Surgical Care Practitioner - Robotic Surgery

Job description

Job responsibilities

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Act as a role model to all members of the team.
• Ensure the delivery of the highest standard of patient care, assisting the surgeon in Robotics procedures by maintaining a clear and safe surgical field.
• Demonstrate an advanced level of evidence-based theory and practice, with a proven record of clinical decision-making and autonomy.
• Work alongside the Lead SCP with responsibility as Robotics Surgery SCP for arranging mentorship of SCPs, Robotic Coordinators, First Assistants, and other caregivers interested in opportunities for continuous development and improving skills relevant to robotics.
• Work closely with the theatre scheduling team to ensure appropriate provision of robotics services.
• Act as a present and recognized point of contact within Robotic surgery to help facilitate Robotic surgery, including ensuring patients have had their pre-operative work up, making schedule recommendations, equipment assurance, incorporating consultant preferences, and facilitating pathology and follow up care where needed.
• Acquire, develop and maintain advanced knowledge and expertise within Robotic surgery, while overseeing other surgical practitioners and first assistants to assist the teams clinical development within Robotic surgery.
• Participate in and organize team training for Robotic surgery and care of patients undergoing Robotic procedures.
• Ensure ongoing education and development for the team in Robotic surgery and care of patients undergoing Robotics procedures, including assurance of competencies and required training.
• Own and steward, working closely with the SCP Lead, quality improvement initiatives as they relate to robotic surgery and its perioperative services.
• To submit relevant audit or research for publication or presentation.
• Manage Robotics tailored competency frameworks and action plans to ensure continued development of the team.
• Take individual responsibility to be up to date with current research, developing techniques and facilitate implementation of new practice initiatives.
• Participate in regular theatre audits to ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
• Liaise with the wider theatre team to develop scope of Robotic surgery practice and identify opportunities for further service development or expansion.
• Ensure staff are regularly informed of new developments within Robotic surgery practice and clinical areas.
• Assume responsibility for their own practice.
• Establish links with medical companies, boards and membership bodies to facilitate excellent delivery of Robotic surgery care.
• Build and maintain links with educational providers through clinical and educational development programs, enabling maximum learning opportunities for the wider team.
• To optimize Robotic surgery theatre time and use, progressing to cross specialty as required.
• Act as mentor to staff of all grades.
• Share knowledge including training and teaching Robotic surgery skills to team members, including other SCPs, surgical first assistants, and other relevant team members.
• Promote and encourage Robotic surgery related research awareness in the team and develop skills in critical analysis and review.
• Identify research opportunities within the department and take the lead on Robotic surgery projects.
• Attend relevant User Groups, Forums or Multidisciplinary Team meetings.
• Liaise with other hospitals and observe potential new procedures and practices to ensure ongoing development to optimize Robotic Surgery practice at CCL.
• To initiate and assist in evaluation of the Robotics surgery service and patient care, including patient satisfaction, using appropriate methods.
• Understand and recognize legal implications and competence levels regarding the dual role and that of the First Assistant to the Surgeon, acting according to Clinic policy. This includes the appropriate assessment and evaluation of care in keeping with:

1. The Philosophies and values of CCL.
2. The NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
3. The HCPC Code of Conduct.
4. Cleveland Clinic London Policies and Protocols.
5. Demonstrate ability to work to deadlines.

