The palliative care nurse will be a key team member in the delivery of palliative nursing services to enable and support timely and effective care and assessment and intervention for patients with specialist palliative care needs in all settings.

They will, as part of the palliative care service, support the specialist nursing service undertaking the assessment and triage of patients, ensuring patients and carers receive high quality care, support and advice.

The post holder will provide advice and support to other members of the multi-professional teams involved in the care of patients with specialist palliative care needs.

This post is for a Band 6 nurse, working 24hours per week (with possible additional hours to 36 hrs per week) as part of the dedicated Palliative Care Out of Hours team. Night and day shift hours to be determined via roster across a 7 day service.

Main duties of the job

• To work within the multi-professional team to manage the caseload of patients presenting with palliative care needs.
• To undertake an effective nursing assessment and intervention service within CHFT.
• To liaise and work alongside the appropriate multi-professional teams to support patients' needs to ensure admission avoidance from home.
• Act as a resource for patients, families, carers and health professionals about diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and end of life care needs.
• To ensure that the key worker role and holistic needs assessment are identified and undertaken at appropriate points of the patient care pathway in liaison with other site specific multi-professional teams.
• Liaise with other palliative care teams within the locality to ensure timely referral/review of patients with palliative care/end of life care needs.

About us

Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) is a dynamic and successful organisation with a strong organisational and personal development focus. With over 5,500 employees and a turnover of �310 million, the Trust provides a comprehensive range of secondary care services to the people of Calderdale and Huddersfield and has an exceptional reputation for service delivery.

The Foundation Trust aims to design and implement services, policies and measures that meet the diverse needs of our service, population and workforce, ensuring that none are placed at a disadvantage over others.

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Provide palliative care advice to clinical teams.
• Undertake comprehensive assessment of patient nursing needs, plan, implement and evaluate care delivery according to changing health care needs.
• Demonstrate specialist skills and knowledge.
• Use advanced communication skills to impart information, advice and support at all levels.
• To provide timely holistic assessment of physical, social, emotional, psychological needs of patients at presentation and other points of contact as appropriate, ensuring early initiation of investigation, referral or management.
• Work with clinical teams to facilitate individualised patient care based on principles of evidence based practice.
• Involve patients, their families and carers in the planning and delivery of their care.
• Monitor investigation results, initiating further assessment/review of treatment pathway as required.
• Liaise with all service areas to ensure timely review/treatment of patients with palliative care needs.
• Engage in service development as appropriate.
• Provide guidance and support for patients making choices relating to preferred place of care and advance care planning.
• Provide symptom management advice.
• Utilise Independent prescribing skills to improve patient care delivery, undertaking all necessary clinical governance policies.
• Support the Macmillan specialist palliative care nursing team leader to initiate service change.
• Liaise with key partners in primary and tertiary care to ensure patients/families receive timely, effective palliative care intervention.
• Manage and maintain own clinical caseload, prioritising workload responsibilities and ability to work flexibly to meet the changing needs of patients, escalating significant concerns to the line manager or Senior Clinician.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RGN
• Degree level studies or willing to work towards a relevant Masters level degree.

Desirable

• Teaching qualification.
• Post Grad qualification in oncology/palliative care.
• Independent prescribing qualification Masters level degree

Experience

Essential

• Community experience
• Recent experience of caring for patients with cancer/ palliative care /end of life needs

Desirable

• Experience in service development/change management. Ability to demonstrate understanding of audit, including implementation of findings and outcome reviews

Training

Essential

• Evidence of skills in assessment and management of patients with palliative care needs.
• IT skills / literacy

Desirable

• Demonstrate evidence of training around treatment/support for specialist palliative care patients.

Special Knowledge/ Expertise

Essential

• Good communication skills - both written and verbal
• Knowledge and skills in cancer/palliative care nursing and symptom management.

Desirable

• Advanced Communication skills trained

Practical/Intellectual Skills/Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to work independently (as loan worker) and as part of a team

Desirable

• Ability to coordinate caseloads and other workload demands

Employer details

Employer name

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Calderdale Community - Allen House

Station Road

Sowerby Bridge

HX6 3AD

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

372-COM2276-C