Job summary
Due to expansion of services, we are looking to recruit a highly motivated Clinical Nurse Specialist. Are you passionate about palliative care, and want to work as part of a team and make a difference? If yes, this is a great opportunity to join an established team of palliative care clinical nurse specialists, providing a seven-day specialist service to support patients their families and carers across West Essex and the East Hertfordshire border.
You will be required to have palliative care knowledge, skills and community experience with proven clinical leadership skills. Collaborative working with health, social and voluntary care professionals both internally and externally, providing support and advice is essential.
You will have a high level of clinical expertise to provide specialist advice and support to patients with palliative care needs. You will be required to work both autonomously and as part of a team.
If you have excellent communication skills and experience of palliative care, we would like to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
Toprovide holistic specialist palliative care in a variety of settings topatients their families/carers in line with St. Clares mission, vision, andvalues.
To provide support and advice to colleagues both internally and externally in their care of specialist palliative care patients.
Toactively support St. Clare to reach its strategic ambition and aid developmentsin the community team to provide a reactive and responsive service for thepeople of West Essex.
About us
At St ClareHospice our vision is that every adult with a life limiting condition in ourlocal communities should have access to palliative care services wherever andwhenever they need them, so that they can make the most of every moment, nomatter how long they have left to live.Our many different services provide patients, their families, andcarers, with physical, emotional, social, psychological, and spiritual support,at home, or here at the Hospice.
The communitypalliative care team are made up of clinical nurse specialists who will providetelephone Specialist Advice and Support to patients, carers, families,professionals, as well as arranging an assessment to visit person in thecommunity, to assist with symptom management or to discuss where the person may wish to becared for. The service Operates seven days a week, 8-4 and outside these hoursthere is an advice line that can be answered 24hrs by IPU staff. The team willvisit people across West Essex as required. Both services are supported by thecommunity administrators and a volunteer, with input from Medical and other disciplines.
Job description
Job responsibilities
ClinicalExpertise
Work as part of themulti-professional team to provide specialist palliative care for patients andtheir families/carers actively integrating theory and practice.
Ensure appropriate prioritisation of referrals, manage caseload,provide clinical face to face assessmentsand telephone advice and support, delegate to colleagues where appropriate.
Practice comprehensive holisticassessments and recommend appropriate treatments, interventions, and support.
Liaison with health, social andvoluntary care staff in primary and secondary care settings.
Establish and maintain effective communication with patients,their families, and carers.
Demonstrate and utilise current specialist palliative careknowledge and skills and contribute to developing new initiatives.
Act as the patients advocate, ensuring equality, diversity andindividual rights are considered paramount in decision making processes.
Liaise with other departments, participate in patients casediscussions as required as part of the multi-professional team both internallyand externally eg Gold Standard Framework (GSF).
Maintain accurate nursing records via IT solutions in line with StClare policies and within the guidelines laid down by the NMC.
Communicate information regarding patient care and related mattersto appropriate members of the St Clare team and/or external agencies.
Work with clinical managers and clinical directors to ensurenational, local and Hospice directives/legislation are met.
Leadership
To act as a role model demonstrating highlevels of care and providing clinical leadership to others.
Work with Stakeholders within West Essexand the East Hertfordshire borders in health, social and voluntary sectors toensure collaborative working and integrated practice to benefit patient care.
Promote the effective use of the Hospices resources and contributeto any initiatives regarding cost improvement and value for money programmesensuring high-quality cost-effective care.
Contribute and develop new initiatives within the team.
Contribute to the collection of data and information providingreports as required demonstrating quality of service in current and futurebusiness planning.
Educationand Quality
Develops new skills in response toemerging knowledge and techniques.
Promote, develop, and participate in aprogram of clinical supervision for staff.
Maintain quality monitoring systems,including clinical audit and risk assessment to ensure the delivery of safe andhigh-quality care.
Work closely with colleagues and contributeto palliative care education training sessions/events both locally andnationally as required.
Take personal responsibility for lifelonglearning and actively engage in developmental opportunities for self and others.
ProfessionalResponsibilities
To act professionally at all times and inaccordance with the NMC Code of Conduct.
To help maintain a safe environment andactively identify, report, and manage risks relating
to lone working and community work.
To be aware of and work within thePolicies/Procedures/Standards of St. ClareHospice, including those relating to Health & Safety and Moving &Handling.
Keep up to date with recent developmentsin nursing and palliative care.
Attend relevant study opportunities - itis desirable that a masters degree in a relevant subject, or other comparablequalification, is completed within three years of being appointed if notpreviously achieved.
Maintain confidentiality of patients andstaff at all times.
To deliver optimal care to patientsfrom assessment to management plan, including prescribing of therapeutic drugregimes
To perform any other function that isrequested by the Community Services Manager within the scope of your role and capabilities.
Because of the nature of the work at StClare you will need to be prepared to address searching questions regardingdeath and dying on a personal level .
Person Specification
Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential
1. Ability to deal with complex and difficult emotional situations
2. Recognition of own limitations
3. Flexibility
4. Willingness to take part in supervision and reflection
5. Reliable and confident
6. Commitment to equality and valuing diversity and understanding of how this applies to own area of work
7. Commitment to the aims and charitable objectives of St Clare Hospice
8. Committed to own continuing professional learning and development
Qualifications
Essential
9. 1ST Level Registered nurse
10. Diploma / Degree in palliative care
11. Recognised teaching qualification or prepared to work towards to it
12. Advanced Communications Skills Training or prepared to work towards
Desirable
13. Palliative care /Oncology qualification
14. Evidence of Masters level learning or prepared to work towards it
Skills and Abilities
Essential
15. Demonstrates knowledge of current issues in palliative care
16. IT literate
17. Teaching/assessment and presentation skills
18. Leadership and management experience
19. Able to work autonomously and part of a multidisciplinary team
20. Qualification /experience supervision of others
21. Knowledge of local area and acute and primary care services
22. Current understanding and application of evidence-based practice in palliative care
23. Understanding and participation in research and audit
24. Demonstrates involvement in development of policies and procedures.
25. Organisation and negotiation skills
Desirable
26. Leadership and management experience
27. Qualification /experience supervision of others
28. Knowledge of local area and acute and primary care services
29. Understanding and participation in research and audit
Experience
Essential
30. Specialist palliative care experience
31. Community Experience
32. Relevant post registration experience working at band 6 or above
Other requirements
Essential
33. Hold a Full valid UK Driving Licence and have access to a car
34. Required to work weekends and bank holidays as 7-day service