Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Advanced Nurse Practitioner to join our busy Acute Medicine team based at the Whiston site.
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain significant new knowledge, skills, and experience during your training period. Plus, exposure to a wealth of possibilities for your future career within the St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
We are looking to recruit an experienced, enthusiastic and dedicated Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with proven skills and knowledge in acute medicine. The successful candidate will be expected to practice autonomously at an advanced level in the delivery of high quality, safe and supportive care to our patients.
Our large and friendly multi-disciplinary Acute Medical Unit offers our AcNPs protected, non-clinical and teaching time and there are also networking opportunities with neighbouring acute trusts to enhance and develop your practice. You will also be encouraged to develop practice within your own area of personal interest.
You will also play an active role in the Acute Medical Unit's Governance Strategy which includes safety and quality, innovation, patient experience and education and training.
The footprint of the Acute Medical Unit also includes a dedicated GP Assessment Unit (GPAU).
This will be a competency-based interview, and applicants will be required to complete assessment tasks as part of this process.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work on a rota comprising of weekend shifts, to support Consultant-led ward rounds on the AMU and the MCG, and weekday 8am-8pm shifts on the AMU, particularly our GPAU GP assessment unit/ SDEC (same day emergency care unit. The post holder will support the Consultant or senior physician activity to ensure completion of all appropriate patient related activity and will provide expert nursing skills, demonstrating a high level of practice, knowledge and autonomy, whilst participating in the direct patient care of patients that they are responsible for. During the weekdays the post holder will work predominantly within the trust's Acute Medical Unit performing initial management and assessment of patients presenting to GPAU, referred by GP, or our SDEC patients that are managed according to our Ambulatory care pathways. This role will be supported by the AMU Consultant team and fellow ANPs alongside the wider operational management and nursing teams.
The ANP will learn to take the lead and participate in educational sessions; clinical supervision; research, audits as well as quality and service improvements, ensuring high quality, effective management, and care of patients
About us
The Secretary of State has approved the partnership between St Helens & Knowsley and Southport & Ormskirk Hospitals.
From 1st July we have come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Trust delivers acute hospital care, intermediate care, community, and primary care services to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.
The Trust provides regional services for burns, plastic surgery and spinal injuries to more than 4 million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.
Our Vision is to deliver 5 Star Patient Care:
- CAREthat is evidence based, high quality and compassionate
- SAFETY that is of the highest standards
- COMMUNICATION that is open, inclusive and respectful
- SYSTEMS that are efficient, patient centred and reliable
- PATHWAYS that are best practice and embedded, but also respect the individual needs of patients
Our achievements include:
- Trust rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- Awarded National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for our Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Please see our Wellbeing & Benefits booklet for more information on our staff benefits. Accessible version available upon request.
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide advanced levels of clinical practice, knowledge and skills in Acute & General Medicine
- Undertake history and physical examination to accurately assess the patients condition
- Request, interpret and act upon relevant diagnostic tests and procedures
- Interpret, convey and act upon complex and conflicting information to MDT members/patients/relatives including in possible stressful situations, which may be delicate or offensive in nature (i.e. breaking bad news)
- Act as a clinical expert providing continuous support to the nursing staff and other MDT members within and outside designated area of work
- Undertake advanced (invasive and non-invasive) procedures pertaining to patient need, in accordance with appropriate training and clinical supervision.
- Prescribe medication in accordance with current legislation and trust policy
- Maintain comprehensive, contemporaneous and accurate nursing/medical records and documentation, utilising information technology where available to facilitate caseload management
- Effectively manage acute life threatening conditions in accordance with current ALS/ATLS/ALERT guidelines (as appropriate at area of work/need)
- Act as a role model through demonstration of high standards of practice, providing a clinical environment that motivates and encourages effective working partnerships
- Participate in multidisciplinary ward rounds, case conferences, clinical and audit meetings
- Gain informed consent from patients for procedures undertaken by self or on behalf of others, both written and verbal, according to Trust policy
- Provide evidence based specialist knowledge and advice to patients, families/carers throughout the patients journey to meet their physical, emotional and psychological needs
- Provide clinical expertise in the management of patients utilising specialist theoretical and clinical skills
- Facilitate and support unit co-ordinators/ward managers to develop effective working relationships with the multi-disciplinary team to enhance the care and management of patients
- Act as an autonomous practitioner exercising judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care
- Certify expected deaths as per policy
- Undertake nurse prescribing as part of designated role and provide autonomous practitioners
- To support junior medical staff, sharing clinical workload and allowing junior doctors to achieve training and development requirements.
