Job summary
Diabetes Specialist Nurse (DSN)
90 hours /WTE 2.4
Band 6 ( consider Band 5 developmental post)
Fixed Term 1 Year
We are looking for enthusiastic nurses with experience in diabetes to join our innovative consultant led multi-disciplinary, Diabetes team at Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation Trust (GHFT). Inpatient and outpatient services are based at Cheltenham General Hospital and Gloucester Royal Hospital.
The demand upon the Diabetes service continues to expand in line with the increasing number of people with diabetes nationally. To meet this need we are recruiting into our established team to ensure we are able to provide a high standard of diabetes care and support to our new and existing patients
GHFT is an established Insulin Pump Centre and we also deliver a joint Antenatal /Diabetes service as well as Adolescent Transition care and support.
We deliver a range of education programs to patients, carers and NHS colleagues in secondary and primary care.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate would be expected to work within the skilled team of Diabetes Specialist Nurses providing care for In-patients and Outpatients with Diabetes across both Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospital sites.
The role will also include delivering education sessions to patients and their carers/ relatives, ward nurses and health care assistants and liaising with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure timely and safe discharge for patients with diabetes.
As a nurse working within a specialist team, you will hold NMC registration (RN). Experience in diabetes management is essential in this post to be able to support the implementation of changes in practice.
The successful candidate will be required to:
- Work autonomously and as part of a team to deliver Diabetes services to both inpatients and outpatients.
- Manage/support a caseload of patients.
- Ensure patients and their families are fully informed and supported by providing clinical care and timely follow-ups to enable empowerment and independence.
- Demonstrate evidence based practice in line with current research and guidelines
- Communicate effectively within the specialty team to ensure cohesive multidisciplinary patient care management
- Deliver and support education to junior doctors, nursing staff, healthcare assistants and other AHPs as required.
Be able to work across the county supporting clinics within community hospitals.
About us
You will be working as part of an established multidisciplinary team that includes Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSNs), Diabetes Dietitians, Diabetes consultants, and Diabetes podiatrists.
We are also creating an Endocrine Specialty ward at Gloucester Royal Hospital which will have a focus on managing patients with diabetes.
We will offer opportunities for development in clinical skills and pathways within secondary care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job purpose
- To ensure safe, harm free care is delivered to patients with diabetes as an outpatient and supporting in-patients from admission to discharge and manage appropriate referrals to and from the Diabetes outpatient nursing team for ongoing support.
- Provide education and training to all staff, in-patients, families and carers in regard to all aspects of diabetes care and management.
- Would consider Band 5 looking to upskill and work through competency package.
Patient care
- To use clinical reasoning skills and techniques to assess, diagnose, plan and offer a range of treatment options; deliver, evaluate and amend the treatment plan, to make recommendations for appropriate and timely management in an outpatient and inpatient setting. Supporting admission to and discharge/transfer from hospital.
- To communicate effectively and actively participate in Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings to aid patient care, joint treatment sessions, case conferences and specialist interest group meetings.
- To communicate effectively with patients and carers, potentially complex, sensitive or distressing information in order to provide patient centred care. Patients may have communication, perceptual or cognitive/understanding difficulties/disability.
- To maintain clear, accurate, concise and contemporaneous patient records in line with departmental and professional standards and include relevant outcome measures.
- To encourage self-management, maximise rehabilitation potential and to ensure understanding of medication, diabetes as a life-long diagnosis, long term management of their condition, blood glucose & possible complications.
- Identify patients who attend frequently due to their diabetes and provide care/education/involvement of community team to reduce their attendance as appropriate and management plan with the wider diabetes team.
- Provide input to wards and departments, ensuring that patients are on appropriate care pathways and are receiving efficient timely care in order to accelerate a safe discharge from hospital when required.
- Manage a caseload of countywide outpatients through clinic attendances, including the administrative activities including dictating letters, organising patients follow up appointments
- Provide advice on insulin therapy to both staff and patients as per the departments protocols for in-patients/ out patients. If the post holder has a prescribing qualification this area may include prescribing following appropriate training and assessment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job purpose
- To ensure safe, harm free care is delivered to patients with diabetes as an outpatient and supporting in-patients from admission to discharge and manage appropriate referrals to and from the Diabetes outpatient nursing team for ongoing support.
