Teenagers and Young Adults CNS

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

Provide high quality care and support, acting as a key worker to TYA patients diagnosed with cancer, with a focus on Lymphoma, Melanoma, Germ Cell diagnoses among others and treated at the TYA Principal Treatment Centre and within the Greater Manchester Designated hospitals.

Provide emotional, psychosocial and clinical support (as appropriate) from the point of diagnosis, during and after treatment, fulfilling the role of Key Worker, using knowledge and skills as appropriate to ones professional accountability, for example counselling skills.

Ensure there is clear communication with all necessary community teams, leading to a seamless support package that provides TYAs and their families with the individual and appropriate support whether they are in hospital or at home.

Advise patients/carers regarding any aspect of treatment plan, side effects, symptom control, discharge planning and palliative care.

Ensure newly diagnosed patients are followed up in the Community setting to ensure provision of information is of a high standard and psychosocial support is adequate from the time of diagnosis

Liaise closely with Primary Care Services to ensure patients receive a high standard of clinical nursing care and provision of resources in the community according to the patients individual need.

Act as a link between the in-patient wards at the PTC and GM Designated hospitals and the community services, providing high quality information between the two so that all teams possess the necessary patient information.

Where appropriate ensure new patients are supported and engaged with all members of MDT throughout the patients cancer trajectory, taking an active role in contributing to multi- disciplinary meetings and engaging with other members of MDT in the best interests of the TYA patient.

Ensure that appropriate patients receive the highest standard of palliative care and provide support and advice to community care professionals as necessary and appropriate to ensure where possible a seamless service between hospital and home

Adhere to Trust Policies and Procedures and where appropriate escalate worries and concerns to line manager(s).

Provide all adolescents/ young adults with cancer opportunity to receive home visits as individual need required

Liaise closely with schools/colleges/universities as appropriate acting as a resource in TYA cancer care and providing a supportive role as required

Provide psychosocial support to TYAs and their carers respecting their diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds

Ensure appropriate families have access to information about bereavement support services that are available

Facilitate effective communication between multidisciplinary hospital staff and community staff

In the role of TYA key worker be present in outpatient clinics based in the Palatine Treatment Centre and within designated hospital clinic environments to ensure seamless and high quality TYA support. The TYA key worker will support TYA patients and their families, as well as providing expert TYA cancer care advice to clinical teams across the PTC and GM designated hospital network.

Ensure that patients are being offered a holistic needs assessment at the beginning and end of their treatment, and at other key moments through their treatment.

Support TYA cancer patients to attend the Your Way Forward programme, or other similar Health and Wellbeing Event

Have good awareness of Safeguarding within TYA cancer care and ensure that you have knowledge of the safeguarding policies that exist.

EDUCATIONAL / SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

Attend all relevant MDT meetings related to patient caseload to ensure TYA patients are identified and referred into the TYA service for support. The Keyworker will provide promotion of the role and support available to all TYA patients and ensure that this is advocated for at the earliest opportunity.

Be aware of change at National and local level and participate in ensuring service meets best practice measures.

Contribute to educational programmes at the Principal Treatment Centre and within GM Designated hospital and community footprint to ensure that a wider understanding in the care of TYAs with cancer and the unique needs of this age group.

Identify training needs of non-specialist Christie and Designated Hospital colleagues and help to develop educational programmes or working alongside existing teams, ensure care can be delivered safely and competently at home eg. Management of central lines.

Participate in the theoretical and practical teaching of pre/post registration students as required

Offer guidance and teaching to Ward based staff caring for TYAs through formal and informal presentations.

Attend and participate in the TYA service meetings.

Support the nursing contribution to service development, helping to ensure the pursuit of excellence in care.

As necessary and appropriate support the work of colleagues or the Christie Hospital in the development and formulation of standards of care associated with the care of TYA patients.

Take responsibility for life-long learning through clinical supervision and performance development review meetings, identifying ones own educational needs, for example participation in TYA courses from CCLG and beyond

Whenever possible attend the Clinical Nurse Specialist forums that meet regularly within the PTC and withing the GM Designated hospitals.

PROFESSIONAL

Act in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code of Professional Conduct and other guiding documents at all times.

Act as role model presenting professional image at all times.

Participate in the recruitment and selection process as required.

Ensure own awareness of risk management issues relating to TYA oncology and ensure identified risks are addressed.

Participate in individual performance review.

Ensure all hospital policies and Department of Health Guidelines are followed at all times.

Maintain confidentiality at all times.

Ensure own continuous professional development and keep up to date with current nursing issues and ensure that all mandatory training is up to date.

Be fully aware of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust objectives and corporate plan.

Qualifications

Essential

• 1st Level registered Nurse (RN-Child or Adult)

Desirable

• Palliative Care Certificate
• 1st level Degree
• Post registration certificate in cancer nursing
• Membership of relevant National Bodies
• Counselling Cert
• Teenage and Young Adult post registration qualification

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 3 years nursing experience, including working with adolescents/young adults with cancer
• Palliative care experience with adolescents/young adults

Desirable

• Counselling experience
• Experience of caring for patients with Lymphoma, Germ Cell diagnoses and others

Skills

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work autonomously
• Ability to present information to professional groups.
• Good organisational and prioritising skills
• IT Skills; for eg, competent in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.

Desirable

• Teaching skills
• Ability to formulate standards
• Evidence of effective team working across professional and organisational boundaries.

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of clinical and professional issues in TYA Cancer Care
• Knowledge of local and national policy/guidelines relating to adolescents
• Knowledge of TYA Development & coping strategies

Desirable

• Knowledge of Clinical Audit process

Other

Essential

• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
• Car driver/owner

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).