Job Overview
This post holder will practice as an Advanced Practitioner in Paediatrics, providing clinical
expertise while leading the management of the Paediatric AP workforce and overseeing the
development and delivery of the Paediatric AP service. They will be an experienced
healthcare practitioner with significant experience in Paediatrics and will have completed an
MSc in Advanced Practice and can evidence a clinical portfolio and relevant competencies in
line with the HEE national framework for advanced clinical practice and the RCPCH
competencies.
Main duties of the job
The Paediatric AP will work closely with the attending Consultant liaising in a timely
manner regarding any complex problems or difficulties. The AP will be well
supported by the medical team and Consultant and will be encouraged to work within
their competencies and seek help early when required
Working for our organisation
Why Work With Us
Are you an enthusiastic, clinically competent and passionate Paediatric Advanced Practitioner looking to further your career to develop and lead our paediatric advanced practitioner teams?
A new exciting and unique opportunity has arisen to come and join our experienced and dedicated paediatric team at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. We are looking to recruit into and expand our skill mix and service offer within our paediatric services. We are looking for an experienced clinical practitioner, or those interested in taking the next step in their career. This post holder will practice as an Advanced Practitioner in Paediatrics and lead in the management of the Paediatric AP workforce, and development and delivery of the Paediatric AP. They will be an experienced healthcare practitioner with significant experience within the field of Paediatrics and will have completed an MSc in Advanced Practice and can evidence a clinical portfolio and relevant competencies in line with the HEE national framework for advanced clinical practice and the RCPCH competencies.
The post-holder will work within the Short Stay Paediatric Unit and support the wider paediatric departments within the organisation such as the general paediatric ward and the emergency department. You will work closely with the nursing, medical team and wider multi-disciplinary teams, as well as primary care, to effectively assess and treat children and young people.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Communication of highly complex information on managing Paeditatric
conditions including risks and benefits and provide details of alternative
options where appropriate. The postholder will communicate highly sensitive
and contentious information supporting patients and their carers to make
informed decisions about their care and treatment. This will require a high
degree of empathy and advanced communication skills to support patients
and their families.
Ensure every person receives personalised care starting with a 'What matters
to you' conversation and including shared decision making at the heart of all
decisions.
Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatments and
interventions for patients across the Trust/division/specialty.
Perform accurate clinical procedures appropriate to area of practice and
within scope and competence of practice, from undertaking history taking and
examination of the patient, including further invasive testing, diagnostics and
treatments requiring highly developed skills and precision.
Request investigations such as blood, urine and other laboratory tests,
electrocardiographs (ECGs), diagnostic imaging in accordance with
regulatory and governance requirements, and as local policy allows. Interpret
and act on investigation results, planning and managing clinical care and
interventions as required.
Analyse and respond to highly complex information from multiple sources in
making clinical judgements and decisions regarding diagnoses, treatment
and management plans. This may involve responding to conflicting views and
opinions, seeking advice when scope of practice is exceeded.
