Job overview
Are you an experienced Staff Nurse looking to progress within your Nursing career or already in a Band 5 role and looking for a new challenge? This could be the ideal opportunity for you to gain experience as a Staff Nurse in an exciting acute setting. If you are looking for your next challenge we would like to hear from you.
This post requires motivation, enthusiasm, excellent communication skills and demonstration of evidence based clinical practice and open to further academic development. You must be flexible, approachable, compassionate, motivated, hardworking and be able to use your own initiative whilst also having the ability to work under pressure.
This is a full-time post working 37.5 hours per week. We welcome interested individuals to contact us to arrange an informal visit to the ward. This role will involve developing further skills and knowledge in relation to patient care, managerial/team leadership duties and assisting in developing the Coronary Care Unit.
Main duties of the job
Perform the following intermediate clinical procedures (as delegated by a Registered Nurse) following a programme of learning and assessment of competency:
- 12 lead ECG
- Venepuncture
- Female catheterisation (if female clinical support worker)
- Wound cleansing and dressing, using aseptic technique
- Minor treatments
Provide personal care:
1. Empty drainage bags, collect specimens and perform urinalysis recording actions and findings on appropriate documentation.
2. Obtain specimens and undertake swabbing of patients for MRSA, Covid and other screening purposes.
3. Assist the Registered Nurse to support patients through admission, transfer and discharge including with discharge planning and arrangements in the absence of the flow co-ordinator.
4. Move and position patients to aid breathing, comfort, rest and sleep, adhering to the Trust Moving and Handling policy at all times.
5. Prepare and support patients both physically and psychologically before, during and after treatments, procedures and investigations.
6. Contribute to the care of dying and deceased patients, providing support to relatives/friends.
7. Support the Registered Nurse in the provision of health promotion, e.g. prevention of pressure ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, urinary tract/chest infection.
8. Support patients to undertake distraction activities, e.g. assist with the provision of reading material, TV, radio etc.
9. Escort patients to and from other departments.
10. Provide support, empathy and encouragement to patients.
Working for our organisation
Working for your organisation
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey.
We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.
Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.
Looking for flexible working?
We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.
Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:
11. At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
12. Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
13. Blue Light card eligibility
14. And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children).
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Following your corporate induction you will be expected to attend the Trust’s 2-week Induction Programme for RNs, NAs, RMs, ODPs and Paramedics. The programme is full-time (please email if this is problematic) and will involve travel to both Trust sites. The programme includes supernumerary shifts in the clinical area, classroom-based sessions and e-learning.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
15. First level registered nurse with Nursing and Midwifery Council
Desirable criteria
16. Evidence of further education since qualification
17. Mentorship/ Preceptorship course (or equivalent)
18. Advanced Life Support provider
Experience/ Knowledge
Essential criteria
19. Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of nursing theory and best practice at the level of a newly qualified nurse
20. Understanding of equality and diversity and how to apply it to self
21. Understanding of NMC Code and requirements of it for own practice and behavior
22. Insight and understanding of current issues in nursing and the NHS
Desirable criteria
23. Proficient clinician and clinical role model
24. Understanding of audit and benchmarking processes
25. Experience at Band 5 in an acute setting
Skills
Essential criteria
26. Good interpersonal skills
27. Good communications skills
28. Evident commitment to high standards of patient-centred care
29. Adaptable and flexible
30. Effective organisational skills
31. Ability to reflect on practice, accept criticism and act constructively
32. Understanding of own accountability, responsible and reliable
33. Utilises a problem-solving approach to work
34. Demonstrates effective nursing practice in all basic registered nurse procedures.
35. Able to prioritise own workload and that of others as appropriate
36. Able to work under own initiative within boundaries of role
37. Demonstrates awareness of importance of working as part of a team.
38. Demonstrates awareness of research-based practice
39. Able to communicate effectively verbally and written to staff, patients and relatives ensuring that communication is tailored to the person being addressed.
40. Able to document observations, results, decisions and actions etc. effectively in patient health records and communicate these effectively to appropriate members of the multidisciplinary team.
41. Motivated, and able to articulate reasons for desire, to work in this clinical area.
42. Able to supervise clinical support workers and students effectively when required.
43. Good written and non-verbal skills
Desirable criteria
44. IT/Keyboard skills
45. Commitment to teaching others