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Ensuring that the patient experience remains the focal point for service improvement within the Directorate
- Provide clinical support to complaints and SIRI/SUI investigations
- Support senior staff and clinical teams in maximising flow of patients through units to meet elective and emergency demand, utilising leadership and expert clinical skills
- To contribute effectively to service developments both within the directorate and at strategic level
- Attend AMU Governance and Business Meetings
- To act as a role model by demonstrating excellent communication and listening skills with patients, relatives and staff
- Active involvement in Senior Nursing Forum
- Promote effective team working within own team of AcNPs along with nursing and medical staff on AMU
- Provide support for senior nursing staff in relation to staff development and complaints
- Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff
- Lead/guide nursing and medical staff in the appropriate and timely care of the patient
- Network locally, regionally and nationally to share and exchange ideas and principles
- Provide an effective leadership role in contributing to own departmental issue pertaining to clinical governance agendas and shared governance within the Trust e.g. maintaining standards, risk management, clinical audit and research, standard setting, benchmarking, evidence based practice, etc
- To provide leadership to nursing staff and junior doctors with regard to training and development ensuring the delivery of consistent high quality care
- To support Trust Management Teams with ongoing clinical care provision and assist with safe, effective flow through the Trust.
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Adherence to AcNP competency framework
- Attend mentor meetings with respective Consultants
- Take responsibility for ones own professional development and continually assess and acknowledge areas for development as they arise
- Raise awareness of speciality conditions within area of practice by teaching and providing education across AMU
- Support in the facilitation of an appropriate learning/practice environment for nursing, medical and Physician Associate students and new starters providing direct supervision and training
- Assist in identified training and educational needs of the nursing staff/medical staff and participate in its delivery
- Provide clinical supervision, mentorship, preceptorship and tuition to nursing and medical staff within the Medical Care Group.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENT:
- Attend Trust wide audit
- Lead the reporting of clinical incidents/concerns and take appropriate action to address any safety and quality issues raised
- Develop and implement policies and strategies in line with evidence based practice e.g. NICE/DoH
- Be involved in identification, development and implementation of relevant policy/guidelines to aid future management by the MDT (e.g. Ambulatory Care pathways)
- Facilitate and identify clinical audit/research and disseminate findings.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop good working relationships with medical and nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team within and other departments within the Trust and external
- Act in accordance with the NMC guidelines/Code of Professional Conduct.
SAFEGUARDING RESPONSBILITIES
- Comply with Trust Safeguarding Children Policy and standard operating procedures to safeguard vulnerable children up to 18 years throughout the Trust, this includes the Protocol for Children who Do Not Attend Clinics, fulfilling your role as defined in these documents
- Liaise with all relevant professionals (Police, Social Services) in relation to safeguarding work undertaken by your Consultant. Type any medical reports for child protection cases as requested by the Consultant, nurse or junior medical staff. Arrange multi-professional meetings regarding child protection/child in need cases. Minute multi-professional meetings as necessary
- Provide administrative support for the Named Consultant and Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children
- Know about the range of physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and sexual abuse
- Be able to recognise signs of abuse appropriate to role and what action to take
- Know what to do if concerned that a child is being abused
- Know about the Trusts local policies/procedures
- Understand the importance of sharing information, how it can help and the dangers of not sharing information
- Be able to recognise signs of child abuse as this relates to their role. e.g observe inappropriate parenting, an unusually quiet and withdrawn child et
- Be able to seek advice and report concerns, ensuring that they are listened to.
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide advanced levels of clinical practice, knowledge and skills in Acute & General Medicine
- Undertake history and physical examination to accurately assess the patients condition
- Request, interpret and act upon relevant diagnostic tests and procedures
- Interpret, convey and act upon complex and conflicting information to MDT members/patients/relatives including in possible stressful situations, which may be delicate or offensive in nature (i.e. breaking bad news)
- Act as a clinical expert providing continuous support to the nursing staff and other MDT members within and outside designated area of work
- Undertake advanced (invasive and non-invasive) procedures pertaining to patient need, in accordance with appropriate training and clinical supervision.
