This is a great opportunity to join the Respiratory Nursing team.
Job overview
The role of Clinical Nurse Specialist requires a high degree of personal professional autonomy and making clinical judgments.
Key responsibilities include:
* To assess and review patients attending the emergency department and who are admitted to the hospital with asthma and COPD according to local protocols and national guidelines.
* To initiate home oxygen therapy in hospital or at home, and facilitate safe follow‑up reviews of these patients.
* To perform and/or interpret diagnostic tests including spirometry, bronchodilator challenge tests, FeNo and capillary blood gases in outpatient, patients’ own homes and community hub settings.
* To discuss own patient caseload with relevant clinicians and at MDT.
* To contribute to the National Asthma and COPD Audit Programme.
* To educate other healthcare professionals.
Main duties of the job
* To co‑ordinate specialty care within the Trust, including community clinics across Lewisham and home visits for patients who are unable to access community clinics.
* To support patients with oxygen in terms of checking their ongoing needs, their safety and in the identification of risk.
* To become an essential member, point of contact and resource for the multi‑disciplinary team and patients and carers.
* To carry out diagnostic/therapeutic interventions as an independent practitioner, interpret, write reports and commence further possible treatment on the basis of the findings, including spirometry, FeNo, lung function reports and blood gas analysis.
* To carry out complex therapeutic/investigational procedures under indirect supervision of the Consultant, ensuring safe practice and adherence to agreed guidelines/protocols.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
* To carry out diagnostic/therapeutic interventions as an independent practitioner, interpret, write reports and commence further possible treatment on the basis of the findings, including spirometry, FeNo, lung function reports and blood gas analysis.
* To perform clinics independently for patients with asthma and COPD and support primary care in managing patients in the community.
* To assess patients on wards to initiate home oxygen therapy and review them at home.
* To refer patients with severe asthma to tertiary institution for biologics.
* To liaise with other hospitals regarding management of NIV and follow patients up at home.
* To perform research and audits regularly.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Knowledge of respiratory conditions, management and treatment.
* Teaching and assessing qualification.
* Relevant specialist course in Asthma and COPD.
* Advanced Physical Assessment Module.
Experience
* Minimum 2 years experience in a senior nursing role—Band 6 and above.
* Experience working with patients with chronic respiratory diseases.
* Ability to prioritise and organise workload.
* Ability to work autonomously and as a member of a multi‑professional team.
* Experience in patient advocacy.
* Experience reviewing inpatients referred for COPD/asthma optimisation.
* Experience performing outpatient clinic reviews for asthma and COPD patients.
* Ability to perform and interpret capillary blood gases.
Knowledge
* Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
* Knowledge and understanding of the relevant local and national guidance.
* Evidence of continued professional development.
* Knowledge of respiratory anatomy and physiology.
* Knowledge of respiratory conditions including Cystic Fibrosis, Asthma, COPD, Lung Cancer.
* Understanding of the Rapid Respiratory pathway.
* Knowledge of research and audit.
* Understanding of spirometry as a diagnostic tool.
Personal Qualities
* Creative, lateral thinker.
* Flexible and positive approach to work.
* Enthusiasm and motivation.
* Full driver’s licence and access to a car.
As a local employer and anchor institution
We work closely with our community to recruit locally and we welcome applications from the widest variety of people to ensure our workforce reflects the local communities we serve.
We encourage all suitable candidates to apply including if you are Black, Asian or other ethnic minorities, live with a disability (visible or not) or are LGBT+.
Please note:
Information provided during recruitment and pre‑employment checks must be accurate. Misrepresentation may be investigated as fraud and could lead to withdrawal from the process, professional sanctions or criminal action.
Please note:
That sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route is subject to Trust allocation and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approval.
Application numbers
To ensure fairness and manageable shortlisting processes, some vacancies may have an application cap. This means the vacancy will close once a set number of applications have been received even if this happens before the advertised closing date.
We recommend applying as early as possible to avoid missing out. All applications received before the cap is reached will be considered equally and assessed against the person specification.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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