Job overview
The role of Senior Sister / Charge Nurse is to ensure the safe and effective care of patients attending or brought into the emergency department. This is a challenging role, suited to an experienced emergency department nurse. On a day-to-day basis the expectation of this role is to be responsible for flow through the department, either to speciality teams and their relevant department or to discharge. The care and wellbeing of staff is integral to the department, therefore we are looking for a candidate who can provide compassionate leadership. The successful candidate will be expected to role model the University Hospital Sussex values through their work.
1. Compassion and communication
2. Inclusion and respect
3. Teamwork and professionalism
We welcome applications from those who currently hold a UK NMC registration. If you currently hold an overseas nursing qualification and require sponsorship we are not currently direct hiring Internationally Qualified Nurses.
Main duties of the job
To provide day to day operational and clinical management of the Emergency department and be responsible for all members of the nursing staff and the quality of care they provide during a shift as the nurse in charge. To support the matron in quality improvement projects and quality assurance, within the department, inclusive of under taking audits, interpreting and reacting to the information. To work as an emergency nurse at an advanced level delivering emergency care within a specialist area. To take direct managerial responsibility for the ED in the absence of, or as delegated by the matron or head of nursing. To act as a visible role model within the department.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and 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, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and 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 and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description for a detailed overview of the role and main responsibilities.
Person specification
Professional Registration
Essential criteria
4. NMC Registration
Experience / Qualifications
Essential criteria
5. Teaching/Mentorship Course
6. BSC(Hons) Degree or equivalent (or working towards degree level study)
7. Acute, Critical or Emergency Care course (or equivalent)
8. Advanced Life Support
9. Paediatric Immediate Life Support
Desirable criteria
10. Recognised Leadership Course
11. Physical Assessment Course
12. Level 2 Trauma course
Skills
Essential criteria
13. Extensive experience within Accident & Emergency Nursing or Significant experience Senior staff nurse/ junior sister acute medicine or critical care (at Band 6 level)
14. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
Desirable criteria
15. Evidence of experience in recruitment, selection and retention process in accordance with Trust policy
16. Evidence of experience in management of sickness/absence in accordance with Trust policy, preferably with documented success in realign sickness levels on ward.
17. Experience in teaching/practise development
18. Experience in management of change in accordance with Trust policy
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Essential criteria
19. Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
20. 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