Coordinate referral to other services (e.g. surgeons, cardiologist,
neurologist) or any other service
Update EPR's and complete discharge and referral letters to GPs and
speciality consultants
Be accountable for own practice, hence answerable for all actions and
omissions, regardless of advice or direction from another professional
Liaise with relevant speciality teams / services, Primary care services, other
NHS Trusts and social care organisations, establishing local networks with
the appropriate patient and carer groups
Act as a role model and provide leadership, clinical support and expert
advice to medical, nursing/midwifery staff, students and other staff in the
multidisciplinary team
Attend paediatric emergencies across a range of settings and participate or
lead in advanced paediatric resuscitation
Use highly developed specialist knowledge and advanced clinical skills to
undertake a comprehensive health history and examination of patients to
diagnose and treat them (including prescribing drugs as necessary)
Assess health related needs of children and families by identifying and
initiating appropriate steps for effective care exercising higher levels of
judgement and clinical decision making using paediatric clinical guidelines
Frequently weigh up differential diagnosis and the variety of potentially
contentious treatment options, requiring the weighing up of possibilities and
justification of clinical rationale
Initiate further investigations and treatment plans from a range of options,
analysing response and altering plans as necessary as further data
becomes available to ensure care is safe and effective
Develop comprehensive medical and nursing patient management plans for
a caseload of patients that delivers a holistic approach to their care from
admission to discharge
In collaboration with the senior medical team, recognise abnormalities, early
signs of illness and/or deterioration and act accordingly, ensuring
appropriate and full range investigations are instigated and follow up action
is taken including evaluation of care
Carries out Non-Medical prescribing including calculating prescribing,
administering and evaluating the effects of drug and fluid therapies in
accordance with local policies
Exercise judgement in recognising when supervision is required and seek
advice, asking for help from medical colleagues as appropriate
Apply critical judgements to inform clinical decision-making,
recommendations and prescription of treatment, including making referrals
as necessary.
Utilise highly complex reasoning skills to provide diagnoses, present
treatment options and health promotion advice within the area of expertise
to patients.
Effectively manage conflicting perspectives and reconcile professional
differences of opinion.
Recognise and adhere to the limits of personal competency.
Challenge established practice standards and contributed to constructive
change.
Demonstrate critical reflection of own practice, fostering self-awareness,
emotional intelligence and willingness to embrace change
Conduct comprehensive holistic assessment for patients with specialist care
needs, referred to the service, via the requesting/undertaking and
interpretation of diagnostic results.
Develop highly specialised programmes of care and provide highly
specialised advice regarding care.
To demonstrate expertise in evidence-based healthcare to assess,
diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate care for patients.
Be clinically competent and proficient within the acute paediatric setting,
independently managing clinical conditions, making autonomous decisions,
seeking advice and/or referring and prescribing where appropriate.
Can plan, order, interpret and act upon the results of tests and
investigations
To communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to members of the
multi-disciplinary team and other healthcare professionals.
Participate in the stabilisation and transfer of patients for escalation of care
Use initiative and acts independently within the bounds of existing
knowledge and skills
Work with clinical and leadership teams to develop new and improved
processes and pathways to streamline and improve patient flow and care
processes.
Lead in the development of new initiatives and ways of working, including
AP led services, informed by local and national Policy
To develop, coordinate, deliver and evaluate the advanced clinical
practitioner service within acute paediatrics.
Collaborate with senior clinical colleagues, develop or introduce agreed
clinical guidelines for best practice.
Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring
adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients
Facilitate good team spirit through leadership skills and team building.
Be conversant with all Trust and departmental policies and procedures and
ensure that the requirements are met.
To attend departmental, divisional and other meetings where appropriate,
maintaining continuous effective communication.
Continually assess and monitor risk in their own and others' practice and
Challenge Others About Wider Risk Factors Within The Service
Use evidence-based practice to underpin clinical guidelines and integrate
research into clinical practice.
Develop, implement and evaluate strategies to advance knowledge and
practice.
Make operational judgements, manage conflicting views, reconcile inter and
intra-professional differences of opinion and escalate for senior clinician
review when require
Accountable for optimal use of resources balanced against the needs of
each individual child or young person
Assist in the formulation of business cases to ensure adequate, appropriate
equipment and staffing.
Collaborate in the redesign of services to ensure they are organized to meet
service user need.
Personal duty of care in relation to equipment, resources and safe use of
equipment used within clinical areas Responsible for the effective and
appropriate use of resources and the cost implications
Provide support and advice to all disciplines of healthcare staff, acting as an
excellent role model and demonstrating advanced clinical skills and
knowledge.
Lead staff appraisal and setting of personal and department objectives in
collaboration with others where appropriate.
Provides support for the day-to-day line management / supervision of
advanced practitioners and trainee advanced practitioners within own
specialty.
Actively seek user involvement in developing services that are responsive
to the needs of the local population.