- Prescribe medication in accordance with current legislation and trust policy
- Maintain comprehensive, contemporaneous and accurate nursing/medical records and documentation, utilising information technology where available to facilitate caseload management
- Effectively manage acute life threatening conditions in accordance with current ALS/ATLS/ALERT guidelines (as appropriate at area of work/need)
- Act as a role model through demonstration of high standards of practice, providing a clinical environment that motivates and encourages effective working partnerships
- Participate in multidisciplinary ward rounds, case conferences, clinical and audit meetings
- Gain informed consent from patients for procedures undertaken by self or on behalf of others, both written and verbal, according to Trust policy
- Provide evidence based specialist knowledge and advice to patients, families/carers throughout the patients journey to meet their physical, emotional and psychological needs
- Provide clinical expertise in the management of patients utilising specialist theoretical and clinical skills
- Facilitate and support unit co-ordinators/ward managers to develop effective working relationships with the multi-disciplinary team to enhance the care and management of patients
- Act as an autonomous practitioner exercising judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care
- Certify expected deaths as per policy
- Undertake nurse prescribing as part of designated role and provide autonomous practitioners
- To support junior medical staff, sharing clinical workload and allowing junior doctors to achieve training and development requirements.
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Ensuring that the patient experience remains the focal point for service improvement within the Directorate
- Provide clinical support to complaints and SIRI/SUI investigations
- Support senior staff and clinical teams in maximising flow of patients through units to meet elective and emergency demand, utilising leadership and expert clinical skills
- To contribute effectively to service developments both within the directorate and at strategic level
- Attend AMU Governance and Business Meetings
- To act as a role model by demonstrating excellent communication and listening skills with patients, relatives and staff
- Active involvement in Senior Nursing Forum
- Promote effective team working within own team of AcNPs along with nursing and medical staff on AMU
- Provide support for senior nursing staff in relation to staff development and complaints
- Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff
- Lead/guide nursing and medical staff in the appropriate and timely care of the patient
- Network locally, regionally and nationally to share and exchange ideas and principles
- Provide an effective leadership role in contributing to own departmental issue pertaining to clinical governance agendas and shared governance within the Trust e.g. maintaining standards, risk management, clinical audit and research, standard setting, benchmarking, evidence based practice, etc
- To provide leadership to nursing staff and junior doctors with regard to training and development ensuring the delivery of consistent high quality care
- To support Trust Management Teams with ongoing clinical care provision and assist with safe, effective flow through the Trust.
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Adherence to AcNP competency framework
- Attend mentor meetings with respective Consultants
- Take responsibility for ones own professional development and continually assess and acknowledge areas for development as they arise
- Raise awareness of speciality conditions within area of practice by teaching and providing education across AMU
- Support in the facilitation of an appropriate learning/practice environment for nursing, medical and Physician Associate students and new starters providing direct supervision and training
- Assist in identified training and educational needs of the nursing staff/medical staff and participate in its delivery
- Provide clinical supervision, mentorship, preceptorship and tuition to nursing and medical staff within the Medical Care Group.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENT:
- Attend Trust wide audit
- Lead the reporting of clinical incidents/concerns and take appropriate action to address any safety and quality issues raised
- Develop and implement policies and strategies in line with evidence based practice e.g. NICE/DoH
- Be involved in identification, development and implementation of relevant policy/guidelines to aid future management by the MDT (e.g. Ambulatory Care pathways)
- Facilitate and identify clinical audit/research and disseminate findings.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop good working relationships with medical and nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team within and other departments within the Trust and external
- Act in accordance with the NMC guidelines/Code of Professional Conduct.
SAFEGUARDING RESPONSBILITIES
- Comply with Trust Safeguarding Children Policy and standard operating procedures to safeguard vulnerable children up to 18 years throughout the Trust, this includes the Protocol for Children who Do Not Attend Clinics, fulfilling your role as defined in these documents
- Liaise with all relevant professionals (Police, Social Services) in relation to safeguarding work undertaken by your Consultant. Type any medical reports for child protection cases as requested by the Consultant, nurse or junior medical staff. Arrange multi-professional meetings regarding child protection/child in need cases. Minute multi-professional meetings as necessary
- Provide administrative support for the Named Consultant and Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children
- Know about the range of physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and sexual abuse
- Be able to recognise signs of abuse appropriate to role and what action to take
- Know what to do if concerned that a child is being abused
- Know about the Trusts local policies/procedures
- Understand the importance of sharing information, how it can help and the dangers of not sharing information
- Be able to recognise signs of child abuse as this relates to their role. e.g observe inappropriate parenting, an unusually quiet and withdrawn child et
- Be able to seek advice and report concerns, ensuring that they are listened to.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.
