Job overview
Are you a motivated and compassionate Registered Nurse looking to develop your skills in Acute Stroke Care? Do you enjoy working in a fast‑paced environment, supporting continuous improvement, and delivering outstanding, patient‑centred care? If so, this could be the ideal opportunity for you.
As a Band 5 Staff Nurse on Ward 21, you will play a key role in caring for patients during the most critical stages of their stroke journey. You will work closely with our experienced nursing team, Stroke Specialist Nurses, and a full multidisciplinary team to provide high‑quality assessment, monitoring, and rehabilitation. Stroke experience is not required—we will provide full in‑house training, mentorship, and ongoing development to support you in gaining the specialist knowledge and competencies needed for the role.
Ward 21 is a 22‑bedded Acute Stroke Unit with 2 assessment beds, and we are proud to be the Regional Hyper‑Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) for Lancashire, with 5 dedicated hyper‑acute beds. We care for patients requiring thrombolysis and thrombectomy, and accept admissions from across the region. Our Consultants provide 7‑day cover, and we run a 7‑day TIA clinic, ensuring continuity of care throughout the week.
Joining our team means becoming part of a supportive, collaborative environment where learning is encouraged, and every nurse is valued. If you are enthusiastic, caring, and ready to grow your skills within a specialist area, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
Deliver safe, compassionate, and person‑centred care to acute stroke patients.Carry out regular neurological observations and escalate any deterioration promptly.Administer medications safely, including time‑critical stroke treatments.Assist with swallow assessments and ensure safe feeding plans are followed.Support patients with personal care needs, mobility, positioning, and early rehabilitation.Participate in daily handovers and contribute to the continuity of care.Work closely with Stroke Consultants, Stroke Specialist Nurses, and the multidisciplinary team.Document all care and assessments accurately and in a timely manner.Support the smooth flow of patients through the Stroke and HASU pathways.Communicate effectively with patients, families, and carers, providing updates and reassurance.Assist with preparing patients for investigations, imaging, and interventions.Promote safe working practices, infection prevention, and adherence to all clinical policies.Engage in training and development opportunities—stroke‑specific experience will be provided.Contribute to creating a positive, supportive, and well‑led team culture.
Working for our organisation
We have 10000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever your role, you help look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.
Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients & staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our local towns.
You’ll have access to varied development opportunities, learn new skills, meet fab people & do things you’d never have done. You’ll learn about working in a hospital, interacting with people from all different roles to build skills & enhance your career path.
You’ll make an impact, be challenged to think differently, be bold & help innovate to keep improving things. Everything we do centres around patient care which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Responsible for planning, delivering and evaluating the personalised health and wellbeing care
needs of patients, in line with the Trust’s Values & Nursing & Midwifery Professional Framework
goals example: personal hygiene and comfort, vital signs and EWS, early recognition and
management of acutely ill patients, safe transportation, last offices, fluid balance monitoring,
enteral feeding/ meeting nutritional needs, ECG, wound dressings, removal of sutures/clips, catheterisation, venepuncture, cannulation, blood transfusion, palliative and terminal care, care of
central lines, admission and discharge, nasogastric tube insertion & care, care of epidural and IV
infusion pumps, psychological and spiritual support.
To provide clinical supervision and advice for other staff and students to support them in reaching
their full potential
To support the productive operation of the ward environment by undertaking a range of activities
which contribute to the maintenance of a safe and clean environment.
Person specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
1. Knowledge of Clinical Governance and safeguarding and the relevance to practice
2. Knowledge of relevant policies and procedures
3. Willing to expand clinical role eg IV additives, venepuncture and cannulation
4. Awareness of changes within Nursing practice
5. Demonstrates competency during internship
Desirable criteria
6. Knowledge of Research and Development
7. knowledge of National Stroke Guidelines
8. Experience in Acute Stroke Care
9. Knowledge of ethical issues
10. Evidence of clinical competence in area of speciality eg surgery
11. Knowledge of Leadership and Management
Qualifications and Education
Essential criteria
12. Appropriate NMC Registration
13. Diploma in Nursing
14. NMC recognised Mentorship qualification or willingness to work towards following 18 months commencement in post
15. Evidence of continuing education or development for more experienced Band 5 nurses
Desirable criteria
16. Post registration qualification in area of speciality
17. Evidence of continuing professional education or development in area of speciality
18. Mentorship qualification or willing to work towards