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Palliative Care Nurse

Employer
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Location
Worcester
Salary
£43,742 to £50,056 a year
Closing date
8 Jun 2023

View more

Profession
Nurse
Grade
Band 7
Contract Type
Permanent
Hours
Part Time
To work as a clinical nurse specialist practitioner in palliative care across the accepted domains of the role as a clinician, educator, researcher and manager.

To work as a member of a hospital based specialist palliative care team, as part of the wider primary and secondary muti-disciplinary teams and the independent sector to ensure a cohesive, holistic and research based approach to the management of palliative care patients.

The role will be innovative and encompass all aspects of the patient care pathway, acting and a nurse advisor to support patients and their carers with cancer or a life threatening illness, within a formal/informal setting.

The role will provide highly specialist nurse input to the palliative patient in line with government directives.

Main duties of the job

Provide a specialist and holistic palliative care assessment of patients and their carers needs following referral, which realistically minimises physical symptoms and the social, financial, emotional and spiritual implications of the disease process.

Provides highly specialist care and advice for patients and carers, and assists the multidisciplinary team in delivering and evaluating the interventions/ plan of care, reviewing and amending this care as appropriate.

Regularly assesses patient for inpatient admissions to specialist palliative care level 2 bedded units. Has admission rights to palliative care inpatient unit in liaison with Consultant in Palliative Medicine.

Frequently initiates and participates in highly sensitive and complex communication issues with patients, carers, nursing/medical teams including pre-bereavement support, advice and imparting life changing news, e.g a terminal illness.

To participate in a 7 day palliative care visiting service that includes weekends and bank holidays.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is nearly 6,800 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:
  • Best services for local people
  • Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
  • Best use of resources
  • Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Job description

Job responsibilities

WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Clincal Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care

Pay Band: 7

Hours:

Contract:

Location / Department: Worcestershire Royal Hospital /Alexandra Hospital

Accountable to: Chief Nurse

Reports to:Lead Nurse Specialist Palliative and End of Life Care

Ref:

Key Working Relationships:

Internal (Acute Trust)

Upper GI Support Nurse, Lung Cancer Support Nurse, Patients, Relatives/carers, Oncology Medical and Nursing Teams. Medical and Surgical Teams, Outpatients, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Discharge and Care Co-ordinators, Social Services, Dietetics, Radiology, Haematology, Biochemistry, Infection Control, Chaplaincy, Pharmacy, Bereavement Office, All nursing staff CNSs, matrons, ward teams and outpatients, Directorate Managers, Multi-Professional Teams, Medical Records, Palliative Care Teams in other acute settings.

External (Primary Care Team)

Community Palliative Care Team: Redditch and Bromsgrove, Malvern, Wyre Forest, Pan Birmingham, Warwickshire, St Richards Hospice, Kemp Hospice, Kidderminster Hosptial and Wyre Forest Ward. Primrose at the Princess Palliative Care Unit Bromsgrove, Macmillan Unit Evesham, Primrose Cancer Help Centre and Hospice, Hospices, Bereavement Services, Community Hospitals, GPs, District Nurses, Hospital at Home, Red Cross, Nursing and Residential Homes.
Risk Assessment:
VDU prolonged periods inputting data and information.

Manual Handling.

Frequent exposure to body fluids when caring for patients.

Infection risks.

Occasional aggressive verbal behaviour from patients and carers.

Occasional exposure to cyctotoxics.

Continuous exposure to emotional and psychological distress from patients, carers and staff that are associated with palliative care issues, ie. Frequently imparting news of terminal illness/bereavement.

Job Purpose:

To work as a clinical nurse specialist practitioner in palliative care across the accepted domains of the role as a clinician, educator, researcher and manager.

To work as a member of a hospital based specialist palliative care team, as part of the wider primary and secondary muti-disciplinary teams and the independent sector to ensure a cohesive, holistic and research based approach to the management of palliative care patients.

The role will be innovative and encompass all aspects of the patient care pathway, acting and a nurse advisor to support patients and their carers with cancer or a life threatening illness, within a formal/informal setting.

The role will provide highly specialist nurse input to the palliative patient in line with government directives.

Key Duties:

Clinical/Professional

Constantly practices autonomously by assessing and effectively prioritising referrals to the service in order to deliver patient focused appropriate care in the context of a whole service approach.

Provide a specialist and holistic palliative care assessment of patients and their carers needs following referral, which realistically minimises physical symptoms and the social, financial, emotional and spiritual implications of the disease process.

