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Job overview
A fantastic opportunity has arisen at North Bristol NHS Trust for a Band 7 Sister/Charge Nurse in our forward thinking 48 bedded Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
We are looking for a caring, friendly and highly motivated individual who thrives in challenging and dynamic environments. You must be a Registered Nurse with a minimum of 6 months substantive experience at band 7 level. You will possess a nationally recognised Intensive Care qualification and a recognised teaching and assessing qualification. You should be able to demonstrate consistently supportive leadership and staff development skills. Candidates suitable for this role will be required to demonstrate a passion for delivering person centred care with kindness and respect. Respect for staff and prioritizing staff development is something that we continuously strive to achieve. As a Sister/Charge Nurse your strong mentorship and staff development skills will contribute greatly to our goal of supporting and developing our team. You will work in partnership with the senior nursing team and will be supported by the supervisory charge nurse & ICU Matron to provide managerial leadership on both clinical and professional levels.
You will play an integral part in the leadership of acute nursing care within the ICU, ensuring safe practice at all times. You will need excellent communication skills when liaising with a wide variety of people, both over the phone and face to face.
Main duties of the job
1. To provide clear and efficient leadership
2. To participate and lead in assessment, planning and delivery of direct patient care in the Intensive Care Unit
3. To be fully accountable and responsible for shift management
4. Manage see and treat environment safely, ensure safe and effective practice at all times from all key personnel working within that area.
5. To work in collaboration with the Supervisory Sister and Clinical Matron to ensure the delivery of high calibre of evidence based patient care, and to encourage and develop a flexible work force through the efficient use of facilities, manpower and other resources.
6. To initiate, promote and maintain high standards of practice within the team in line with departmental requirements.
7. To provide clinical expertise both on shift and when representing the department.
8. To manage all resources effectively and within budget parameters.
9. To actively participate in audit.
10. To identify areas of clinical need and to assist in changing practice to meet service requirements.
Working for our organisation
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
Communication (Core Dimension 1)
Expected to actively diffuse and investigate complaints, escalating as necessary. Where necessary develop remedial action plans to address any deficits identified and evidence the implementation of the action plans.
Manages and oversees the safety briefing process.
Communicates complex and emotive information (., disciplinary, breaking bad news etc) effectively and when appropriate support junior staff in doing the same.
Confidently and effectively communicates on a range of levels within and outside of the organisation.
Responsible for the cascading of information to team members, deciding which information can be shared and which cannot.
Presenting a positive image of oneself, the team and Trust always
Possesses well developed interpersonal skills and can motivate and achieve success through and with others.
Produces comprehensive written reports/statements/records.
Can act as advocate for staff/patients in internal and external forums.
Be responsible for effective 2-way communication channels:
· Between the nursing/midwifery and multidisciplinary team.
· Across speciality boundaries.
· Between patients their carers and staff.
· Through the effective chairing of meetings; and
· Between the clinical team and external teams such as the clinical site management teams, infection control and tissue viability teams
Develop robust process to ensure the effective cascading of information to team members, deciding which information can be shared and which cannot. Instigates, chairs and facilitates staff meetings.
Can constructively challenge, influence and work with clinical teams to ensure the continual improvement of standards of care relating to the clinical governance agenda.
Leading by example ensure all staff have the IT skills to competently maintain patient electronic and paper clinical records which reflect Trust standards for documentation.
Be accountable and responsible for accurate and legible record keeping in accordance with local policies and NMC guidelines within own practice and within own sphere of responsibility.
Personal and People Development (Core Dimension 2)
Manages the ADR process for designated department/allocated team members.
Responsible for the overall performance of the team
Assists staff to develop action plan for learning & development.
Utilises opportunities for private study as appropriate.
Responsible for facilitating attendance of all staff at mandatory training (responsibility for actual attendance is with the individual)
Produce yearly projections of educational needs of staff for ward/department.
Participate in in-house and external education (both as student and lecturer)
Personal responsibility for own attendance at mandatory and statutory training
Maintains own portfolio and record of continuous professional development.
Keeps up to date with new developments in professional practice, cascading this as necessary to the team/department.
Expected to manage the student learning environment within own area of responsibility.
Co-ordinate link nurse practitioners within the clinical area in order to enhance personal, team and patient knowledge in relation to specific clinical areas (., Infection Control, Tissue Viability etc).
Responsible for guiding and coaching senior and junior staff to develop and strengthen leadership skills to meet the 24-hour accountability of the POD coordinator role.
