Critical Care Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

Participate in ensuring effective multidisciplinary communication links both upwards and downwards within Critical Care (ICU/HDU) and the rest of the Trust. This involves all staff members, relatives and patients.

Attend Team Away-days/Unit meetings in order to communicate and discuss issues with senior members of staff.

Adhere to NMC guidelines on documentation; accountability and responsibility for accurate, professional record keeping either on paper and/ or the electronic system.

Display competent use of; Trust e-mail, CIS message centre (where applicable), visitors intercom system and telephone.

Responsible for effective shift handovers ensuring relevant detail is communicated and identifies and challenges any unprofessional or subjective comments made about patients.

Involvement in complex patient case conferences when discussing future treatments for patients which could involve withdrawal of treatment in situations of poor prognosis.

Support families on a 1:1 basis using knowledge, experience and skill to explain complicated medical conditions. Provide adequate and appropriate information and education, whilst ensuring this information is understood.

Provide and receive highly complex information on clinical conditions which could be sensitive and occasionally contentious. Information given to patients and relatives could involve breaking bad news and may result in conflict with relatives understanding of the critically ill patient. E.g., communicating withdrawal of treatment, deterioration in condition, or sudden death. This must be done with great tact and skill.

Ability to guide relatives through withdrawal of treatment, tissue / organ donation in conjunction with relevant personnel e.g., Trust Donation Nurse Specialist, Transplant Co-ordinator, Trust personnel available for distressed / bereaved relatives.

Recognition of poor standards of care among MDT. Ability to highlight these to appropriate personnel, at an appropriate time, and in an appropriate manner.

Acknowledges the nature and progression of the critically ill patient, and the subsequent cognitive impairment of these patients, can recognise barriers to understanding by communicating verbal and written information, clearly, sensitively and diplomatically, ensuring that information is understood whilst displaying underpinning knowledge.

To initiate and take part in complex patient 'case conferences' when discussing future treatments for patients which can involve 'withdrawal of treatment' in situation of 'poor prognosis'.

To participate in mortality and morbidity meetings

To be responsible for accurate, appropriate and efficient communication between your team and in support / conjunction with Team Leader.

Person Specification

Meet essential Criteria

Essential

• Experience as a band 5 in critical care with an ICU course
• NMC Registration
• Mentorship

Desirable

• Experience in Neuro surgery
• Evidence of Quality improvement

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Essential

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Level 7 LMB critical care

Brighton

BN2 5BE

Employer's website

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