Are you equipped with solid clinical knowledge and the experience required to manage critically ill children and young people? Are you driven by a desire to deliver outstanding evidence-based nursing care to assist children, young people, and their families?

This varied and fulfilling position is ideal for an experienced pediatric nurse with an acute care background who is seeking a transition to a community setting while still applying their specialised clinical skills. Our service is evolving quickly, aiming to broaden our ambulatory care options and enhance the role of our independent nurse practitioners.

Our 'Hospital at Home' service offers hospital-standard care to children in the community suffering from acute illnesses, thus preventing hospital admissions and facilitating earlier discharges. Delivered by a dedicated and proficient team of pediatric nurses, in collaboration with acute care providers, our service supports children, young people, and their families in managing their illnesses within the comfort of their homes.

Main duties of the job

• To work as an autonomous practitioner with responsibility for facilitating early discharge, reduce length of stay and prevent hospital admissions
• To provide high quality, specialist nursing care to children in their own homes
• To provide continuing responsibility for the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of nursing care for patients.
• To work collaboratively with other local health care professionals/providers to maintain high quality care and promote practice that is family centred.
• To continue to develop and maintain close links between Community and Hospital based services.
• To be responsible for providing support to junior members and students, by developing their skills and providing mentorship through their practice placements.

About us

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development

Widening access (anchor institution) and employability

Improving the experience of staff with disability

Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development

Making equalities mainstream

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

• To initiate appropriate work, accepting referrals and be able to work autonomously with the child and family in the community setting.
• To regularly attend and liaise with acute hospital colleagues to enable timely and safe discharge from hospital and appropriate follow-up in the community setting eg care of children with viral wheeze needing nebulisers and observation at home, fluid challenges for children with diarrhoea and vomiting
• To collect and analyse daily reports from Paediatric Accident and Emergency (A& E)and follow up any children who need further support in the home setting
• To establish contacts with GPs who regularly send children to A& E and promote the service offered in the community
• Recognise and monitor acute exacerbations of illness and initiate appropriate nursing interventions.
• To provide a holistic, autonomous and clinical nursing service using evidence based practice. To carry out initial assessments/home visits and plan, implement and evaluate nursing care for all patients for whom he/she has continuing responsibility. Act in partnership with the child and family when assessing a childs needs and planning. To provide advice contributing to the well-being of the patient and participate in health promotion. (eg burns advice)
• To ensure medical needs and instructions are carried out in accordance with nursing and midwifery council guidelines and ensure accurate record keeping (RIO system used for client records). To create reports for specific formal meetings such as child protection case conferences. Ensure confidentiality of information is adhered to at all times.
• To carry out specialist procedures in the community settings eg administration of intravenous antibiotics care of central venous access devices and changing of naso-gastric tubes
• To use clinical judgement and expertise in assessing and implementing change during clinical visits eg assessment of respiratory condition and management of any changes
• To use clinical knowledge and expertise in deciding appropriate administration of drugs, route to be administered and dose of the drug, within a set of defined parameters prescribed by medical colleagues e.g. inhalers
• To use clinical knowledge
• To teach, support and guide patients and those with parental responsibility in relative nursing procedures and to help them carry out effective nursing care.
• To be familiar with practices regarding the management of hazardous/biological substances and follow trust policies regarding their disposal.

Research

• Facilitate a high quality, cost effective service through undertaking research, surveys, audits in connection with own work.
• Utilise research findings to develop new ways of working and disseminate relevant information to staff.
• To assist the lead nurse and team leaders with updating or writing new care plans, policies, guidelines and competencies.
• Set, monitor and review standards of care on a regular basis and initiate corrective action plans.

Work force

• To manage client caseload and have the ability to work autonomously.
• Act as a professional role model and mentor at all times.

Financial

• To demonstrate accountability in the use and management of all resources including financial.

Partnerships

• Communications and Relationships
• To participate in working parties in order to propose changes to policy, procedure and guidelines within child health.
• To liaise, make and receive referrals from other disciplines and make decisions regarding client treatments/outcomes.
• To co-ordinate activities with other professionals and agencies eg Team Around the Child meetings
• To assess care needs and liaise with other professionals in order to assist them to develop a package of care and to provide clinical/professional advice relating to this.
• To attend Childrens Inpatient Ward and A& E on a daily basis to ensure all appropriate referrals are made and to provide seamless care from hospital to the community setting. To be involved in the providing and receiving of delicate and sometimes complex information during these visits. To negotiate communications with families and carers around complex issues regarding management of care in the community, including bereavement support and managing difficult situations.
• Identify and intervene where circumstances contribute to an unsafe environment for patients and staff and bring to the attention of Lead Nurse.
• To be responsible for the demonstrating of safe use of expensive and complex pieces of equipment. To be responsible for ensuring that medical supplies are ordered from an agreed list in order that the team remain within budget.
• To assess patients needs and initiate all requests for nursing aids or equipment. To be responsible for the training of their correct use.
• There is a requirement for the post-holder to be flexible with their working hours and cover over a weekend or Public Holiday.

General

• Deputise for H@H Nurse Team Leader in their absence.
• Take an active role in risk assessment, supporting implementation of strategies to minimise risk. Ensure incidents and near misses are reported, through promoting a no blame culture.
• To participate in teaching Nurse Learners and all other students as appropriate who visit.
• To frequently market and update service with acute colleagues, attending and teaching at doctor/nurse training sessions on a regular basis
• To provide a high standard of professional conduct and nursing care at all times in accordance with the NMC.
• To attend relevant meetings, courses, seminars and keep professionally up-to-date.
• Any other duties considered relevant to the post.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• RSCN/RN Child diploma level or equivalent
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Significant experience within the field of Children's nursing

Desirable

• Community Specialist Practitioner
• Units of study and Practice within a Community Children's Nursing Team or working towards a degree with relevant community related modules.

Experience

Essential

• Broad experience of nursing sick children in the hospital/community setting
• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of paediatrics in the community
• Demonstrate a good knowledge of recent developments in paediatric care
• Good understanding of Safeguarding issues and policy framework
• Understanding of audit process and research methodologies

Desirable

• Experience in Teaching
• Previous experience of research/audit/be nchmarking

Employer details

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

Kaleidoscope Children's Centre

32 Rushey Green

Catford

SE6 4JD

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

197-RF5683