Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and knowledgeable gastroenterology nurse to join our established IBD & endoscopy service.
We are looking for an enthusiastic, well-motivated, caring and compassionate individual, who has a keen interest in managing patients with a diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). They will work within the multi-disciplinary team in delivering high standards of patient care and maintain a safe working environment within the wider Gastroenterology team. The will also contribute to the endoscopy service, developing skills in lower GI endoscopy with provide continuity of care for IBD patients or others.
The applicant ideally should have some experience in providing care to patients with a diagnosis of Inflammatory bowel disease & be competent in diagnostic flexible sigmoidoscopy, the ability to plan, assess, implement and evaluate patient care. It is essential to possess excellent interpersonal skills and have a willingness to learn, along with the ability to work effectively, efficiently and independently under the indirect supervision of the Lead IBD CNS. You should be self-motivated and have a positive attitude towards change and be able to adapt to change accordingly.
The applicant must demonstrate commitment to their own continued professional development and share an aspiration to contribute to the long-term development of the IBD service.
Main duties of the job
Our dedicated Nurse Specialists provide an excellent, patient focused service to support and manage patients with a diagnosis of IBD. The service is forward thinking and continually strives to develop innovative models of care to ensure patients are provided with appropriate and timely treatment.
In this role, you will provide clinical expertise and support to patients, their family and carers. You will ensure safe delivery and continuity of patient care. You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, liaising with health care teams both internal and external to the organisation. You will provide an advice line service so that patients can access expert advice in a timely manner. You will have had experience of working on your own initiative and prioritising workload, as well as having excellent communication skills.
You will be expected to perform endoscopic procedures as part of IBD disease assessment and surveillance. You will receive appropriate training to develop these skills further, if needed e.g. undertaking colonoscopy.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
- Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To provide clinical leadership and expertise in a speciality by providing information, advice, emotional and psychological support to patients; their families and carers, and to act as a valuable resource to the wider gastroenterology team.
- To organise and manage own caseload and coordinate patient care ensuring continuity throughout the patients pathway by working within multi professional team and referring to other disciplines as appropriate.
- To assist in review and development of the service, and to reflect the needs of the patient group, taking into account highly complex factors including, national, regional and local guidelines including NICE, IBD UK, JAG GRS, clinical research and audit
- To liaise closely with the health care teams in the wider hospital including inpatient wards, outpatient departments and primary care, including consultant physicians, surgeons, paediatricians, GPs, outside agencies and all members of the MDT.
- To provide a service which facilitates the assessment and treatment of patients receiving biologic therapy, including prescribing and monitoring of biologic drugs or immunosuppressant therapy.
- To contribute to the inflammatory bowel disease advice line service through which patients can access expert advice and timely management.
- To demonstrate wide and in-depth experience of all aspects of the speciality, and provide effective education within their sphere of practice.
- To participate in clinical audit
CLINICAL
- To operate autonomously at an advanced level of clinical practice providing evidence based expert care and advice to all colleagues.
- To accept and make referrals to/from medical/nursing staff both within and outside of the Trust, of newly diagnosed and existing patients.
- To develop and deliver remote clinics using telephone and video communication for selected patients.
- To ensure that patients are seen within the recommended time scales and targets where these are in place.
- To facilitate MDT meetings within the department for the discussion and management of complex cases.
- To utilise specialist skills, underpinned by in depth knowledge to facilitate the assessment, planning and implementation of individualised care plans for patients presenting with IBD and monitor these taking into account the highly complex issues which impact on the individual.
- To triage and manage patients by delivering an IBD telephone advice line and coordinate an ongoing management plan as warranted by the patients clinical condition.
- To obtain informed consent for investigations and treatments in line with relevant Trust policies and protocols ensuring full explanation is given.
- To perform clinical interventions and diagnostic tests as the post requires once training has been given and full competency achieved. As the role develops endoscopy including flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy will be required within this role. Training will be provided.
- To assess, monitor and manage side effects of treatment including immunosuppressant and biologic therapies.
- To act as the patients advocate with sensitivity, knowledge and expertise.
- To give advice/counselling to patients regarding what to expect before, during and after procedures/ surgical intervention and/or drug therapies, and to ensure this is supported by appropriate written information.
- To maintain high standards of care by personal example and conduct and be a credible practitioner within the clinical area.
- To act as a point of contact for patients, their families and carers, by attending outpatient clinics and inpatient wards where necessary, and by other means of communication e.g. telephone and email.
- To maintain clinical competence and undertake clinical duties as required by the Trust
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- To provide clinical leadership and expertise in a speciality by providing information, advice, emotional and psychological support to patients; their families and carers, and to act as a valuable resource to the wider gastroenterology team.
- To organise and manage own caseload and coordinate patient care ensuring continuity throughout the patients pathway by working within multi professional team and referring to other disciplines as appropriate.
