Community Mental Health Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

A) Clinical Responsibility

01) To manage a patient caseload, identified in consultation with medical, nursing and other professions and agreed by the ACMHS Team Leader.

02) To establish and maintain effective individualised nursing and social care by assessment of patients problems; planning; implementation and evaluation of agreed interventions; clear and concise documentation of individualised client care and use of electronic patient record systems. Using Connected Lives Assessments, care and support plans and risk assessments.

03) To be aware of the physical needs of people with mental health problems and refer physical conditions on as appropriate.

04) Establish therapeutic relationships with individual clients, relatives and carers.

05) Be responsible for the administration, carriage and storage of medication in accordance with relevant Trust policies. To ensure safe disposal of equipment used in the community e.g. syringes, needles, in accordance with Trust policies.

06) Be responsible for the administration of prescribed medical treatments and monitoring effects in accordance with clinical procedures adopted by the Trust.

07) Use research findings in designing nursing care programmes and develop awareness of the significance of nursing research and wider evidence based practice in community mental health care.

08) Participate and be responsible for running nurse led clinics e.g. Depot, clozapine and physical health.

09) Demonstrate an awareness of the needs of carers of patients with mental health problems and develop strategies to meet those needs; e.g. self-help groups, respite care, Carers Act.

10) Ensure that the principle of continuity of care is maintained and that appropriate plans are made for clients discharge and transfer from the clinical areas in line with Care Programme Approach (including acting as care coordinator), Community Care Act 1990 and Discharge Policies and the National Service Framework for Mental Health.

11) To have a working knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 and subsequent legislation as it affects the client group.

12) To participate in the Trusts adverse incidents reporting systems and comply with the Trusts procedure and techniques for managing risks.

B) Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility

01) Assist in identifying training needs with the community team for self and team members.

02) Act as a positive example and supervisor/assessor for student nurses and junior members of the ACMHS.

03) Participate in annual appraisal, professional development and mandatory training.

Managers have a duty to promote and support staffs personal health and wellbeing at all times, this includes both physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Managers have a responsibility to support staff by directing employees to services that are available to everyone to help in managing health and wellbeing.

They should be open and approachable as well as proactive in discussing and agreeing a process to monitor an employees mental and physical health.

C) Financial Responsibility

01) To assist the Team Manager to manage the Team budget effectively.

02) Comply with relevant Trust and Team financial policies and procedures to ensure cost effective and efficient use of team and Trust resources.

D) Service Development and Improvement

01) To be involved in clinical audit and evaluation of mental health services within secondary care. Playing an enthusiastic role in the achievement of the teams contribution to achieving NSF objectives for the service at a local level and contribute to such audit requirements (of own practice and recording) as are requested from time to time.

02) To contribute to data collection and entry as part of audit and evaluation of such services.

03) To participate fully in training relevant to the delivery of the services outlined above.

04) To actively seek supervision for all aspects of the post.

05) To recognise personal and professional limitations.

E) Communications

01) To provide and receive complex, sensitive and contentious information using developed skills of persuasion, motivation, negotiation, empathy and re-assurance to ensure client assessments, care planning, reviews and other tasks can be completed.

02) To be able to communicate with clarity, tact and purpose in all relevant situations.

03) To be able to use effectively a range of modes of communication including verbal, by email, by telephone, in formal reports, written clinical notes and in presentations taking into account issues of confidentiality.

04) To be able to communicate to people at various points within the hierarchy of relevant organisations.

05) Ensure effective and confidential communication between medical, nursing, social care and health care agents on significant information governing patient care and treatment. Adhere to NMC Code of Conduct and the HPFT policies on confidentiality and information sharing.

06) To keep accurate records on all clients in accordance with Trust Policy and guidance from professional bodies.

07) To collect data in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

08) To collect and submit activity statistics as required.

F) Other

Physical Working Conditions and Environment

01) The post holder is based within the Community Mental Health Team and will be expected to visit people within their own homes, or a variety of public places or voluntary organisations within the community as well as GP practices throughout the Trust.

02) The post holder will also be expected to carry out duties such as Phlebotomy or giving intramuscular injections on a frequent basis and dealing with people daily who display a full spectrum of behaviour from potentially violent and aggressive to suicidal and extremely distressed.

03) Travel throughout the County is required and will need access to a car and UK driving license.

G) Knowledge and Skills Framework

01) The post holder will be expected to meet the requirements of the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) appropriate outline for the post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RMN or Dip / BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing

Desirable

• ENB 998 / Preceptorship and Mentorship

Experience

Essential

• At least post-registration experience at Band 5 in a relevant Mental Health Setting or equivalent
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Working knowledge of MHA (1983), CPA, Risk Assessment and Section 25 etc
• Effective multi-professional team communication and team working. Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate Nursing care with Supervision. Medication administration.

Desirable

• Experience in working with acute mental health problems in a Community setting.
• Understanding of the National Service Framework.
• Understanding Primary / Secondary Care interface
• Successful change experiences

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

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

99 Waverley Road, St Albans, AL3 5TL

Waverley Road

St Albans

AL3 5TL

Employer's website

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