Act as an expert practitioner to provide a supportive learning environment
which promotes continuous professional development and lifelong learningthis may require liaison with education & learning providers and their tutorial
staff.
Provide a supportive environment for all staff (including pre-registration
students) which encourages learning and professional development. This
will require liaison with education & learning providers and their tutorial staff.
To actively participate in the development and delivery of future education
and training provision; which recognises the needs of patients and is in line
with national and local priorities.
Collaborate with senior colleagues and educational establishments where
appropriate to ensure the needs of service are met.
To assist with the development of education and learning which are
appropriate for practitioners working within the Trust.
To identify own education and training needs in line with curriculum /
competency framework within speciality, and Trust statutory and mandatory
training. Ensuring that these are addressed through the appraisal process
with the clinical supervisor / line manager.
Make presentations on complex subjects, both written and verbally to a
wide range of groups and at meetings and conferences external to the
organisation to share work locally, nationally and internationally.
Plan and deliver a training package for trainee advanced clinical
practitioners within paediatrics.
Be a mentor and clinical supervisor where appropriate to junior members of
the multi- disciplinary team.
Maintain a professional development portfolio
Person specification
Qualifications And Experience
Essential criteria
NMC/ HCPC/ GPhC Registered healthcare professional
MSc in Advanced Practice for paediatrics
Independent prescriber qualification (where applicable to role / professional group)
IR(M)ER (Imaging Referral by Non-medical Healthcare Professionals)
Red Dot XRay interpretation course
EPLS/APLS
Teaching qualification and/or up to date mentorship qualification
Completed, and continually updated, HEE Multiprofessional framework for Advanced Clinical Practice
Leadership qualification
Evidence of CPD relevant to clinical area
Safeguarding Level 3 training
Desirable criteria
Non-medical authorisation of blood products training (where applicable to role / professional group)
EPALS or APLS instructor
Clinical supervision course
GIC instructor
RCPCH ACP credential (when available)
Clinical supervision course
Knowledge And Experience
Essential criteria
Significant and evidenced post registration experience
Significant clinical experience of working autonomously within the acute paediatric setting including physiology, assessment, clinical reason and decision making
Delivery of evidenced-based practice demonstrating a patient focused approach
Willingness to perform or learn advanced clinical skills appropriate to acute paediatrics
Ensure clinical governance is embedded within practice
Evidence of competence in role specific clinical skills for acute paediatrics
Awareness of own limitations and work within own scope of practice
Evidence of leading effectively, managing change and improving patient experience
Ability to influence a positive organisational culture to drive innovation, collaborative working and sustainable healthcare
Ability to prioritise workload of the wider MDT
Team building skills and ability to manage emerging practitioners
Work within and promote at all times the Trust values and behaviours
Ability to identify and manage risk and patient safety
Clinical audit experience
Skills in Research
Evaluate the care of patients through audit and research
Implement new policies and guidelines based on research and latest evidence-based practice
Communicate and dissemination of audit and research through a variety of mediums.
Desirable criteria
POCUS course including ultrasound guided cannulation
Advanced Leadership Qualification
Management and leadership experience
Previous Publications
Ability to produce and formulate guidelines, policies and reports
Specific Skills
Essential criteria
Management of ventilation
Prescribing of drugs and fluid therapies
Cannulation and venepuncture
Lumbar punctures
Blood cultures
Insertion of urinary catheters
Flexibility in shift/working patterns to meet the needs of the service
Is able to participate as a team member
Is of good health and good character as per NMC/HCPC/ GPhC requirements
Willing to accept additional responsibilities as delegated by senior staff
Highly motivated, self-directed practitioner with excellent organisation skills
Excellent communication skills both verbally and written
Desirable criteria
Insertion of long lines, umbilical venous and arterial catheters
Radial arterial lines/arterial punctures
Needle thoracentesis
Chest drain insertion and removal
Cranial ultrasound