WELDMAR HOSPICECARE TRUST
Job Title:Staff Nurse (Entry and Higher Levels)
Location:Joseph Weld Hospice
Reports to:Senior Sister/Sister
Accountable to:Director of Nursing
Responsible for:Work supervision of junior staff
Job Context
Joseph Weld Hospice is an eighteen bedded unit. 14 beds are used for palliative care, the remaining 4 are for respite care, caring for patients who are generally of a very high dependency. The unit has a multi disciplinary approach to patient care, with an emphasis on providing care and support for both patient and family. The post holder will lead a small team of nurses to provide holistic care to a designated group of patients.
Job Purpose
Level One - Entry Level
- The Staff Nurse is responsible for providing high quality specialist palliative care to patient, families and carers.
- To support the principles of team nursing, and oversee the work of junior staff
- To actively participate in Clinical Governance programmes
Level Two – Higher Level
- To take overall responsibility for the management of the unit, to act as nominated Fire Officer and supervise the staff team in the absence of the Sister (c.2-3 shifts a week)
- To performance review up to 2 Nursing Auxiliaries
Scope and Limits of Authority
- Responsible and accountable for planning, implementing and evaluating physical, social, psychological, emotional and spiritual care for the patient/carer on a day-to-day basis; referring to the sister as and when required.
- The post holder is required to contribute to the supervision of junior/new members of staff in conjunction with the sister.
- The post holder has no direct budget responsibility but must be aware of cost implications and make effective use of resources.
This post has two levels – Entry Level 1 and Higher Level 2
Entry Level 1 posts are development roles for staff with RN qualification and good clinical skills but who have not yet acquired all the knowledge and management skills specific to providing higher level clinical care and staff supervision within a specialist healthcare provision. Level 1 post holders will be provided with opportunities for development towards Level 2.
Higher Level 2 posts will have acquired knowledge and skills and experience enabling them to take on higher level tasks, including management of unit and staff supervision and related decision making in absence of Sister. To achieve level 2 staff will need to meet all aspects of the person specification and deliver all tasks described.
Areas of Responsibility
Level One (Entry Level)
Professional
- To be a safe practitioner and work within the NMC Codes of Conduct and Practice, maintaining registration and PREP; also ensuring that all staff within their sphere of responsibility follows the codes.
- To practice safely according to all Trust policies, procedures and competencies.
- To be responsible for maintaining a personal awareness of professional developments in nursing in general but particularly in palliative care and to undertake relevant further education.
- Maintain quality of care by organising self and others, in assessing, planning, implementing and accurately documenting care, in accordance with the hospice philosophy
- Acts as patient advocate
Managerial Responsibility
- To maintain a safe environment within the ward areas and to ensure that all equipment is clean, safe and maintained in good working order
- Attend monthly nurse team meetings (when available) for updating of all aspects of clinical and Trust information and for support of colleagues. Also to attend meetings called by the Chief Executive Officer.
- To participate in clinical governance and other corporate change projects as delegated
Educational
- To attend mandatory training
- To update professional specialist palliative care knowledge by attending in-house and external courses, education sessions and conferences
- To attend appropriate courses leading to recognised post registration qualification
- To act as a mentor/supervisor to Health Care Assistants
Level Two – Higher Level
Undertakes all Level One responsibilities and in addition the responsibilities below:
Professional
- Responsible for offering `out of hours’ advice to other health care professional
- Management of pharmacy provision
- Maintaining an overview across all patients within the unit
Managerial Responsibility
- Act as a shift leader in the absence of a Sister, taking overall responsibility for the hospice and its environment, including:
-Undertaking all admissions and discharges, ensuring procedures and standards applied
-Booking of bank staff in order to ensure staffing quotas maintained
-Providing work allocation across the team
-Providing advice and support to all staff within the team
-Deployment and support of volunteers working in the clinical area
-Respond to any managerial changes or crisis quickly and to contact lead Nurse, Director of Nursing or the Chief Executive at home for confirmation of the action taken or to request further assistance
-To meet with delegated staff every 6 weeks to review performance
-Under the guidance of Senior Sister/Sisterconduct annual and six monthly performance reviews in order to monitor the performance of delegated staff and provide professional development
Educational
- Act as a link nurse for a specialist topic, appropriate to specialist palliative care, liaising with the general hospital and community colleagues
- Participate in agreed audit and research programmes.
- Act as a mentor/supervisor to nurses – new staff, those attending courses or student nurses on placement.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Knowledge & Expertise
Level One
- RN
- Drug Administration
- Some knowledge of, and genuine interest in palliative care
- Understands and conforms to the Trust’s infection prevention and health and safety policies and actively promotes best practice and infection prevention awareness at all times
Level Two
- Good knowledge of palliative care or relevant specialist field
- IV Drug Administration
- Working towards post – registration qualification in Palliative Care
- Willingness to work towards Diploma / Degree
- Knowledge of local and national initiatives and trends in health care
- Understands and conforms to the Trust’s infection prevention and health and safety policies and actively promotes best practice and infection prevention awareness at all times
Experience
Level One
- At least one years post RN qualification experience, ideally including experience within a relevant field
Level Two
- At least three years post RN qualification experience within a relevant specialist field
- Experience of working within more than one health care field
Skills and Abilities
Level One
- Ability to practice as a proficient practitioner
- Ability to manage time effectively
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to provide non-judgemental and empathic emotional support to patients whilst maintaining safe and appropriate boundaries
- Emotionally able to work within the field of palliative care
- Understanding of clinical governance and its requirements
- Understanding of team nursing
- Demonstrate an understanding of confidentiality
- Flexible approach to working arrangements
- Knowledge of clinical audit
- IT skills
Level Two
- Ability to supervise, lead and support the work of other staff
- Confidence and skills to manage the unit in the absence of a Sister
- Effective problem solving skills
- Able judgement to know which decisions need to be referred on to a senior colleague during their absence
- Evidence of an area of special interest
- Good communication skills, including listening, negotiating skills, communication of ideas and ability to provide advice to other health professionals.
- Obtained or willing to work towards completing Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) training
- Ability to have overall vision of the ward to enable planning and prioritization of care
Approved by :
Postholder ______Date ______
Line Manager______Date ______
Personnel: Job Descriptions 2005 – Staff Nurse (Entry and Higher Levels)