Job summary

The Pain Management Centre at Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital is one of the largest services of its type in the country. It provides a highly specialised and wide range of services, including a residential Pain Management Programme, Spinal Cord Stimulation and specialist clinics for conditions such as headache/migraine, fibromyalgia and sickle cell pain for patients from local and regional areas.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced research nurse to join the pain management team in the delivery of research projects within chronic pain services. The post holder will join a multidisciplinary team and be involved in a wide range of national and international clinical trials from device and drug trials to observational studies. There will also be opportunities to support departmental audits and service improvement projects.

This role will suit a motivated and enthusiastic individual and offers an excellent opportunity to learn and develop skills in clinical research as well as pain management.

Short listing both the essential and desirable criteria on the personal specification will be used. Please ensure that you have demonstrated competency in all areas for your application to be successful.

Please contact Hazel Steele at Hazel.Steele@gstt.nhs.uk or Jeff Brazel at Jeff.Brazel@gstt.nhs.uk

Main duties of the job

Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate expert research nursing care and provide support to patients attending the Department who have been or have the potential to be recruited onto a clinical trial programme. The Research Nurse will play a key role in ensuring that any research undertaken within the department safeguards the well being of the patients and is conducted according to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trial) Regulations 2004 and Amended Regulations 2006. In conjunction with the other members of the team, facilitate the production of good quality of research.

The research nurse will facilitate and aid in the recruitment of patients to ensure high quality clinical studies and trials which will require the nurse to work flexibly across the disciplines to ensure the successful working of the clinical research facility. They will also act as a patient advocate providing support and assistance as required and assist in the co-ordination and management of a portfolio of early phase translational clinical research,

The post holder will take responsibility for supervising the safe administration of experimental therapies, and for monitoring the expected and unexpected side effects of drugs and other treatment modalities used in these trials.

About us

The Guys and St Thomas (GSTT) Pain Management Centre is the largest NHS Pain Management service in the UK and has a well-established and proven track record of excellence. The Pain Management Service has been providing Pain Management services within the NHS, public sector and commercially since 1975. It has subsequently developed a broad range of Pain Management knowledge, expertise, experience and understanding across a range of chronic pain conditions.

The GSTT Pain Management Centre is world renowned in Neuromodulation Therapies. For further information on the Neuromodulation service please see the GSTT Pain Management Centre website:

The Pain Research and Development team at GSTT are a research group involved in interventional and non-interventional pain studies. We combine our clinical expertise with the latest developments in pain medicine and headache to lead and initiate a diverse portfolio of clinical trials. We collaborate with statisticians, health economists and research scientists to design study protocols that answer a clinically-relevant question, and conduct trials across our NHS sites in addition to our participation in multi-centre studies.

The Trust is a stakeholder in the newly accredited Academic Health Sciences Centre, King's Health Partners and the Joint Clinical Trials Office. Therefore, the Research and Development department also supports the recently established Clinical Research Facility based within the Experimental Medicine Hub.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

• Carry out planned care required by the clinical trials protocol for a group of volunteers without direct supervision
• Ensure the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of evidence based, individualised patient/volunteer care.
• Responsible for recruiting to, and following up, patients within studies. This includes both randomised clinical trials and other high quality clinical studies. The role will involve working closely with multidisciplinary clinical teams
• Act as a patient advocate enabling patients to make informed choices concerning their involvement in the clinical trials and ensuring advice and information is provided.
• Ensure there is sufficient skill mix of staff for patient safety during clinical trials and ensuring that they are carried out within the Trust and Centre's policies and clinical trial protocol.
• Assist in clinical trials including venepuncture and cannulation of volunteers when necessary ensuring that they are carried out within the Trusts policies, research governance, Medicines for Human Use ( Clinical Trials Regulations ) Incorporating International Conference on Harmonisation of Good Clinical Practice (ICH GCP) and Data Protection Act.
• Undertake clinical tasks such as phlebotomy, analysis of blood specimens, drug administration and clinical observation etc.
• Assist and advise staff, both registered and unregistered in the delivery of care to the volunteer.
• Ensure that written informed consent has always been obtained for any treatment provided for, or any sample or data taken from a Volunteer which will form part of a research study, in accordance with the Trust research governance arrangements and Medicines for Human Use ( Clinical Trials Regulations ) Incorporating International Conference on Harmonisation of Good Clinical Practice (ICH GCP)
• Have responsibility for the correct administration and custody of medicines according to Trust policy.
• Maintain all data and case report forms relating to clinical trials in accordance with the Medicines for Human Use ( Clinical Trials Regulations ) Incorporating International Conference on Harmonisation of Good Clinical Practice (ICH GCP)
• Report any deviation from normal practice to senior staff and implement agreed changes in care programme.
• Deal with concerns raised by volunteers and visitors in a proactive manner and take remedial action as necessary.
• Act as the volunteers advocate