• This job description is a general guide to the scope of the post but is not exhaustive and may change in line with the needs of the department or at the request of the Lead Surgical Care Practitioner and/or Critical Care & Anaesthesia Institute Manager.
• Clinical Responsibilities:
• Actively participate in surgical procedures at the direction and/or instruction of the Consultant surgeon.
• Take the lead in patient preparation for Robotics procedures including skin marking, appropriate positioning.
• Be present for Robotics procedures and demonstrate effective troubleshooting of equipment to assist Robotic surgery.
• Be a consistent member of the Robotic surgery team providing consistency for the wider Robotics theatre team and maintaining Consultants practices.
• Be autonomous in specialized skills related to Robotic surgery including prepping and draping, port incision, robot set up, instrumentation knowledge, management of bleeding, specimen management and drain insertion.
• Provide a high level of surgical skill and knowledge to be able to assist and facilitate conversion of Robotic to open surgery when required.
• Participate in training and education with wider theatre team to further facilitate awareness of conversion of practices.
• Act as a Surgical First Assistant as required, across specialties as directed by the supervising surgeon.
• Be accessible and visible to staff, patients and visitors.
• Possess advanced knowledge of a range of surgical procedures and demonstrate evidence of current practice and theory in the field.
• Be wholly accountable for ones own practice.
• Ensure preparation, checking and maintenance of surgical equipment as per guidelines before and after procedures.
• Take ultimate responsibility for ensuring the standard of the environment within his/her identified area of responsibility.
• Ensure patients needs are met and staff maintain cleanliness as defined by national standards.
• Advocate for patients.
• Provide staff, patients and/or careers with accurate and up to date information.
• Provide a flexible approach to working with a variety of shifts required, including on-call and weekend shifts as needed.
• Work across specialties with appropriate support and facilitating training where necessary.
• Anticipate specific consultant surgeons requirements before and during the procedure.
• Be aware of transforming practices and help facilitate the integration of these into theatres in relation to the theatre team and specific case requirements.
• Ensure that training environments are suitable, optimized and appropriate.
• Communicate effectively with trainees and the team to maximize training opportunities ongoingly.
• Work closely with the Robotics members of the MDT to ensure consistency of care in Robotic surgery delivery.
• Ensure that appropriate instruments, prosthetics/implants, consumables and any necessary equipment is secured for Robotics procedures.
• Ensure that good infection control practice and high standards of clinical care are given.
• Help to ensure that only sterilized items are used, ensuring that the integrity of the packaging is intact and that expiry dates on all products are checked. Products must only be used in accordance with the manufacturers or suppliers written instructions.
• Assemble and prepare appropriate and essential disposable/reusable items for surgical procedures using the aseptic technique if required, checking sterility and expiry date of packing.
• Ensure the labelling of specimens is correct and documented as per policy.
• Help maintain accurate surgical patient records as per consultant preferences.
• Assist other team members to participate in the safe transferring and positioning of the patient.
• Assist during emergency situations within appropriate level of training.
• Ensure faulty equipment is isolated from use, using the appropriate label, and report to a responsible person.
• Take universal and (self-) hygiene precautions to minimize the risk of infections to the patient, the surgical team, and other staff in any clinical procedures and areas.
• Adhere to appropriate safety precautions, as established within the theatres/Clinic to minimize the risks of fire, explosion, electrical shock, contamination, accident and equipment malfunction.
• Ensure team and consultant compliance with the WHO check list and time out before surgery.
• Ensure the safe and confidential transit of patient notes from the operating theatre to other departments.
• Help to ensure caregivers across perioperative services adhere to policies and procedures.
• Actively participate in the pre-operative team brief and quality and safety checklists, while ensuring that this is documented accordingly when appropriate.
• Maintain & monitor legibility and accuracy of nursing records and be aware of the legal implications of these documents.
• Document any incidents within quality and safety systems. Actively participate in the investigation and management of reported incidents, while encouraging a culture of openness and psychological safety.
• Develop research-based practice, quality assurance in line with the Care Standards Act 2000 and clinical audit.
• Maintain a continuing personal development (CPD) portfolio.
• Facilitate junior members of the team with their CPD, setting goals, facilitating training opportunities and mentoring as appropriate.
• Ensure a clean, tidy and risk free clinical workplace.
• The post holder is expected to work flexibly with varying shift patterns (nights/days/weekends/on calls) and is expected to work full-time.
• The post holder will always be under the supervision and/or instruction of the consultant surgeon who has overall responsibility for the surgical care received by the patient.
• This job description is a general guide to the clinical scope of the post but is not exhaustive and may change in line with the needs of the department or at the request of the Lead Surgical Care Practitioner and/or the Critical Care & Anaesthesia Institute Manager.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RGN / ODP Level 3.
• MSc in Surgical Care Practice or equivalent.

Desirable

• Experience with robotic surgery working as or alongside Robotic Coordinators.
• Under Consultant care, operating as the sole bedside assistant within Robotic Surgery.
• Perioperative experience.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience at senior Surgical Care Practitioner level.
• SCP Experience in Robotic Surgery, especially in abdominal and pelvic robotic surgery.
• Experience running Robotic Training days for the wider MDT.
• Experience in developing service and managing change.
• High level of surgical skills to ensure competence of emergency situations should conversion occur.
• Experience in training others.
• Experience organizing a Robotics development program.

Desirable

• Multidisciplinary surgical experience as a SCP is desirable.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Cleveland Clinic London

Address

Cleveland Clinic

33 Grosvenor Place

London

SW1X 7HY

Employer's website

https://jobs.clevelandclinic.org/ (Opens in a new tab)