Lung Cancer Senior Nurse Specialist

Job responsibilities

Key Duties:

Clinical

To work autonomously, managing a caseload of patients within the speciality whilst working as part of the multidisciplinary team, delivering individualised and personalised direct patient care

To act as an advocate for patients within the department, to ensure a patient orientated approach to deliver a high standard of care within national guidelines and pathways.

Maintain and ensure clear and effective advanced communication skills with patients and allied health professionals. When dealing with difficult situations, ensure empathy, sensitivity and reassurance during assessment, care and evaluation of patient needs.

Ensure that patients receive a high standard of clinical care and to enhance the patient experience.

Coordinate the provision for specialist services to patients, both within hospital and /or in the community setting, effectively liaising with MDT colleagues.

Provide expert information and support to enable patients and carers to make informed decisions relating to their treatment and management.

Promote high quality clinical care, and assist in the development of the specialist service, by using evidence-based practice throughout the lung cancer pathway to achieve the cancer targets.

Act as a clinical role model and demonstrate leadership and specialist knowledge of lung cancer and mesothelioma in the acute hospital setting.

Actively participate in local and national networking to maintain and develop expert level of knowledge in the speciality of lung cancer.

Work in conjunction with clinical consultants in both respiratory and oncology to lead a patient focussed service.

Facilitate a high-quality, cost-effective specialist service through monitoring and audit and other quality initiatives agreed by the Trust.

Enhance the interface between patients in the community and hospital settings.

Attend and participate in multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings including Lung MDT, Lung Diagnostic Planning Meeting (DPM), Annual General Meeting for Lung Cancer and West Midlands Expert Advisory Group meetings.

Maintain accurate record keeping which contribute to the national statistics.

Education and Training

Participate in the Trust personal development review (PDR) and undertake PDR reviews for Lung Specialist team (Band 6 and 4).

Agree service and personal objectives with the Clinical Team Lead and be responsible for self-audit to demonstrate both achievement of objectives and evidence of value to the trust.

Provide specialist advice, teaching and training to other healthcare professionals with regard to optimal management of patients with Lung Cancer on a formal and informal basis.

To actively participate in team audit and/or research, leading in specific projects and supporting others. Thus facilitating evaluation of services offered, quality of care and further developing the services delivered by the team in conjunction with the Clinical Team Lead.

Commit to a philosophy of care which has an emphasis on self-management and patient empowerment through undertaking health education and health promotion activities.

Professional

Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work; including caseload management. Ensure a high standard of clinical care is provided to your patients and support Lung Specialist team (Band 6 and 4) to achieve this also.

Demonstrate a working knowledge of clinical governance and risk management strategies relevant to the role.

Be aware of Health and Safety relevant to the role and comply with any policies which may be required to maintain and improve the safety of your work area, including the prompt recording and reporting of incidents or accidents via the appropriate channel e.g. Datix.

Maintain own continuing professional development records and assume responsibility for remaining fit to practice within your profession.

Participate in and contribute to innovation, service redesign or review where required, ensuring these are linked to organisational priorities and support improved patient clinical and experience outcomes.

Works independently and autonomously taking responsibility to triage and advise patients as appropriate to manage their care.

To provide clinical placements for student nurses, acting as mentor.

Participate and be the patients advocate in the Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Team meetings to ensure patients wishes are expressed and feedback discussions to the patient, family and carers.

Be aware of research/ trials being undertaken within the speciality of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Provide and accept constructive feedback and use this to reflect on your own practice by attending clinical supervision as offered.

Managerial

Be responsible for all aspects of the line management of band 6 and 4 practitioners. Assist the Clinical Team Lead with recruitment.

Be responsible for ensuring that allocated junior team members work efficiently, accurately and within their own job remit i.e. manage, delegate and direct workload

Attend meetings representing the Lung Cancer Specialist Team and engage with colleagues on the development of services

Advise and support junior team members in the delivery of services.

Use trust clinical software e.g. Bluespier, MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint to produce documents e.g. reports, SOPs, analyses, training materials to support the delivery of the post holders key roles and responsibilities.

Undertakes regular audit to develop the Lung Cancer service.

Works collaboratively with MDT to ensure that evidence-based findings are translated into practice.

Responsible for the day to day running of the team to include e-rostering, sickness management and PDR for clinical staff within team.

Service Development

To work with the multidisciplinary respiratory team and the service lead to strategically develop and operationally manage the Lung Cancer service.

To undertake the evaluation of current practices through the use of evidence-based practice, audit and outcome measures and act upon results through making recommendations for change.

To be able to embrace new ideas and have an impact on suggesting and implementing change for patient benefit, supporting staff during the process of change within the Team and organisation.

To implement clinical governance and risk management and act upon aspects of service delivery that is identified as requiring attention.

To be involved in clinical research projects.

To be actively involved in collection of data and statistics for the use by the department.

To development operational policies and clinical guidelines for best practice.

To represent the service at meetings and feedback as required.

The post holder may be required to undertake such other duties and training

Act as a clinical educator for students within the team providing the appropriate level of clinical supervision, education and assessment according to the training provider standards and regulations.

Reflects on own practice and educational needs in relations to the varied role of the Lung Specialist Nurse, attending relevant training courses, conference and study days whenever possible. Keeps up to date with advances in treatment of Lung Cancer and mesothelioma.

Knowledge/ Skills

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience of patient advocacy
• Up to date, expert knowledge of the clinical management of specialism
• Able to interpret national guidelines, Trust policies, procedures and guidelines related to specialism
• Able to communicate own ideas and clinical information clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing
• Able to and has demonstrable experience of working effectively both within a multi-disciplinary team and independently
• Demonstrable negotiating and persuading skills in changing care to best meet patient needs within a multidisciplinary team (primary and secondary care) and ensure cost effective management
• Able to maintain contemporaneous, accurate and up to date patient records
• IT skills, including use of internet, Microsoft Office software such as Excel, PowerPoint, Word.
• Demonstrate people management skills

Desirable

• Advanced communication skills course
• Psychological assessment level 2 course
• Understanding of research and audit
• Management course
• Health promotion and rehabilitation

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Assertive
• Diplomatic
• Personal and professional maturity
• Self-motivated, Enthusiastic, innovative
• Ability to work autonomously and within a team
• Ability to lead, manage and motivate self and others
• Time management
• Able to manage stressful situation and challenge decisions to ensure that patient needs are met.
• Able to supervise and improve individuals and team performance
• Adaptable to changing needs of the service

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse
• Currently registered with the relevant UK professional body
• Evidence of post-registration continuing development relevant to speciality

Desirable

• Masters degree
• Physical assessment qualification
• Independent prescriber
• Teaching/mentorship qualification

Other

Essential

• Able to travel between sites as and when required
• Able to occasionally work outside of office hours to meet the demands of the post
• Demonstrates a commitment to personal and team continued professional development

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post-registration experience in area of speciality
• Previous experience at band 6 level
• Current knowledge and experience of caring for patients with condition related to speciality
• Experience of undertaking clinical audit/research
• Evidence of management and leadership experience
• Experience of teaching and developing staff
• Evidence of improving the patient experience

Desirable

• Previous Band 7 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.

UK Registration

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