Job summary
The post holder will work in the Islington Rapid Response and Virtual Ward (RRVW) team which is part of the wider multi-agency Islington Urgent Care Response service which supports hospital discharges and admission avoidance.
RRVW is co-located and integrated with therapy and adult social services colleagues and aims to respond to patient referrals in the community within 2 hours to prevent/reduce admission to hospital including those patients under technology enabled Virtual ward.
The post holder will primarily be working in Whittington Virtual Ward but may be required to support patients in other NCL boroughs.
Working autonomously, the post holder will have continuing responsibility for proactively involve in remote monitoring and managing, patients on the caseload. In addition, the post holder will be expected to develop skills in physical assessment, diagnostic reasoning and non-medical prescribing and use these both in the community. Using these skills will assist in the recognition of early symptoms of disease exacerbation, acute illness and injuries. The post holder will be expected to co-ordinate care and navigate the patient through pathways across the primary, secondary care interface, including prevention of unnecessary admissions, facilitating appropriate ones through in-reach case finding in both the hospital setting and also via GP referral.
Main duties of the job
1. Provide specialist, high quality, expert nursing care and support for patients who are suitable for Remote monitoring and Islington Urgent Response in liaison with the multidisciplinary teams (MDT) through assessment and care planning.
2. To maintain own clinical expertise around patient care and best outcomes, to keep updated & remain credible.
3. Carry out planned care for a group of remotely monitored patients without direct supervision, utilising escalation pathways to ensure care is coordinated across Virtual Ward pathways.
4. Develop new skills and knowledge pertaining to the speciality as advised by the Digital Lead Nurse.
5. To keep up to date with current developments in digital clinical practice and ensure evidence-based practice.
6. Ensure the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of evidence based individualised patient care, or assist others in undertaking this assessment.
7. Assist and advise staff, both registered and unregistered in the delivery of patient care through the digital health record.
8. Ensure all staff maintain accurate clinical observations of the patient and act accordingly.
9. Monitoring caseloads in conjunction with team members. Discussing with the Matron / ACP / Clinical Leads/ GP/ Consultant any concerns or significant changes in the case load.
10. To develop and maintain effective links and relationships with relevant professionals to ensure a seamless service.
About us
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Job description
Job responsibilities
11. Support patients to self-manage, monitor their condition and make informed choices.
12. Act as a named clinician for designated patients within the service.
13. Ensure that nursing documentation is maintained to high standards and to be a competent user of and participate in the ongoing development of the Trusts planned Electronic Patient Record.
14. Promote the development of evidenced based practice.
15. Participate in clinical supervision to agreed standard.
16. Ensure high standards of care are given to all patients.
17. Advise patients on the promotion of health and the prevention of illness.
18. Be responsible for gaining intravenous access and administration of prescribed medication for patients requiring short-term antibiotics and for monitoring their care.
19. Collaborate with medical colleagues in ensuring that appropriate investigations and procedures are performed to complete the patients treatments and that patient, and their families are fully informed and understand the purpose for these.
20. Support the MDT in identifying potential discharges, giving support and advice when needed.
21. To develop links with community health providers and other services which are involved in Virtual Ward patient care.
22. To support the wider team in developing strategies for utilisation of the Virtual Ward service. Promoting communication, advertising and sharing of good practice.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
23. Current NMC/ HCPC Registration
Desirable
24. BSc or equivalent level of experience
Skills
Essential
25. Community Nursing skills, or willingness to expand field of knowledge and practice
Desirable
26. Advanced physical Assessment qualification or willingness to work towards
27. Non-Medical Prescribing or willingness to work towards
Knowledge
Essential
28. Excellent clinical and holistic assessment skills
29. Advanced nursing skills
30. Understanding and insight into RRVW