Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist - Dermatology

Job responsibilities

Job responsibilities:

1. Communication:

Establishes effective working relationships with other health care professionals whose role impinges on the service e.g. nurses, doctors, GPs, social services, community care teams,

Communicates effectively with patients, family and carer using a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools to assess their needs and provide/facilitate relevant support information education advice and counselling where necessary.

Demonstrates advocacy and mediation skills when communicating between patients, carers and professionals.

To actively promote patient self-management where possible through education.

Facilitate, and chair, multi professional meetings relating to dermatology management

Work alongside the Directorate of Nursing and Chief Pharmacist in developing Patient Group Directives relating to dermatology management

Ensures accurate documentation of patient interactions are maintained.

Ensures statistical information is collated on new patient referrals and accrued workloads and any other data that the department requires, if not collected centrally.

Participates in the development of relevant patient & professional documentation within the clinical speciality.

Ensures accurate documentation of patient interactions are maintained.

Ensures statistical information is collated on new patient referrals and accrued workloads and any other data that the department requires, if not collected centrally.

Participates in the development of relevant patient & professional documentation within the clinical speciality.

2. Clinical Duties:

Leads practice development/improvements initiatives related to local/regional nursing agenda.

Controls and manages own caseload accepting referrals from medical & nursing staff and discharges patients as appropriate, ensuring patients complete care pathways appropriately and in accordance with Government guidelines & targets.

Accepts and makes referrals from and to other professionals as necessary.

Demonstrates specialist knowledge and shares this with others to positively influence patient care.

Improve and maintain standards of care with the speciality.

Provides specialist advice and education for patients and relatives/carers.

Develops education programmes for patients/carers to promote their understanding and evolve strategies for self-management.

Acts as an advisor on professional and clinical issues in all matters relating to patient care to health care workers within the Trust and Primary care if required, providing support, where specific medical advice is not required.

Communicate very sensitive condition related information to patients, family and carers, requiring high levels of empathy and reassure, using advanced communication skills.

Acts as patients advocate where relevant.

Acts as a point of contact for the patients and their families for advice and support.

To be a nurse prescriber providing nurse led clinics.

To undertake independent nurse prescribing for own caseload within the limits of the postholders competence and the requirements of the nurse practitioner role.

Undertake supervised referrals to regional and national centres for specialised interventional assessment and pain management programmes.

Challenge poor practice and inappropriate interventions in relation to pain management.

Lead the Dermatology Service nursing team acting as role model, advisor, supervisor and teacher.

3. Governance:

Identifies the need for service developments to improve clinical effectiveness and efficiency.

Participates in the development and implementation of Trust-wide policies, clinical guidelines and protocols necessary to support the delivery of dermatology care.

Leads on departmental audit program and evaluation of practice for nursing.

Uses patient feedback to identify potential improvement in clinical practice and develops measures to address these.

Identify new ways of working to improve patient experience.

Leads on establishing, facilitating and evaluating nurse led initiatives.

4. Leadership and management:

Leads on the co-ordination of the dermatology nursing team roster ensuring the service is maintained.

Leads in the introduction of new products/equipment within the service related to dermatology nursing care.

Ensures that annual appraisals take place.

To work with HR as required on recruitment and staffing issues.

Ensures sickness, capability and grievance for the department is dealt with.

Ensures that policies protocols and guidelines within the department are written/amended as required.

Prioritises own workload and manages time effectively, when working alone or in collaboration with others.

Operates autonomously at an advanced level of clinical practice to provide research based expert care and advice to all colleagues.

Demonstrates professional leadership behaviours acting as a positive role model for other staff.

Identifies risk within the sphere of responsibility and plans, implements and evaluates strategies to reduce and manage the risk.

Identifies and utilises adequate professional and lay resources or facilities at local and national level.

Responsible for identifying and facilitating service development with the Senior Operational Manager and the Dermatologists.

Assesses training and education needs based on feedback from audit, identification of poor practice, complaints, national guidelines etc.

Carries out formal/informal teaching on aspects of dermatological care to all staff groups within the Trust and Community if required.

Provides patient and carer education and health promotion by raising awareness of illness related issues.

Act as an education resource or signpost for all disciplines on neurological issues during working hours.

Education & Qualifications

Essential

• 1st level NMC Registered Nurse
• Masters qualification
• Independent nurse prescribing course
• ENB 998/equivalent

Desirable

• Management leadership qualification
• Intermediate life support course

Experience & Knowledge

Essential

• Minimum of 8 years post registration experience, 3 years within dermatology management at a senior level
• Expert knowledge of dermatological conditions
• Evidence of leading policy and practice development
• Effective multi-professional working at Trust level
• Research experience
• Effective multi-professional working at Trust level
• Record of publications and / or external presentations
• Evidence of leading the development of educational programmes within clinical practice and teaching under and post graduate staff
• On going professional development & its relevant application to practice
• Development & evaluation of evidence-based practice
• Evidence of initiating and leading clinical audit projects across professional boundaries
• Evidence of leading the development of service developments
• Evidence of developing policies & protocols in dermatology management
• Risk management

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Effective people management and leadership skills
• Ability to initiate, sustain and evaluate change relating to speciality.
• Ability to manage a clinical caseload without direct supervision and supervise the clinical caseloads of other CNSs within speciality.
• Ability to assess, diagnose, recommend and evaluate appropriate treatment for dermatological conditions.
• Effective communicator - ability to communicate highly complex and sensitive information.
• Expert written, and verbal, communication and presentation skills across multi professional boundaries.
• Ability to record, analyse and interpret information and make recommendations.
• Ability to lead clinical audit projects relating to dermatological management across professional boundaries.
• Ability to assimilate information & resolve multi-factorial problems.
• Ability to develop Trust wide training & education programmes at under and post graduate level.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Sound negotiation and influencing skills across multi professional boundaries.
• Ability to think strategically & to participate in service development.
• Computer literate.
• Ability to use complex clinical equipment.

Personal qualities

Essential

• Ability to act independently and delegate appropriately
• Expert role model
• Demonstrate commitment to quality service provision and patient focused care
• Willingness to learn new skills

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).