Job overview
The ENP/ECP is an experienced Nurse (or Care Practitioner e.g., paramedic) that has a clearly defined role within the Emergency Department (ED) and collocated Urgent Care Centre (UTC). The postholder will complement the role of medical and nursing staff in providing unscheduled care in the Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centre.
The ENP/ECP is individually responsible for his/her professional development in line with the Code of Professional Conduct.
The ENP/ECP has achieved qualifications in both minor injuries and minor illness modules and will be expected to work autonomously within defined parameters to deliver care to patients attending the Emergency Department/Urgent Care Centre without reference to a doctor and will provide expert and specialist advice to patients and the multidisciplinary team. They should be competent in, or working towards a qualification for non-medical prescribing (NMP).
Main duties of the job
The ENP/ECP practices clinical autonomy with respect to patients presenting with a wide range of injuries, illnesses and ailments, within clinical governance limits. The ENP/ECP will work to national and hospital guidelines in relation to ‘evidence based best practice’, he/she will exercise his/her judgement in seeking specialist medical/surgical or orthopedic opinion or will proceed to definitive treatment within his/her scope of professional practice. The ENP/ECP is authorised to discharge patients without reference to any medical clinician within clinical governance limits.
Working for our organisation
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The role consists of clinical, educational and professional components
Clinical
1. Carry out initial patient contact assessments so that people attending the urgent care Centre (UCC) may be signposted, treated or referred on as appropriate.
2. Clinically autonomous practitioner for patients attending the Emergency Department/Urgent Care Centre (UCC).
3. Work autonomously to manage own caseload of patients whilst working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Professional
4. Provide evidence-based practice through the use of latest research based guidelines and the development of practice based research.
5. Practice in continuing professional development to ensure up to date evidence-based knowledge and competence in all aspects of the role is maintained.
6. Work within the latest NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
7. Record accurate consultation data in patients records in accordance with the latest NMC guidance and other pertinent standards.
8. Work collaboratively with colleagues within and external to the Emergency Department.
9. Demonstrate daily ownership of the Urgent Care area.
10. Contribute to the development of local guidelines, protocols and standards.
Educational
11. Be aware of current nursing trends and development in nursing.
12. Act as a point of reference and guidance for junior nurses and doctors in the Emergency Department.
13. Undertake teaching sessions within the Emergency Department relating to Emergency Nurse Practitioner skills.
14. Participate in development opportunities to enhance and expand the scope of professional practice delivered by Autonomous practitioners within Emergency and Urgent Care directorate.
Note on Autonomous Practice
The ENP/ECP practices clinical autonomy with respect to patients presenting with a wide range of injuries, illnesses and ailments, within clinical governance limits. The ENP/ECP will work to national and hospital guidelines in relation to ‘evidence based best practice’, he/she will exercise his/her judgement in seeking specialist medical/surgical or orthopaedic opinion or will proceed to definitive treatment within his/her scope of professional practice. The ENP/ECP is authorised to discharge patients without reference to any medical clinician within clinical governance limits.
The ENP/ECP is individually responsible for his/her professional development in line with the Code of Professional Conduct.
The ENP/ECP will:-
15. Ensure that he/she remains up to date with the developments and proactively uses his/her knowledge to develop the service.
16. Undertake clinical audit and apply the results to improve care delivery. Education and Training
17. Audit
18. The ENP/ECP will also be required to teach and examine nurses undertaking the Diploma in Autonomous Practice course at Higher Education Institutions.
19. The ENP/ECP has a responsibility for delivering an educational or training package as guided by the Emergency Department, Professional Development Nurse. As an ENP/ECP it will be required on you at all times to take on an educator role in promoting the ENP/ECP service to all avenues of health care.
This is an integral part of the ENP/ECP role and the ENP/ECP is responsible for undertaking clinical audit to measure the effectiveness of the new service and delivering the findings to improve the service.
Person specification
SKILLS
Essential criteria
20. •Commitment to maintaining own fitness for practice through maintaining a personal profile of practice
21. •Diagnostic skills
22. •Xray interpretation
23. •Physical Assessment skills
24. Primary Care skills, or willingness to expand field of knowledge and practice
25. Suturing
Desirable criteria
26. •Primary Care skills, or willingness to expand field of knowledge and practice
KNOWLEDGE
Essential criteria
27. •Awareness of current Issues in the NHS nursing practice and education
28. Evidence of ongoing professional development
29. Decision making skills Understanding of appropriate health and safety legislation
30. Understanding of audit process
31. Proven use of evidence based practice
Desirable criteria
32. •IT competent
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Essential criteria
33. •Minimum of 1 year as ENP/NP/ECP in an Urgent Care /Emergency Department /primary care setting.
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential criteria
34. •RGN/RN Adult Relevant post registration qualification relevant to this post or RCN (Child) Ability and training to assess both Adult and Paediatrics
35. •Recognised Autonomous nurse Practitioner Qualification
36. •Evidence of own continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
37. •Relevant post registration qualification relevant to this post (ENB 199) or equivalent.
38. •ALS/ATLS/APLS/PALS
39. •Masters or working towards
40. •Independent Nurse Prescriber
41. •Supplementary Nurse Prescriber
42. •Physical / Systematic Assessment qualification
43. •Primary Care qualification
PERSONAL QUALITIES
Essential criteria
44. •Flexible approach to work
45. •Professional attitude
46. •Positive attitude to change
47. •Multi-disciplinary team working
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS
To comply with the Trust’s Safeguarding Children and Adults policies, procedures and protocols. All individual members of staff (paid or unpaid) have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults This will require you to:
48. Ensure you are familiar with and comply with the London Child Protection Procedures and protocols for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
49. Ensure you are familiar and comply with the London Multi Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures.
50. Ensure you are familiar and comply with local protocols and systems for information sharing.
51. Know the appropriate contact numbers and required reporting lines.
52. Participate in required training and supervision.
53. Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct
Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.