The Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) service commenced in Bristol in November 2022, serving the South West of England and providing an alternative location for this specialist, life saving treatment. It is delivered in partnership between two NHS Trusts: University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) and North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), with nursing staff from each of the four adult critical care units across three sites. We will soon be expanding the service to include retrieval from other hospitals in the region, with the nursing team undertaking inter-hospital transfers. Having been working with an interim leadership model while the service became established, we are now ready to recruit into substantive band 7 Senior ECMO Nurse Specialist (ENS) positions. Working predominantly clinical shifts, these posts will provide clinical expertise and leadership, a daily presence leading the shift, providing expert advice, and role modelling exemplary nursing care. They will also line manage the band 6 ENSs and undertake shared management responsibilities. Our next step will to be to recruit a Lead ENS to work in a supervisory capacity to manage the service and develop it further, but our current priority is to recruit into the clinical ENS roles.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Main duties of the job

The ENSs provide expert patient care and continuous monitoring and management of the extracorporeal life support system. They are key members of the multi-disciplinary team and must employ excellent communication and team-working skills. They are essential to the delivery of the service developing skills and competencies in a creative and innovative way to ensure high quality, responsive, safe and compassionate care. We are seeking an expert clinical practitioner to fulfil the Senior ENS role who would be excited to work in this new and developing service.We are seeking nurses who are experienced in the delivery of ECMO to patients , with a desire to enhance their leadership and management skills. A passion for quality improvement, service development and gold standard patient care are all essential. You will need to be a competent, practicing, intensive care nurse with existing leadership skills to build on. You will be required to work long days throughout the week (including weekends), with currently no expectation to work nights. When there is no ECMO activity the band 6 ENSs return to their base intensive care units, but the Senior ENSs will maintain a skeleton rota based at the ECMO site at UHBW, with ongoing responsibility for receiving referrals, managing the team and ensuring their training and skills are kept up to date.

About us

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

We would encourage potential applicants to contact us and even visit if possible so we can discuss what our partnership has to offer you. Part-time working and flexible working requests will be considered.

The Senior ENSs are expected to cover long days (0700 to 2000) seven days a week, between them. This includes regular weekends. Night shifts are not required. We are looking for a team of three or more individuals to cover this rota.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• RGN. 1st Level or relevant children's qualification
• Current NMC Registration
• Degree (or equivalent) in Nursing or health related topic
• Evidence of Masters level (or equivalent) academic study or willingness to work towards Masters (in relevant health related subject)
• Relevant post registration qualification at Level 3 (or equivalent)
• Specialist ECMO training
• Qualification in Teaching, Assessing and Mentoring

Desirable

• Management course
• Non-medical prescribing

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Highly effective communication skills - verbally and written to staff, patients and relatives including in situations of conflict or distress
• Able to gain credibility with and influence colleagues including influencing clinical changes where appropriate
• Strong organisational skills - prioritising complex situations
• Ability to lead and influence change
• Able to accept responsibility for ward/area working under own initiative within the boundaries of role
• Demonstrates ability to take overall responsibility and accountability
• Flexibility, adaptability to meet needs of a changing service
• Demonstrates ability to implement and utilise audit data to improve quality
• Clinical expert in critical care
• Able to advise on and implement improvements to the quality and efficiency of care for patients in the service
• Ability to act as facilitator, mentor and supervisor to colleagues
• Familiar with current local and national nursing issues
• Information technology skills
• Commitment to the development and provision of high-quality nursing care
• Initiative

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Thorough and up to date knowledge of nursing theory and best practice within critical care
• Knowledge and understanding of an ECMO service within a SARF centre
• Significant relevant clinical and management experience
• Able to lead and manage the nursing team: Effective standard setting, monitoring, and feedback, Understanding of the principles and application of effective budgetary management, Understanding of the principles and application of effective staff and HR management/appraisals, and understanding the theory and application of clinical governance
• Understanding of NMC Code of Practice and requirements of it for practice and behaviour and its application to the management of staff and self
• Experience and knowledge of advanced practice/protocols

Desirable

• Undertaken nursing research

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

Address

Bristol Royal Infirmary

Upper Maudlin Street

Bristol

BS1 3NU

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

387-S-5782-GB-A