Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Ward Assistant post on ward 15 Burnley General Hospital. This is not a clinical nursing role, it is specific to ward 15 only. It is a combined role of domestic and porter and you will be based and managed on ward 15 only as this post does not exist in other areas of the Trust.
This is a 36 hour per week post covering weekends and on a 4 week rota with a start time of 07:00 and some days finishing at 18:00 depending on the rota.
Main duties of the job
Good communication is essential on many levels with both patients and colleagues and therefore particular attention should be paid to professionalism at all times.
Confidentiality is a must as you will be privy to personal details of patients and this must never be taken lightly or breached.
Flexibility regarding shift patterns and changing shifts, sometimes last minute, is required to ensure the team can provide the necessary cover for the ward.
General duties of this position are cleaning and portering and therefore non-clinical. Cleaning of bed areas, changing bed linen, cleaning bathrooms hoovering and floor buffing are the main activities of this role.
The portering aspects of the role are escorting patients to other departments, collecting and delivering items/equipment from other areas etc. This requires a good level of physical exertion and stamina.
Working for our organisation
Ward 15 is a 24 bedded unit looking after elective orthopaedic patients for surgery. There is a very fast turnover of patients daily necessitating the role of the Ward Assistant in ensuring the bed spaces are thoroughly clean for the next patient.
We have a team of up to 40 staff including nursing, ward clerks and housekeeper and pride ourselves in our approach to excellent team work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder is expected to: prepare and serve, where appropriate: - patients’ beverages, snacks, meals and collect and distribute water jugs, collection of individual patients’ meals as required, making of beds, whilst not in use by the patient, i.e. In the Day Room or in X-ray Department, assistance with patient requests as necessary, i.e. collection of telephone for the patient, assist patients’ relatives with simple queries and seeing to their comforts, i.e. making of beverages.
Portering duties
The post holder is expected to: transfer patients between wards and departments and assist with transfer to theatre, removal of soiled linen and clinical and non clinical waste to the ward collection points, ensure linen trolley is tidy and cover in position before returning to Linen Packing Room, liaise with Housekeeper on quantities of clean linen required on a weekly basis, deliver prescriptions to Pharmacy and collect prepared drugs, deliver specimens to the Pathology Laboratory, collection and delivery of ward post.
Housekeeping duties
The post holder will be expected to carry out the cleaning of : all fixtures and fittings within a defined area using the approved methods and products, floors within a defined area using the appropriate methods,
equipment and products, internal glass, patients’ commodes, sani-chairs, ward wheelchairs, suction machines and piped suction receptors, kitchen area including refrigerator and microwave, cleaning and disinfecting of patients’ beds, lockers and the changing of curtains after discharge, replenishing of all disposable items, upon receipt of ward provisions, ensure they are stored and correctly rotated according to date, i.e. milk, medical and surgical supplies, correct storage following the daily cleaning of all electrical and manual cleaning equipment after use, removal of spillages of types in accordance with the Infection Control Policy and disposal of all waste including household black bags, clinical waste and sharps.
Training and Development
The post holder will be expected to: take part in Trust training and development, participate in staff appraisal and together with the appraiser formulate a training and development plan, Assist with the induction of new staff.
Communication
The post holder will be expected to: understand and maintain confidentiality according to Trust policies, communicate effectively with all members of the ward team, take messages from a member of the team, or by telephone and relay them promptly to senior staff as necessary and report any complaints by patients, relatives, other staff and members of the public to senior staff.
Health & Safety:
The post holder has a responsibility to:
Maintain a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors to the ward, identify potential risks and hazards, reporting them to the Senior Nurse, ensure that any defective or malfunctioning equipment is withdrawn from use and reported to the appropriate Department and senior ward staff, to attend annual mandatory training of moving and handling, resuscitation and fire training, ensure that Trust policies and procedures are adhered to.
Person specification
work skills
Essential criteria
* Basic knowledge of IT skills
Desirable criteria
* Previous commercial cleaning experience
flexibility
Essential criteria
* able to work extra hours on occasions and provide reasonable flexibility in terms if hours worked
other skills
Essential criteria
* able to use own initiative and work without close supervision within the agreed protocols