Frailty Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Clinical

Delivery of the evidence based expert clinical care exercising a high degree of professional autonomy, demonstrating the ability to make sound decisions based on the knowledge and experience.

Holistic individual consultation of patients using a range of different assessment methods including medical history taking, physical assessment, clinical investigations and risk stratifications tools, all of these appropriate to the presentation within the boundaries of the role.

Order and interpret investigations, laboratory tests, appropriate imaging, and act on results as appropriate.

Reach a valid, reliable, and comprehensive conclusion based on the history and clinical findings.

Initiate drug therapy/medication within the parameters of agreed clinical guidelines and in accordance with present legislation supply and prescribing of medicines.

Communicate with patients in ways that empowers them to make informed choices about their health and healthcare.

Actively implement and manage, evidence based therapeutic programmes, which are in the interest of patient and improve health outcomes.

Work in partnership with other clinical teams making appropriate referrals to optimise health outcomes and resources.

In partnership with patients, clients and other professions, make sounds decision which are ethically based in the interest of patients and clients in the absence of precedents and protocols.

Provide specialist knowledge, advice, resource information and support to clinical staff across the trust.

2. Service & Practice improvement

Promote the improvement of quality and clinical effectiveness within the resource constraints.

Develop practices that are appropriate to patient and service need thought understanding the wider implications of epidemiological, demographic, social, political, legislative, and professional trends and developments.

Identify the need for change and proactively generate practice innovations to implement solutions to better meet the needs of patient and the service.

Develop and undertake activities to monitor the progress and efficiency of the service and owns practice.

Continually assess and monitor risk in their own and others practice and challenge others if necessary.

Critically appraise and synthesise the outcomes of relevant research, evaluations and audits, and apply the information when seeking to improve practice.

3. Management and Leadership

Contribute to the development of the specialist service and act as a change agent and facilitate the change process whilst encouraging other to be innovative and adaptable in the approach to change.

Work across professional, organisational and system boundaries to proactively develop and sustain new partnerships and networks to influence and improve health, outcomes, and healthcare delivery systems.

Review and update documentation and policies specially required by the team.

To be conversant with all the relevant Trust policies and procedures and ensure they are correctly implemented.

Lead the team in establishing and maintaining effective communication channels with the multi-disciplinary team, patients and their carers and external agencies.

To work collaboratively with representatives of other clinical areas, disciplines and services to provide a seamless pathway of care.

Coordinate, lead and manage the activities of clinics on a day to day basis.

Assisting with the investigation of complaints and lead on the development of action plans to address areas of concern.

Participate in the recruitment, selection and retention of staff.

To represent the Trust on National forums related to the role and Advanced Clinical Practice.

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

4. Information management

Adhere to confidentiality at all times with sensitive personal data.

Responsible for the systematic monitoring of investigations and appointments, in collaboration with administration and managerial staff.

Ensure compliance with care pathways and service development.

Provide reports of the statistics, service and practice developments when required.

Provide high standards of documentation in accordance with the Trust documentation policy.

5. Education and training

To participate in teaching programmes for nursing in the care of patients relevant to frailty and care of older adults.

To exhibit a personal commitment to clinical education and development. Work in collaborations with others to plan and deliver interventions to meet the learning and development needs of their own and other professions.

Raise awareness of the current local, regional, national and international perspectives in clinical specialities.

Provide training and educations opportunities within the team, the Trust, local and national areas.

6. Audit and research

Contribute/assist in the development of multidisciplinary research and clinical audit in frailty, implementing effective and evidence-based practice

Develop research skills and provide support and appropriate implementation strategies for changes in clinical practice.

Participate and contribute to any on-going regional and national research to evaluate the effectiveness of care strategies related to the patient experience within emergency and unscheduled care.

To share best practice; through publications and attendance/presentation opportunities at conference level

7. Resource Management

To apply sound financial evaluation to proposed service developments.

Maintain accurate records in relation to equipment used and maintained by the frailty and ED teams.

6. Risk Management

To ensure that systems are in place to manage, reduce and prevent clinical risk to self and others within the RDC department.

To monitor incidents highlighted by members of the emergency team and communicate to appropriate areas to address risk issues.

Promote best practice in health & safety, utilising unit and Trust policies

Post holder will be based in the Emergency Department and will work closely with the Frailty team and ED team

Person Specification

Registered Nurse

Essential

• 2 years or more at Band 7 in an acute NHS setting
• ACP qualification
• Experience in Frailty specialism
• Non Medical prescriber or working towards qualification

Desirable

• MSC
• Non Medical Prescriber
• Advanced clinical assessment course

Presentation at interview

Essential

• Advanced Clinical Practitioner qualification
• 5 years or more expereince in an acute NHS setting (2 at B7)
• Proven experience in frailty

Desirable

• Non Medical Prescriber
• MSC
• Research and teaching experience

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

Lewisham Hospital

Lewisham Hospital

London

SE13 6LH

Employer's website

https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)