Where appropriate take an active role in local and national specialist nurse groups, networking with other senior nurses. Attend and be actively involved in national and international conferences relevant to the speciality, including presenting at these conferences.
Health, Safety & Security (Core Dimension 3)
Has overall responsibility for health and safety within own sphere of responsibility (., fire, COSHH, violence and aggression, mental capacity act etc).
Ensure all staff maintain and follow good health, safety and security practices.
Where staff fail to comply with health, safety and security policies/procedures take appropriate action in accordance with trust HR policies.
Leading by example ensure a working culture which is conducive to good health, safety and security practices.
Ensure all Trust policies are known and applied by all staff within sphere of responsibility, and all have attended mandatory training. This includes (list not exhaustive):
· Be responsible for investigating incidents and developing action plans based on investigation findings, as well as monitoring the implementation of the actions. Ensure any learning is cascaded across the speciality.
Support other staff to manage risk (., infection control / aggressive patients)
Contribute to the security of the building and it contents.
Be responsible for the safe handling and storage of patient’s valuable and property.
Service Improvement (Core Dimension 4)
Acting as a role model to promote and demonstrate innovation.
When required represent ward/department & Directorate on trust wide service improvement projects.
Be responsible for the dissemination and delivery of Trust/Directorate objectives (., quality, financial).
Promote and lead on the spread of good practice amongst team members.
Effectively manage own workload and assist team members with workload management.
Positively promote local, Trust and national targets and quality indicators (., CQUINS, patient access).
Where appropriate lead on improvement programmes utilising the Plan, Do, Study, Act approach to implementation of change. This includes supporting staff to use appropriate measures to demonstrate rates of improvement.
Ensure any local service improvement programmes are consistent with the Trusts Objectives (Big 5) and other quality indicators/targets.
Be involved with reviewing existing arrangements, facilities and services and develop proposals for improvement.
Actively contribute to the consultation and planning of future services and assist in the implementation of agreed changes.
Identify need for and manage change within area of responsibility.
Quality (Core Dimension 5)
Be responsible for ensuring commitment to maintaining a high quality of service to patients and their families by continual development of practice.
Contribute to clinical leadership activity through the generation and implementation of policies and practice guidelines, developing care plans and care pathways where appropriate.
Be accountable for minimizing the risks of infections and for the implementation of the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections as outlined in the Health Act 2006. This includes receiving assurance of risk and embedding evidence-based practice into daily routines of all staff. Work closely with infection control teams and staff. Ensure audit, action planning and change management processes are in place to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infection and strengthen measures to prevent/control spread of infection.
Manage and maintain clear lines of accountability throughout the team (., with link roles).
In collaboration with the Matron plan and implement programmes to ensure the delivery of trust wide quality indicators will be met within sphere of responsibility.
Support and promote the audit process within the organisation.
Instigate audit where quality falls short of the required level.
Generate action plans to improve quality whilst maintaining efficiency.
Ensure quality data is collected and disseminated as required.
Understand and ensure that Governance and Clinical Risk Management processes are implemented and adhered to within sphere of responsibility.
Be responsible for improving patient experience using patient feedback and evidence action taken from results.
Take the lead within own sphere of responsibility for the delivery of the Trust’s Priority Aims for Quality Improvement and CQUINs.
They include:
· Reducing Healthcare Acquired Infection including MRSA/MSSA bacteraemia / Clostridium difficile.
· Improving patient experience and satisfaction
· Ensuring risk assessment for venous thromboembolism (VTE)
· Reducing hospital acquired pressure ulcers.
· Reduction in number of falls
· Meeting individual patient’s nutritional requirements
· Patient satisfaction including surveys/audits.
· Length of stay (LoS) reductions
Where appropriate delegate responsibility for the delivery of individual quality indicators (., VTE, Smoking Cessation, Infection Control, Pressure Ulcers, falls, CAUTI) to team members whilst maintaining overall responsibility for achievement/failure of these indicators. Where performance is not meeting required standards be responsible for auditing practice and taking appropriate action.
Equality & Diversity (Core Dimension 6)
Be responsible for ensuring that all patients and staff within sphere of responsibility are treated in accordance with equality and diversity legislation.
Take immediate action and challenge any threat to equality and diversity within the workplace.
Ensure department conforms to legislation and staff have access to necessary training (., Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, Learning Disabilities, Safeguarding and Child Protection).
Person specification
Critical Care Band 7 Experience
Essential criteria
11. Band 7 critical care experience minimally 6 months
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.