Job responsibilities
a. Work collaboratively with Nurse Specialist and Consultant to provide specialist advice and clinical practice to patients within the urological outpatient setting and enabling optimum quality of life.
b. To work autonomously as a specialist resource for urology patients with benign and cancer conditions, their carers and other professionals.
c. Staff in setting, monitoring and evaluating standards of care to meet National Guidelines.
d. Assesses patients, pans and implements care.
e. Support patients and their families on remote prostate cancer tracker monitoring system (PSA Tracker) ensuring appropriate care, monitoring and seamless monitoring and treatment.
DIMENSIONS
Budgetary awareness, contributing to business planning.
Provision of a high quality individual service to a wide range of urology patients numbering approximately 2000 per annum, on an outpatient basis.
In addition, providing ongoing support for cancer patients and their holistic needs.
Provide training, supervision and support to junior staff working in the urology clinic.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Clinical:
Work as an expert practitioner by assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the specialist nursing interventions of patients requiring urological investigations, monitoring and treatments as part of the Prostate PSA Tracker population. Current patient population 2500 approx.
Provide expert advice to clinical staff on urological issues.
To act as the patients advocate when required and provide expert advice and comprehensive information, both written and verbal, on treatment options to enable patients to make an informed choice.
Establish and maintain coordination of care for patients throughout diagnosis, planning, treatment and follow-up, liaising with all other service providers to ensure a smooth pathway.
Acts as a keyworker for a clinical case load of patients under supervision, working to proactively manage care and provide easy access for ongoing support for families and carers.
Utilise assessment tools such as the HNA to assess and plan patients needs
The provision of nurse led clinics for assessment and cancer follow-up, initiating investigations and procedures, making recommendations for treatment and referring to other agencies or discharging as appropriate.
Provide nurse led assessment and treatment clinics, treatments, catheterisations, flow assessments and providing specialist Urological advice and information when required.
Work autonomously in providing ongoing support for a large number of cancer patients who have open access to the urology specialist nurse service, including patients awaiting results, those newly diagnosed with urological cancer and others with advanced disease.
Provide patient care as part of the MDT, liaising and informing other team members of patients care, treatments and needs.
To offer support, counselling, and follow-up to patients awaiting results and those newly diagnosed with urological cancer including communicating highly sensitive information to patients and their carers.
Work collaboratively with the medical teams undertaking daily assessment of inpatient and outpatients requiring close review as appropriate, report to medical teams and findings that require further interventions. Document interventions/instructions in the medical notes.
Abide by legal requirements, statutory rules and local policies relating to nursing care and procedures, safeguarding the patients best interest
Promotes self-management, undertaking risk stratifications to determine those who can self-manage, following education, those who will need support to self-manage and those who will require face to face support in order to support people with their conditions.
Promote the Living well and beyond cancer initiative, encouraging patients with health and lifestyle information and improvements. Develop and support service improvement strategies to deliver this survivorship initiative within National Cancer strategies.
Key Results
To be responsible for the organisation of clinic time and to prioritise clinic activity unsupervised, whilst being accountable for own professional actions.
To contribute to Clinical Governance framework including risk assessment of the clinic environment, including incident reporting and bench marking, initiating action plans as required to close the loop.
To monitor outcomes and collect data using computer systems in order to compile relevant statistics to aid in the specialist nursing contribution to service planning.
To manage the workload flexibly, adjusting plans as necessary in order to meet changing patient and service needs.
To represent the urology specialist nursing service at local and national meetings such as Cancer Support Team, Peninsula Cancer Network and Forum for Urology Nurses South West.
Support and encourage collaboration with organisations and charities to improve and provide best patient care
To participate in local and national initiatives being developed by the British Association of Urology Nurses so that patient care is up to date and researched based, educate staff accordingly so that correct procedures followed throughout the Trust. Acts a role model for excellent communication skills and expertise
Engage with current local and national guidance and ensure cancer care pathways are maintained accordingly.
Act in accordance with NMC Code of Conduct and guiding documents, and maintain active status on N.M.C. register.
Maintain a high standard of patient safety and care at all times within the Urological setting.
Annual appraisal to monitor, assess and reflect practice and development.
Communication
Communicate effectively within the MDT team to enhance and deliver a high standard of care to the patient at all times.
Engage in the Advanced Level 2 communication training to enhance patient communication skills.
Attend regular Clinical Supervision sessions
Educational:
To identify, assess and meet educational needs of patients and carers.
Promote and participate in patient support groups and patient and public involvement initiatives.
To plan and participate in health promotion initiatives within the hospital and in the community.
To facilitate and deliver education and training in urology and promote the role of the urology nurse practitioner.
To be responsible for own personal and professional development, seeking advice and support when necessary from senior colleagues and to receive clinical supervision/practice reflection regularly.
Participate in the annual training needs analysis for the urology service.
Ensure mandatory training needs are met annually and personal development plan reviewed and updated. Provide up to date evidence for Nursing Revalidation requirements.
Research and Audit:
To develop a patient centred service by innovation of nurse led initiates in response to patient satisfaction audit.
To participate in data collection and patient support for current research studies and trials involving urology patients.
Role Challenges
Breaking bad news to patients and supporting patient, family and carers needs.
Working in a busy challenging environment
Delivering a high standard of care to the Urological patient.
Office based, predominantly desk and telephone based service.
