Job Title Registered Nurse 1St Level/2Nd Level (D)

1.JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title Registered Nurse 1st Level/2nd Level (D)

/Operating Department Practitioner (MTO2)

Department(s) Theatre/Day Surgery

Job Holder Reference NM.0171

No of Job Holders

2.JOB PURPOSE

As part of a multidisciplinary team the post holder will have responsibility for assessment of care needs and the development of programmes of care, and/or the implementation and evaluation of these programmes ensuring the delivery of high quality care to patients.

3.ORGANISATIONAL POSITION

Clinical Nurse Manager

Charge Nurse

Deputy Charge Nurse

Designated Nurse in Charge/Operating Department Practitioner MTO2+2

(This Post)

Student Nurses/Midwives/

Operating Department Practitioners

Clinical Support Worker

4.SCOPE AND RANGE

Undertakes a range of clinical care duties, utilisation of medical/electrical equipment, records patient observations and collects specimens.

Maintains a safe environment for patients, relatives and staff.

Supervises and teaches staff and students, provides induction and orientation to new staff of varying grades and provides delegated supervision to new staff of equivalent grade or less experienced staff.

Leads a team of staff within a designated environment when required

Acts up in the absence of Designated Nurse in Charge/Operating Department Practitioner

5.MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsible for the assessment of care needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care for patients to ensure delivery of a high standard of care.
To maintain effective communications with patients, relatives and other members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure that appropriate information is shared and patient needs are met.
To work within the defined policies, procedures, standards and protocols of the Department, Directorate, Division and Professional Bodies and report outcomes to senior staff to enable monitoring of standards of care
Be fully conversant with the NMC/HPC & AODP Codes of Professional Conduct and other relevant documents, which support and maintain standards of professional practice for nurses, midwives and operating department practitioners.
To supervise less experienced staff/students who are providing care to patients and act as a source of advice to ensure their educational needs are met.
To organise own workload/use own initiative to ensure that the interests of patients are met.
Responsible for maintaining patient records within agreed standards.
To maintain departmental stock levels, through ordering of stores, ensuring the economic use of all resources.
To develop the role by using evidence-based practice and continuously improve own knowledge and education through Personal Development Planning, following Professional guidelines
Provide encouragement and motivation to staff acting in an advocacy role to ensure that the patient is at the centre of all care delivery
Maintains patient confidentiality at all times
Participate in Audit and Research within Department
Handles patient’s valuables and possessions

6.EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY

Slides/Hoists, Hydraulic/Manual Couches/Tables/Beds & Attachments, Trolleys and Wheelchairs – Moving and Handling

Weighing Machines – Patient Assessment

Electronic or Manual Monitoring Equipment - Vital Signs

Specific Electronic and Manual Equipment – Diagnostic Procedures and Treatments

Anaesthetic Equipment – Life Support

Personal Computers – Data input and transmission

Pneumatic Tube System – Transport of specimens and results

Surgical Instruments - Clinical procedures

Sterilisation Machinery – Decontamination

Disposable and Non Disposable Sharps – Clinical Procedures

Commodes

7.SYSTEMS

Maintenance of patient records

View procedure list and chart track medical records

Access and print reports and lists from various electronic systems

Maintain instrument tracking logs

Theatre Management System

8.DECISIONS & JUDGEMENTS

Assessment of patient condition to establish any change

Analysis of patient condition and subsequent planning of care

Prioritise and planning own and other’s work

Assumes responsibility in the absence of the designated Nurse in Charge /Operating

Department Practitioner for the effective deployment of resources within the department

9.COMMUNICATIONS & RELATIONSHIPS

Internal:

The postholder will provide and receive complex, sensitive and/or contentious information regarding patient’s conditions and is required to utilise tact, diplomacy and persuasive skills

The post holder will be expected to communicate and liaise with the patient, their relatives and the multidisciplinary team involved in the provision of care.

Senior Staff/Department Manager – patient condition, workload issues

Less experienced staff/students – patient care, allocation of work, workload issues

Other relevant departments within the Division eg Estates, Supplies, Human Resources, SALUS, Infection Control.

Staff Organisations

External:

Other relevant external agencies – regarding patient care and discharge

10.DEMANDS OF THE JOB (physical, mental, emotional)

Physical Skills:

Frequently

Skills to safely manoeuvre wheelchairs, trolleys, tables, beds, instruments and other equipment.

Patient movement with use of mechanical aides, manoeuvre and position patients

Maintenance and checking of medical and electrical equipment

Manual dexterity for performing specific and specialist procedures and techniques

Performance of procedures that require skill and training e.g. venepuncture

Physical Demands:

Frequently

Patient movement with use of mechanical aides, manoeuvre and position patients

Skills to safely manoeuvre wheelchairs, trolleys, tables, beds, instruments and other equipment

Decontamination of equipment

Stand/walking for the majority of shift

Need to wear heavy personal protective equipment for significant periods of time

Mental Demands:

Frequently

Concentration using tact and sensitivity when undertaking personal care for patients.

Engaging with Multidisciplinary staff groups with different priorities

Competing demands on time

Delegated responsibility of a designated area

Concentration required when checking documents/patient notes and calculating drug dosages, whilst subject to frequent interruptions from team members.

Concentration required when observing patient behaviours, which may be unpredictable

Dealing with acute clinical emergencies

Emotional Demands:

Regularly

Communicating with distressed/anxious/worried patients/relatives.

Caring for the terminally ill.

Involved in caring for patients and relatives following receipt of bad news.

Dealing with patients and relatives with severely challenging behaviour

Dealing with life threatening/sudden death scenarios across the age range

Working Conditions:

Exposure to blood and body fluids, faeces, emptying bed pans/urinals, catheter bags (frequently each shift)

Exposure to verbal aggression (frequent occurrence)

Exposure to physically aggressive behaviour (frequent occurrence)

Working in confined spaces with no natural day light and variable ventilation (frequently throughout each shift)

Working with chemicals and substances hazardous to health (frequently throughout each shift)

11.MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB

Achieving a balance between the demands of direct patient care and priorities within existing resources.

Ensuring patient and staff safety at all times

Dealing with patient’s, carer’s and staff’s expectations, anxieties and bad news situations

Assuming responsibility for a designated area/own practice outwith normal area of deployment

12.KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND/OR EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB

First or Second Level Registered Nurse/ SVQIII in Operating Department Practice/Diploma in Operating Department Practice

Effective listening, communication and interpersonal skills

Evidence of Continuous Professional Development

Ability to work with people and as part of a multidisciplinary team

The above duties and responsibilities are intended to represent current priorities and are not meant to be a conclusive list. The post holder may from time to time be asked to undertake other reasonable duties. Any changes will be made in discussion with the postholder in the light of service needs.

Job Description Agreement

Job Holder’s SignatureDate

Head of Department SignatureDate

1

Final Document 31st January 2005