- To assist in review and development of the service, and to reflect the needs of the patient group, taking into account highly complex factors including, national, regional and local guidelines including NICE, IBD UK, JAG GRS, clinical research and audit
- To liaise closely with the health care teams in the wider hospital including inpatient wards, outpatient departments and primary care, including consultant physicians, surgeons, paediatricians, GPs, outside agencies and all members of the MDT.
- To provide a service which facilitates the assessment and treatment of patients receiving biologic therapy, including prescribing and monitoring of biologic drugs or immunosuppressant therapy.
- To contribute to the inflammatory bowel disease advice line service through which patients can access expert advice and timely management.
- To demonstrate wide and in-depth experience of all aspects of the speciality, and provide effective education within their sphere of practice.
- To participate in clinical audit
CLINICAL
- To operate autonomously at an advanced level of clinical practice providing evidence based expert care and advice to all colleagues.
- To accept and make referrals to/from medical/nursing staff both within and outside of the Trust, of newly diagnosed and existing patients.
- To develop and deliver remote clinics using telephone and video communication for selected patients.
- To ensure that patients are seen within the recommended time scales and targets where these are in place.
- To facilitate MDT meetings within the department for the discussion and management of complex cases.
- To utilise specialist skills, underpinned by in depth knowledge to facilitate the assessment, planning and implementation of individualised care plans for patients presenting with IBD and monitor these taking into account the highly complex issues which impact on the individual.
- To triage and manage patients by delivering an IBD telephone advice line and coordinate an ongoing management plan as warranted by the patients clinical condition.
- To obtain informed consent for investigations and treatments in line with relevant Trust policies and protocols ensuring full explanation is given.
- To perform clinical interventions and diagnostic tests as the post requires once training has been given and full competency achieved. As the role develops endoscopy including flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy will be required within this role. Training will be provided.
- To assess, monitor and manage side effects of treatment including immunosuppressant and biologic therapies.
- To act as the patients advocate with sensitivity, knowledge and expertise.
- To give advice/counselling to patients regarding what to expect before, during and after procedures/ surgical intervention and/or drug therapies, and to ensure this is supported by appropriate written information.
- To maintain high standards of care by personal example and conduct and be a credible practitioner within the clinical area.
- To act as a point of contact for patients, their families and carers, by attending outpatient clinics and inpatient wards where necessary, and by other means of communication e.g. telephone and email.
- To maintain clinical competence and undertake clinical duties as required by the Trust
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse
- Independent Non-medical prescriber
- Clinical Examination Qualification
- IV Drug Administration Certificate or Competencies
Desirable
- Higher Degree or evidence of study at higher level e.g. HEE clinical Endoscopist modules
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Evidence of professional service development
- Experience of working in endoscopy with evidence of documenting competencies on JETS
- Good working knowledge of JAG and GRS
- Knowledge of National IBD Standards 2019 & awareness of colorectal cancer screening in IBD within BSG guidelines.
Desirable
- Higher Degree (Advanced practice or related)
- Experience of Staff Leadership & Management
Skills
Essential
- Experience of working as IBD Specialist Nurse
- JAG Lower Endoscopy (sigmoidoscopy) Competent
Desirable
- Experience of service development/redesign
- Experience in assisting with therapeutic upper & lower GI procedures e.g. IBD dye spray surveillance, complex polypectomy, oesophageal dilatation, Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)
Other
Essential
- Evidence of independent reporting & pathology follow up
- Understands and demonstrates the Trust Values of quality, teamwork, care and compassion, dignity and respect and openness, honesty and responsibility through the application of appropriate behaviours and attitudes
- Experience of undertaking audit & QIPs
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse
- Independent Non-medical prescriber
- Clinical Examination Qualification
- IV Drug Administration Certificate or Competencies
Desirable
- Higher Degree or evidence of study at higher level e.g. HEE clinical Endoscopist modules
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Evidence of professional service development
- Experience of working in endoscopy with evidence of documenting competencies on JETS
- Good working knowledge of JAG and GRS
- Knowledge of National IBD Standards 2019 & awareness of colorectal cancer screening in IBD within BSG guidelines.
Desirable
- Higher Degree (Advanced practice or related)
- Experience of Staff Leadership & Management
Skills
Essential
- Experience of working as IBD Specialist Nurse
- JAG Lower Endoscopy (sigmoidoscopy) Competent
Desirable
- Experience of service development/redesign
- Experience in assisting with therapeutic upper & lower GI procedures e.g. IBD dye spray surveillance, complex polypectomy, oesophageal dilatation, Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG)
Other
Essential
- Evidence of independent reporting & pathology follow up
- Understands and demonstrates the Trust Values of quality, teamwork, care and compassion, dignity and respect and openness, honesty and responsibility through the application of appropriate behaviours and attitudes
- Experience of undertaking audit & QIPs
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).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