- Provide education and training to all staff, in-patients, families and carers in regard to all aspects of diabetes care and management.
- Would consider Band 5 looking to upskill and work through competency package.
Patient care
- To use clinical reasoning skills and techniques to assess, diagnose, plan and offer a range of treatment options; deliver, evaluate and amend the treatment plan, to make recommendations for appropriate and timely management in an outpatient and inpatient setting. Supporting admission to and discharge/transfer from hospital.
- To communicate effectively and actively participate in Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings to aid patient care, joint treatment sessions, case conferences and specialist interest group meetings.
- To communicate effectively with patients and carers, potentially complex, sensitive or distressing information in order to provide patient centred care. Patients may have communication, perceptual or cognitive/understanding difficulties/disability.
- To maintain clear, accurate, concise and contemporaneous patient records in line with departmental and professional standards and include relevant outcome measures.
- To encourage self-management, maximise rehabilitation potential and to ensure understanding of medication, diabetes as a life-long diagnosis, long term management of their condition, blood glucose & possible complications.
- Identify patients who attend frequently due to their diabetes and provide care/education/involvement of community team to reduce their attendance as appropriate and management plan with the wider diabetes team.
- Provide input to wards and departments, ensuring that patients are on appropriate care pathways and are receiving efficient timely care in order to accelerate a safe discharge from hospital when required.
- Manage a caseload of countywide outpatients through clinic attendances, including the administrative activities including dictating letters, organising patients follow up appointments
- Provide advice on insulin therapy to both staff and patients as per the departments protocols for in-patients/ out patients. If the post holder has a prescribing qualification this area may include prescribing following appropriate training and assessment.
Person Specification
Qualifications / Knowledge
Essential
- Registered Nurse with the Nursing Midwifery Council with substantial post registration.
- Diabetes Nursing Qualification or willingness to attain e.g. Certificate in Diabetes Care or equivalent.
- Recognised Teaching and Assessing for Nurses Qualification.
- Enhanced knowledge and experience of working within a diabetes speciality.
- To be or willing to become a non-medical prescriber.
- Knowledge of the Diabetes NSF, NICE recommendations and Diabetes UK/Think Glucose campaign and national JBDS guidelines
- To undergo and actively participate in own performance appraisals
- To comply with professional codes of practice including re -validation, professional guidelines and departmental policies
- Enhanced IT skills in order to support electronic caseload management
- To achieve a range of clinical competencies as required fulfilling the role.
- A person who is able to be flexible, self-motivated and forward thinking.
- Ability to switch between different activities and unpredictable demands to prevent hospital admissions and accelerate hospital discharges.
- An ability to demonstrate an awareness of the current professional, political and cultural climate.
Desirable
- Non-Medical Prescriber
- Appropriate experience of working within a diabetes speciality.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Dexterity and accuracy pertaining to clinical skills.
Person Specification
Qualifications / Knowledge
Essential
- Registered Nurse with the Nursing Midwifery Council with substantial post registration.
- Diabetes Nursing Qualification or willingness to attain e.g. Certificate in Diabetes Care or equivalent.
- Recognised Teaching and Assessing for Nurses Qualification.
- Enhanced knowledge and experience of working within a diabetes speciality.
- To be or willing to become a non-medical prescriber.
- Knowledge of the Diabetes NSF, NICE recommendations and Diabetes UK/Think Glucose campaign and national JBDS guidelines
- To undergo and actively participate in own performance appraisals
- To comply with professional codes of practice including re -validation, professional guidelines and departmental policies
- Enhanced IT skills in order to support electronic caseload management
- To achieve a range of clinical competencies as required fulfilling the role.
- A person who is able to be flexible, self-motivated and forward thinking.
- Ability to switch between different activities and unpredictable demands to prevent hospital admissions and accelerate hospital discharges.
- An ability to demonstrate an awareness of the current professional, political and cultural climate.
Desirable
- Non-Medical Prescriber
- Appropriate experience of working within a diabetes speciality.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Dexterity and accuracy pertaining to clinical 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.
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).
Additional information
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).