- MSc Advanced Practice
- Portfolio of evidence demonstrating up to date achievement of required competencies for advanced practitioner practice
- Non-medical prescribing qualification
- ALS provider
- Evidence of on-going professional study and personal development
- Leadership qualification
Desirable
- Teaching/mentoring/assessing qualification
- ALS Instructor
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Clinical expert with a minimum of 5 years' experience within Acute Medicine.
- Clinical risk management and governance experience
- Audit and research experience
- Experience of leading a team/leadership
- Awareness of local and national targets and policies/guidelines
- Advanced clinical assessment and diagnostic skills
- Advanced clinical diagnostic skills (e.g. ABG's, CXRs, laboratory investigations)
- Experience and evidence of working collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Evidence of effective leadership, practice development, expertise and innovation in clinical practice
- Experience of clinical practice benchmarking
- Ability to performance advanced clinical procedures
- Ability to formulate differential diagnosis, initiate appropriate treatment and evaluate effectiveness.
- Change management experience
Desirable
- Advanced Procedural skills (e.g. Aseptic tap, paracentesis, Lumbar Puncture)
Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise workload
- IT competent
- Motivation and team building
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to manage and prioritise own workload and assist junior medical staff in managing theirs
- Prioritises balance of work to support flow of patients through the Trust
- Advanced ability to disseminate sensitive information
- Ability to influence and work across professional boundaries
- Ability to work as an independent practitioner Extensive experience in related specialty e.g. ITU
- Demonstrate an ability to lead and motivate individuals and teams
- Ability to present all work in a clear and concise manner appropriate to the target audience
- Flexible to meet needs of post
Desirable
- Highly motivated and experienced practitioner
- Flexibility
- Manage complex and competing issues remaining calm under pressure
Other
Essential
- Ability to manage conflict, effective negotiation skills
- Commitment to own professional development acknowledging own limitations
- Demonstrate personal and professional ;pride in nursing and the NHS
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.
- MSc Advanced Practice
- Portfolio of evidence demonstrating up to date achievement of required competencies for advanced practitioner practice
- Non-medical prescribing qualification
- ALS provider
- Evidence of on-going professional study and personal development
- Leadership qualification
Desirable
- Teaching/mentoring/assessing qualification
- ALS Instructor
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Clinical expert with a minimum of 5 years' experience within Acute Medicine.
- Clinical risk management and governance experience
- Audit and research experience
- Experience of leading a team/leadership
- Awareness of local and national targets and policies/guidelines
- Advanced clinical assessment and diagnostic skills
- Advanced clinical diagnostic skills (e.g. ABG's, CXRs, laboratory investigations)
- Experience and evidence of working collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Evidence of effective leadership, practice development, expertise and innovation in clinical practice
- Experience of clinical practice benchmarking
- Ability to performance advanced clinical procedures
- Ability to formulate differential diagnosis, initiate appropriate treatment and evaluate effectiveness.
- Change management experience
Desirable
- Advanced Procedural skills (e.g. Aseptic tap, paracentesis, Lumbar Puncture)
Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise workload
- IT competent
- Motivation and team building
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to manage and prioritise own workload and assist junior medical staff in managing theirs
- Prioritises balance of work to support flow of patients through the Trust
- Advanced ability to disseminate sensitive information
- Ability to influence and work across professional boundaries
- Ability to work as an independent practitioner Extensive experience in related specialty e.g. ITU
- Demonstrate an ability to lead and motivate individuals and teams
- Ability to present all work in a clear and concise manner appropriate to the target audience
- Flexible to meet needs of post
Desirable
- Highly motivated and experienced practitioner
- Flexibility
- Manage complex and competing issues remaining calm under pressure
Other
Essential
- Ability to manage conflict, effective negotiation skills
- Commitment to own professional development acknowledging own limitations
- Demonstrate personal and professional ;pride in nursing and the NHS
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
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).
