for further information on the role.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- At least four years post basic registration experience which includes at least two years in an appropriate field of practice caring for patients on end of life pathways.
- Experienced in use of the common IT software in the workplace.
- Experience of productive multi and interdisciplinary work that serves patients best interests.
- Experience of informal and formal teaching / effectively imparting skills to other multiprofessional colleagues.
Desirable
- Previous leadership/ ward management experience .
- Previous experience of being involved in change projects that improve the patient experience.
Qualifications
Essential
- 1st level Registered General Nurse
- Degree or Diploma in nursing / palliative care or associated clinical field or willingness to work towards a degree
- Undertaken mentorship training
Desirable
- Advanced Communication Skills training
- Hold a relevant teaching qualification
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- At least four years post basic registration experience which includes at least two years in an appropriate field of practice caring for patients on end of life pathways.
- Experienced in use of the common IT software in the workplace.
- Experience of productive multi and interdisciplinary work that serves patients best interests.
- Experience of informal and formal teaching / effectively imparting skills to other multiprofessional colleagues.
Desirable
- Previous leadership/ ward management experience .
- Previous experience of being involved in change projects that improve the patient experience.
Qualifications
Essential
- 1st level Registered General Nurse
- Degree or Diploma in nursing / palliative care or associated clinical field or willingness to work towards a degree
- Undertaken mentorship training
Desirable
- Advanced Communication Skills training
- Hold a relevant teaching qualification
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).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