In negotiation with the patient, their carers, and the wider multidisciplinary team, formulate a plan of care using specialist knowledge and skills dependent on the level of specialist intervention required.

Provides highly specialist care and advice for patients and carers, and assists the multidisciplinary team in delivering and evaluating the interventions/ plan of care, reviewing and amending this care as appropriate.

Frequently acts as a primary resource for site-specific specialist nurses, nursing/medical teams and the multi disciplinary team.

Acts as a key-worker in co-ordinating care across different professionals and agencies. Facilitates and assists with complex discharge planning to home, hospice or other facility.

Regularly assesses patient for inpatient admissions to specialist palliative care level 2 bedded units. Has admission rights to palliative care inpatient unit in liaison with Consultant in Palliative Medicine.

Frequently elicit and analyse complex patient/carer/ family reaction, needs, dynamics occurring throughout the patient/carers journey. Instigate action to facilitate the development of a therapeutic relationship between the patient/carer and members of the MDT to enhance intra-family communication.

Frequently initiates and participates in highly sensitive and complex communication issues with patients, carers, nursing/medical teams including pre-bereavement support, advice and imparting life changing news, e.g a terminal illness.

Regularly attends oncology, palliative care and other appropriate consultant clinics, providing highly specialist advice and support.

Regularly participates and contributes to relevant site-specific multidisciplinary team meetings.

Regularly reviews and develops appropriate patient documentation in line with Trust policy and Department of Health recommendations.

Participates and contributes to cancer network meetings to ensure the profile of palliative care is maintained.

An understanding of the National Cancer Agenda and its impact on cancer service delivery in practice.

Be involved in the consultation of a 24 hour palliative care advice service in line with Department of Health guidelines.

To offer a nurse prescribing service to palliative care patients in line with Department of Health and Acute Trust guidelines which will reduce patient and carers distress by being able to prescribe immediately and appropriately in response to patient needs.

Uses a palliative care database that includes patient registration, clinical details and interventions that are shared with the community palliative care team, the consultant in Palliative Medicine, the Primrose Hospice and the inpatient palliative care unit.

To participate in a 7 day palliative care visiting service that includes weekends and bank holidays.

Education

Constantly acts as a resource for information on specialist palliative care within the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, disseminating evidence based knowledge and skills to clinical staff at levels.

Effectively utilises informal education opportunities with patients, carers and professionals.

Educates patients and their carers in the understanding of their illness, treatments and provides other sources of information, help and support.

Plan and coordinate formal and informal educational programmes to involve all aspects of generic and specialist palliative care within the acute and community trust, and for other agencies e.g The Primrose Hospice, St Richards Hospice.

Specifically identifies the educational needs of multi-professionals and delivers programmes to meet these needs, locally and as part of a county wide network.

Participates in county wide palliative education initiatives and development, e.g the Palliative Education Strategy.

Works in conjunction with the Consultant in Palliative Medicine to provide education and training to rotational specialist registrars and the induction of medical and surgical house officers.

Provides placements/mentorship for professionals studying palliative care/oncology at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Develops and produces written information for patients, carers and professionals on palliative care services.

Research and Audit

Ensures clinical effectiveness by critically appraising current research and applying it to practice.

Develops and participates in appropriate nursing and medical research.

Undertakes research relevant to palliative care following Trust guidelines, disseminating findings to the multi-professional team.

Regular audit of issues relevant to current service provision, reviewing and amending practice as a result.

Co-ordinates the development, implementation and review of relevant nursing policies, procedures and documentation, ensuring a consistent evidence based approach to patient care.

Personal and Professional Responsibilities

Maintains a programme of personal and professional development by attending in-service training and utilising relevant educational opportunities. e.g, courses, conferences, seminars.

Functions effectively as a specialist practitioner in line with the recommendations of the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Department of Health and operates as a member of the Palliative Care Team and wider multidisciplinary teams.

Uses clinical supervision to maintain and improve practice.

To be alert to ones own psychological health needs with reference to working in palliative care and the needs of others and to be able to receive and offer support when needed.

Work with the service manager in developing service policy and delivery, participating in projects, education and consultation as appropriate.

Maintain high professional standards of care and professional expertise.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Expert clinical skills in speciality
  • Able to manage own workload
  • Able to perform assessment planning implementation and evaluation of nursing care
  • Excellent verbal and non verbal communication skills Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

    C9365-23-0127-2

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