Administration

• Plan, organise and deploy staff according to ability and workload in order to meet volunteer needs.
• Ensure that nursing practices comply with Trust policies and procedures
• Communicate effectively at all times and maintain a harmonious working environment.
• Maintain a safe environment in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act.
• Assist the Nurse Manager in managing incidents, accidents and complaints in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
• Assist in ensuring the availability of resources for volunteer care
• Ensure equipment is in good working order, and report appropriately when defective
• Participate in audits, EG those undertaken by the Medicines and Health Care Regulatory Authority ( MHRA ) nursing audits and clinical benchmarking exercises and suggest any change to improve standards
• Ensure the economical use of resources
• Contribute to the overall control of the ward or departmental budget and identify areas where cost improvements can be made
• Ensure the safe custody of volunteers property in accordance with Trust policies.
• Actively participate in and support the development of the clinical research facility.
• Promote and participate in the implementation of policies within the Centre and to ensure compliance with Trust, Government and EU Directives.
• Maintain accurate documentation in clinical trial documents and patient notes.
• Ensure that clinical trials are effectively archived as required.
• Assist in the process of gaining local regulatory committee approval (ethics and R&D approval).

Education and Training

• Assist in the education and support of health care professionals to enable them to care for clinical trial patients and recruit to clinical trials where appropriate.
• Maintain an up to date knowledge of research related topics particularly related to clinical trials.
• Attend local and national meetings as appropriate and as agreed with the local co-ordinating centre.
• Attend regular update sessions at GSTT.
• Assess the needs of volunteers, relatives and carers and provide them with information as requested.
• Educate and counsel volunteers, family and those who volunteer for clinical trials before, during and after clinical studies and investigations.
• Assist the Charge Nurse in orientating all new staff and students to the ward or department
• Provide teaching and development to the nursing team and students helping them to achieve their learning outcomes
• Act as a role model, mentor and preceptor to the nursing team.

Other

• Understand and adhere to Trust policies and procedures.
• To maintain patient confidentiality and standards of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) at all times.
• Maintain NMC registration

Person Specification

Knowledge / Qualifications

Essential

• Level 1 Registered Nurse NMC Registration with previous acute NHS experience
• Educated to degree level or above
• Relevant specialist course or equivalent experience

Desirable

• A Clinical Research qualification

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience of working within a hospital environment as a qualified nurse
• Experience of effective multidisciplinary team working
• Experienced and competent in the management of patients within the speciality
• Experience with Access Databases
• Experience of teaching colleagues and staff

Desirable

• Post registration experience in a relevant specialty
• Experience in Clinical Research & Familiar with Good Clinical Practice & Certification
• Experience of electronic data capture

Skills/Ability

Essential

• Extensive knowledge of a therapeutic speciality
• Knowledge of research methodologies
• Knowledge of quality, standard setting, benchmarking and audit
• Knowledge of NMC Code of Professional Conduct Competency in medication administration including IV drugs
• Organisation and management skills
• Articulate with advanced written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work effectively under pressure
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to perform clinical activities specific to speciality
• IT skills including use of email and office packages

Additional Information

Essential

• Flexible approach towards teamwork and patient/family involvement
• Enthusiastic, profession and accountable

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

196-BRC1953