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Job overview
The Regional Neurovascular Neurosurgery team are seeking a highly skilled, motivated and experienced NMC-registered Senior Enhanced Neurovascular Nurse Practitioner. The post holder will work across the Neurovascular service as part of a well-established multidisciplinary Neurovascular Neurosurgery team.
Working under the leadership of the Neurovascular ACP and the wider Neurosurgery ACP team, the successful applicant will join an experienced and supportive Neurosurgery ACP workforce covering a range of neurosurgical subspecialties.
The post-holder will be primarily responsible for the support of Aneurysmal and Non-Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage patients spanning the inpatient to outpatient pathway.
The role requires a strong focus on Research and Development, and Quality Improvement. You will Facilitate and Co-ordinate Neurovascular subspeciality research, promoting a research-based culture to inform practice, influence policy and drive innovation; and enhance recognition of the NBT/Bristol Group Neurovascular Research Portfolio.
We are seeking an enthusiastic practitioner who can demonstrate knowledge within the subspeciality, with a commitment for professional and service development. The Neurosurgery Advanced Practice team are committed to ongoing continued professional development, and the role offers the opportunity to undertake MSc degree (level 7) modules PACR, PADRAP (or equivalent) and Non-Medical Prescribing, which form a core requirement of this position.
Main duties of the job
You will be responsible for the daily review and support of Aneurysmal and Non-Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (SAH) patients both in an inpatient and outpatient/follow-up setting.
You will provide ad-hoc support for patients with a broad range of complex neurovascular pathologies to include Cerebral Aneurysms, Arteriovenous Malformations, Dural Arterio-Venous Fistulas and Moyamoya disease; undergoing surgery, interventional procedures, Gamma Knife Surgery and surveillance, throughout the entire pathway.
The post-holder will facilitate and co-ordinate Neurovascular sub-specialty research, including SAH National data collection, and Neurovascular research and audit. Previous engagement in research is essential for this role.
You will work in collaboration with the MDT to ensure optimal treatment outcomes, and provide inpatient/outpatient support for elective Neurovascular patients.
You will work across Neurosurgical and Interventional Neuroradiology services to enhance care across the patients inpatient journey. Neurosciences experience is desirable, and knowledge of Neurovascular/Skull-Base surgery is essential, as is a teaching qualification.
Ability to organise and prioritise effectively, and act independently to resolve complex clinical situations/decision making skills is essential. Utilisation of high level empathetic and communication skills for dealing with complex diagnoses and treatment is essential.
Working for our organisation
The North Bristol NHS Trust Adult Neurosurgery Department, Brunel building, Southmead Hospital (previously located at Frenchay Hospital) is a Tertiary Referral Centre providing Adult Neurosurgical care for Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire and the City of Bristol.
The Neurovascular Multi-disciplinary team consists of Neurovascular and Skull-Base ACP's, Consultant Neurovascular Neurosurgeons, Interventional Neuroradiology Consultants, Gamma Knife Surgery Consultant and Radiographer teams, and AHP's.
The Neurosurgical team includes 13 consultants, who are world-leading experts in their specialties, carrying out more than 3,500 individual procedures each year, of which 50% are operations for emergency admissions.
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To provide skilled assessment of patients including history taking, physical assessment and requesting, interpreting and acting on appropriate tests and investigations in a timely manner. Expectation to undertake Non-Medical Prescribing course. Use expert and specialised clinical and theoretical knowledge to safely and appropriately assess and diagnose patients in their care, within own professional boundaries with support from ACP
Act autonomously within evidenced based guidelines to plan and implement individualised management plans. Formulate clinical decisions and often complex treatment plans to manage illness with support from ACP.
Direct responsibility to manage own caseload of patients in the inpatient and outpatient follow-up stage of the patient pathway, including a comprehensive assessment/review of SAH patients, requesting diagnostics when compliant, reviewing results and creating and implementing management plans within the specialty and priorities workload to meet patient and service need.
Liaising with sub specialty Consultants and ACP team where necessary. Demonstrate competence, knowledge and skills in a wide range of practical procedures.
To delegate/refer to other practitioners when this will improve health outcomes or when risk and needs are beyond own competence and scope of practice. With support from ACPs manage referrals and triage from other disciplines/primary care and provide specialist advice and support to colleagues within the organisation and to the wider team outside the organisation.
Alongside ACPs, to support development and implement pathways of care, adapting to patient needs by ensuring a planned and coordinated approach to care, supporting enhanced recovery and reducing inappropriate admissions to improve patient experience and safety.
Working alongside a multi-disciplinary team meeting to support with clinical follow up patients beyond the local MDT, with support from ACP. Support the discharge planning processes.
Act as a patient advocate to facilitate the process of shared decision-making in respect to health, choice of treatment and care, and contribute to case conferences as required. Use interpersonal and communication skills where there may be significant barriers to build confidence. Ensure patients individual needs are expressed, valued and individual management plans are understood.
Offer specialist advice on diagnosis and symptom management for patients within the speciality. Evaluate response to treatment and interventions and advise on the adaptation of management and discharge plans.
Empower patients to self-manage their condition, undertaking risk stratification to identify where additional support or patients may require further rehabilitation. With the ACP, support provision of clinical advice and input to commissioning the sub specialty service both locally, regionally and nationally as required.
