Job overview
****** THIS POSITION IS ONLY OPEN TO CURRENT UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST EMPLOYEES ******
An exciting opportunity has arisen at Worthing Hospital for a band 7 Cardiology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to join the team. This is for a two year part time fixed term contract and is to support the Nurse Consultant in Cardiology who will be reducing their hours to complete an academic fellowship.
The successful applicant will be supported in developing as a CNS and will autonomously see patients for follow-up with cardiovascular disease in Outpatients as well as in the Rapid Access Chest Pain clinic. They will be responsible for requesting tests and investigations and follow up the results. The role will also include the assessment of patients presenting acutely to hospital with chest pain.
We are looking for a dynamic nurse who is passionate about cardiology and is looking to develop as a CNS and aspires to be an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) and/or Nurse Consultant.
Main duties of the job
1. Provide autonomous specialist care to both inpatients and outpatients with cardiovascular disease
2. Assess patients in the clinic setting (both F2F and virtual) and to form a comprehensive management plan.
3. Autonomously review a triaged group of patients suitable to be seen in a Rapid Access Chest Pain clinic
4. Assess and make management plans for patients presenting acutely to hospital with chest pain.
5. Follow-up of blood tests and other common investigations when appropriate (echocardiograms/CTCA/tapes) and communicate the results to the GP and patient.
6. Develop individualised plans of care to optimise secondary prevention cardiovascular disease (CVD) interventions and treatment. This will also include the basic management of heart failure post myocardial infarction.
7. Educate patients about their condition and to support them in adhering to secondary prevention and self-management strategies.
8. Participate in data collection, clinical audit and research implementation
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex (UHSx), diversity is our strength, & we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness & experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, & can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) & a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients & staff with the same compassion & empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above & beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our candidate information pack & wellbeing programme, for staff which is extensive & designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching & training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us & throughout your career we will help you to grow & develop. We hope that in choosing UHSx you are choosing a long & happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make & feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application & the start of your journey with UHSx.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see job description and person specifications for details related to the role and responsibilities
Person specification
As outlined in person specification
Essential criteria
9. First level Registered Nurse
10. Degree level nurse
11. Experience of cardiac nursing working at band 6 or above either in an acute cardiac setting or as a clinical nurse specialist.
12. Highly developed specialist knowledge in cardiology across the range of work procedures and practices, underpinned by theory and relevant practical experience.
13. Professional/clinical knowledge acquired through degree, supplemented by specialist training, experience, short courses, CPD to master’s degree level of equivalent.
14. Completed physical assessment course and competent in physical examination
15. Willing to work towards Independent Prescriber qualification (V300 NMP)
16. Ability to work under indirect supervision
17. Excellent ECG interpretations skills and ability to interpret cardiac investigations and laboratory tests
18. Experience in managing own caseload of patients
19. Completed physical assessment course and competent in physical examination
20. Professional/clinical knowledge acquired through degree, supplemented by specialist training, experience, short courses, CPD to master’s degree level of equivalent
21. Highly developed specialist knowledge in cardiology
22. Experience of cardiac nursing working at band 6 or above
Desirable criteria
23. Independent prescriber
24. Teaching and assessing qualification
25. Research experience
26. Teaching and assessing qualification (e.g. Mentorship, Level 6)
27. Knowledge of NICE/ESC guidelines
28. ALS/ILS
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
29. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.
30. Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications