Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit CNS

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To provide, maintain and develop the specialist Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit in collaboration with the responsible consultants and the multidisciplinary team.

To provide compassionate specialist advice and clinical care for women and their families experiencing early pregnancy complications, in partnership with other specialised services to facilitate a collaborative approach to patient care.

To have a key role in the development of specialist education, training, research and audit relating to early pregnancy.

Provide effective leadership and to act as a good role model, as well as to liaise with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and co-ordinate all aspects of care in the best interests of the patient and family

To supervise junior staff and to teach qualified and unqualified staff as appropriate

Key Duties:

Professional/Clinical Leadership

Provide clinical expertise and the delivery of compassionate patient care in accordance with NMC code and Trust/Unit policies and procedures

To lead the EPAU, providing support and information to patients suffering miscarriage and other early pregnancy complications

Be a contact/resource for GPs and other healthcare professionals

To support both medical and nursing staff in the delivery of quality care

To act as a role model to all staff

To provide a high level of clinical expertise and leadership in the unit, ensuring best practice accordance with national guidelines

To discuss with the senior colleagues the development and changes, both nursing and medical, which affect patient care directly and indirectly

To report any accidents/incidents/near misses via Datix and escalate to the Ward manager and/or Matron

To respond to Safeguarding concerns appropriately, adhering to the Trust policy and procedures

Staff Development

Develop own knowledge and skills and contribute to the development of others

To be available as a specialist resource for early pregnancy complications and miscarriage to acute hospital staff and primary care

Supervise the training of qualified and unqualified staff in accordance to their level of competence, and assist junior staff to develop clinical and managerial skills

To act as a mentor for junior staff, to participate in teaching for all learners in accordance with their objectives

Worrking closely with Practice Facilitators/Assessors and Supervisors, provide support and supervision of student nurses

To participate in teaching programmes

Maintain a wide knowledge of current practice an issues within the Early Pregnancy speciality by reading relevant journals and attending study days where appropriate. Promoting the implementation and teaching of research based practice

To work collaboratively in the development of information leaflets to ensure patient focused care and service delivery. Implement the use of appropriate specialist resources throughout the countywide service

Participate in own clinical supervision needs

To keep up to date with mandatory training

To organise and provide training programmes in accordance with the identified needs for the department

Clinical Governance

Promote best practice in health, safety and security

Contribute to quality improvement

Promote peoples equality, diversity and rights

Participate in personal and departmental clinical audit

To ensure that nursing procedures are implemented and maintained in accordance with the policies of the Trust

To receive regular clinical supervision and provide clinical supervision to other staff and students.

Management

Promote effective communication with ward/departmental staff and multidisciplinary teams

To manage effectively the EPAU service when required

To prepare the duty rota for staff within the EPAU service when required, ensuring the presence of a suitably qualified and experienced nurse at all times when the service is available

Maintain the custody of controlled drugs according to statutory procedure, ordering replacements, checking and administering all drugs according to the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust policy

To ensure adequate ordering and maintaining adequate stocks of supplies and provisions within the Ward/Department under the supervision of the budget holder

Contribute to the implementation of services

Plan, allocate, assess and provide feedback to team members

Maintain and support the efficient use of physical and/or financial resources

To take all measures to ensure safety and report all accidents/incidents via Datix

To monitor the safe and effective use of all equipment and the economic use of supplies

Maintain contemporaneous, accurate records at all times, ensuring appropriate reporting mechanisms are used

Be conversant with Trust policies and procedures and national guidance/standards such as NICE and the RCOG

To assist across the gynaecology service of the Trust if the clinical situation or staffing levels demand

Maintain good relations and communication with other Departments and multi-disciplinary teams

To share nursing skills with the multi-disciplinary team from other clinical area

Professional

To maintain a professional attitude at all times developing the role of the nurse in the best interest of the patient and profession in accordance with Nursing & Midwifery Council

To be aware of personal and professional development and participate in personal objective setting and review, including the creation of a personal development plan at annual performance review

To attend courses and conferences as recommended and approved

To be conversant and comply with the Trust policies and regulations and attend mandatory lectures as instructed

Participate in research projects and audit where appropriate, reporting findings within a multidisciplinary framework

Implement research where appropriate

Personnel

To participate in the selection and interviewing of nursing staff when required

Participate in devising induction programmes for newly appointed staff

To assist the Matron in monitoring staff performance

Participate in staff PDRs and writing of reports

To assist in the maintenance of day to day discipline within the department

To inform the Matron of staff failing to meet the required standard of performance, and taking appropriate action where required

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Evidence of being up to date with current NHS/professional issues including the NMC Code of Conduct
• Experience and knowledge of womens health and early pregnancy complications
• Clinical credibility
• Venepuncture and cannulation
• Administration of Methotrexate
• Evidence of teaching and development skills
• Leadership skills and ability to inspire and motivate others
• Awareness of health and safety issues and management of them
• Awareness of safeguarding principles
• Able to prioritise workload and organise
• Fully conversant in principles of infection control
• Fully aware of the principles of clinical governance and the application of clinical governance
• Computer literate as appropriate to the post
• Promote peoples equality, diversity and rights

Desirable

• Involvement in Clinical Supervision
• Evidence of Change Management

Qualifications

Essential

• First Level Adult Nurse qualification registered with the NMC
• Degree in Nursing or equivalent experience within specialism.

Desirable

• Non-medical prescribing qualification and registered with the NMC as such
• PG Cert in Diagnostic Ultrasound / module in Early Pregnancy Scanning
• Appropriate teaching/coaching qualification

Experience

Essential

• Experience at Band 5 or 6 within gynaecology nursing for a minimum of 2 years
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Experience of working in an Early Pregnancy Unit setting
• Experience of working independently
• Experience of working with Consultants and other health care professionals across Acute and Community settings

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Compassionate and Empathetic
• Assertive
• Enthusiastic, cheerful and dynamic
• Demonstrate initiative, motivation and ability to put changes into practice
• Organised and good time management

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).