Work with the ACP in the further development and delivery of practitioner led clinics in line with local service need, to include pre-operative assessment.
Act as a resource, providing clinical expertise, specialist advice teaching and support across service boundaries to ensure optimum liaison and co-ordination of care.
Undertake clinical competencies relevant to sub-speciality service to develop specialist knowledge within role. Actively integrate theory and practice.
To act appropriately in emergency situations and to be familiar with emergency procedures including fire and resuscitation. To have the ability to lead and direct other staff appropriately in such situations. Request blood group & screen (G&S) investigations and cross-matching (XM) of red blood cells (RBCs) in accordance with the Trust maximum surgical blood ordering schedules (MSBOS).
Once completed IRMER training, ensure that you work within your scope of your approved non-medical referrer protocol regarding requesting radiography.
To be able to advise appropriately using clinical and theoretical knowledge, to request the necessary diagnostic testing/imaging, review results and ascertain senior review if required. Contribute to root cause analysis and serious event review.
Be responsible for maintaining current registration with the relevant professional body (NMC) and work within the Code of Professional Conduct and relevant Guidelines for Practice and maintain a personal professional portfolio.
Keep up to date with current research and audit findings and base all clinical assessment and management decisions on credible high-quality evidence. Promote integrated working practice between clinical areas and interdisciplinary teams to ensure safe patient care.
To work as part of a cohesive Advanced Practice team liaising closely with medical and nursing staff across the Division. Act as a positive role model for clinical staff. Be actively involved in teaching pre and post registration clinicians as well as an expectation to teach at a regional level on issues related to Neurovascular Subspeciality.
Facilitate and Co-ordinate the Neurovascular Research Portfolio in collaboration with Lead Neurovascular Research Consultant, Neurovascular research fellow, and Neurovascular ACP, with support from Skull-Base ACPs. Take ownership of Neurovascular research data collection, administration, in line with research governance principles and with outreach support from NBT Research and Development team.
Be involved in the bedside, classroom, and directorate teaching of North Bristol NHS Trust staff, as well as utilising additional teaching opportunities such as national teaching appropriate to the specialty, and teaching/contributing to courses run by the local university, in addition to presenting at national conferences such as BNVNG (British Neurovascular Nurses Group) of which membership is encouraged.
Mentor students and medical staff, and supervise other staff working within the clinical area, providing professional support and clinical supervision as required.
Contribute to networking with other professionals in similar roles within the specialty at Local, Regional and National level with the ACP. Be an active member of relevant trust wide professional groups such as the trust wide Advanced and specialist practice forum
Maintain own awareness of relevant research evidence relating to own work specialty and ensure that this is applied in own practice where appropriate. Contribute to where appropriate, to the development of local evidence-based standards, policies and guidelines related to the specialty.
Instigate and participate in interdisciplinary research and audit projects within the specialty and Division and contribute to the professional development of knowledge in the specialty.
To contribute to planning, developing and improving services to be responsive to patient needs as well as the Division, Trust and National Health Service needs. Participate in implementing national standards and frameworks at a local level within the speciality.
To be responsible for identifying and addressing his/her own professional, training and development needs considering developments in service in the specialty.
Ensure that handover lists are communicated well. Foster effective communication strategies with all members of the medical, nursing and surgical teams
To provide clinical, psychological, emotional and social support to all aneurysmal SAH and non-aneurysmal SAH patients. Ensure that patient pathways for SAH patients are followed, developing and improving, and update Neurovascular patient information leaflets as required.
To support discharge planning for SAH patients with neurosurgery ward teams and AHP’s. Ensure that the SAH service is robust and is receptive/reactive to the changing needs of this client group and service provision
Review all SAH inpatients daily and provide clinical support and recovery/discharge advice, along with elective neurovascular inpatients with guidance from ACP.
To contribute towards health promotion for all patients providing educational advice and support. To ensure the ongoing collection of patients reported outcome measurement (PROMS) and maintain audit and a database of all cases and interventions.
Ensure appropriate representation and participation in clinical/departmental meetings for example: Clinical governance, Infection control where required
Facilitate and Co-ordinate Neurovascular Research Portfolio with Neurovascular Consultant, Clinical Fellow and ACPs
Following Trust policy act in an appropriate manner when dealing with incidents and complaints.
Person specification
Essential and Desirable
Essential criteria
1. Professional NMC Registration
2. Relevant BSc Level 6 degree
3. Commitment to undertake Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology and Diagnostic Reasoning and Non-Medical Prescribing modules-Level 7
4. Teaching and Mentoring Recognised Qualification
5. Working Knowledge of Neurovascular/Skull-Base Neurosurgery
6. Evidence of Ongoing CPD
7. Involvement in Research or Audit Projects
8. Evidence of maintained competence of clinical skills
9. Ability to organise and prioritise own workload
10. Ability to act independently, resolve complex clinical situations and harbour excellent decision-making skills.
11. Excellent Written Communication skills
Desirable criteria
12. Completion of Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology and Diagnostic Reasoning and Non-Medical Prescribing modules-Level 7
13. Specialty Specific Post-Graduate Qualification (ie: Neurosciences course)
14. Neurosciences Experience
15. Excellent Leadership and Organisational Skills
16. Evidence of Teaching in a variety of environments
17. Evidence of contribution to quality improvement/change management
The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.
At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.
Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant 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.