Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced nurse to join the trans-catheter aortic valve team (TAVI) at Harefield Hospital. This is a 12-month fixed term post to cover maternity leave.
The role will involve working closely with the consultants who undertake TAVI and AVR procedures and includes clinical assessments, organising appointments, maintenance of the database, running nurse-led preadmission clinics and presenting patients at multi-disciplinary meetings. Communication with patients is a key element of the post.
The successful candidate must be highly self motivated, able to demonstrate advanced management, communication, interpersonal, clinical and organizational skills and be able to work autonomously as well as within the TAVI team. Previous experience of working with aortic valve patients, and as a CNS at band 7 are required for the band 7 post. We would consider an ambitious band 6 nurse in a training post (employed at band 6).
You will join the Cardiology Specialist Nurses, a team of specialist nurses working within a variety of areas of cardiology including patients undergoing coronary intervention, aortic valve, and mitral and tricuspid valve intervention. The team are led by the Consultant Nurse in Cardiology, and run a variety of nurse-led services. The services provided by the team are consistently positively evaluated by patients.
Closing date: Midnight 4th January 2026
Interview date: TBC January 2026
Main duties of the job
1.To provide a specialist nursing service working with patients and their families/carers throughout the patient pathway
2.To provide a high standard of specialist nursing care, support and advice to patients pre and post TAVI in line with local and national targets
3.To lead on the nursing component of the Trans catheter Aortic Valve service (TAVS)
4.To ensure the smooth planning and running of the service
5.To assist with the planning and running of research studies associated with the TAVS. To ensure that these are done in accordance with local policies, standard operating procedures, and clinical trial protocols.
6.To assist in the recruitment of patients to the TAVS research
7.To maintain project documentation, databases and clinical research folders as required by research protocols.
8.To be able to act autonomously and without supervision in collaboration with the rest of the multidisciplinary team
9.To undertake administrative tasks as required such as writing to and following up patients who have had a TAVI procedure
10.To liaise with the valve manufacturers about all aspects of the TAVS
11.Work closely with other clinical nurse specialists within the Heart Division ensuring a cohesive approach to patient care delivery
12.To be flexible in the approach to the service and provide cover for any area specified, rotating between the different services as necessary
Working for our organisation
Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services. Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions. In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect)
·To provide seamless care for patients
·Develop support mechanisms for sharing good practice within the Division and Trust wide
·To participate as a member of the multi-disciplinary team, assisting in the treatment and management of patients. To provide telephone advice to potential patients who contact the hospital
·To develop and run nurse-led preadmission and follow-up clinics and participate in nurse-led discharge
1. Co-ordinate the arrangement of investigations ( MRI, CT, Echo, and blood tests)
2. Refer patients to other members of the multi-disciplinary team as necessary
3. Ensure accuracy of documentation and maintain an efficient and accurate record system with relevant information in agreement with the cardiology team
4. Ensure through good practice that customer care initiatives are improved and sustained. Act as a resource for advice to patients, relatives/carers, and staff
5. To actively promote a healthy lifestyle for patients & staff appreciating national strategy requirements
6. To act as an expert resource for patients/relatives/colleagues relating to the care of their caseload of patients
7. To maintain patient’s confidentiality, privacy, dignity, religious and cultural needs at all times
8. To comply with and participate in the Trust’s framework for Clinical Governance within the department
9. Adhere to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Code of Professional Conduct at all times
10. Comply with project / international clinical trial guidelines and protocols where relevant
11. To supply and administer medicines according to Patient Group Directions/ protocols and/or to be able to administer drugs as a non-medical independent prescriber
12. Organise patient admission for TAVI in collaboration with the Consultants and aortic valve team administrator
13. Coordinate the aortic valve MDT with the TAVI coordinator and ensure treatment decisions are communicated to patients
Management
·To make use of all resources within the area in line with the Division’s Business Plan
·To provide effective clinical leadership to all Nurses in the Division
Training, Education and Research
·To maintain an active awareness of clinical and professional development within the speciality and disseminate that knowledge to all colleagues
·To be responsible for the implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive training package for patients, relatives, and staff
·To work with the Consultant Nurse/ Senior Nurses to proactively identify ways of raising the profile of the service by contributing to practice development needs of the Trust
·Participate in and support staff undertaking clinical trials and research projects within the clinical setting
·Be proactive in ongoing audit to access the effectiveness and practice of the service provided, implementing relevant changes
·Participate in the process of gaining informed consent from study patients through the provision of information and answering questions honestly and accurately
·To work closely with the sponsoring companies, study principal investigators, co-investigators, and other staff. To give regular reports on all aspects of trial progress as and when required
·Set standards to monitor the quality of the care provided, ensuring local and national quality standards are met
·To assist those quality initiatives in line with clinical audit and clinical effectiveness and the Trust’s corporate objectives and quality standards
·Disseminate up to date information by presenting papers and posters and participating in national and international conferences
·Maintain database and registers within the department
·To be responsible for the development and ongoing evaluation of educational material for patients and staff
PersonalandProfessional
·To develop professional practices through reflection, participation in post-registration courses and attendance at conferences and meetings
·To be accountable for your own professional action and a lead specialist for the area
·To identify and be responsible for own professional/managerial management in liaison with the Nurse Consultant and Divisional Senior Nurse
·To act as a resource in this specialist area and to participate in Trust-wide professional groups, as appropriate
·To represent the Trust locally and nationally, participating and speaking at conferences and study days
·To maintain a flexible approach to the role responding to changing patterns of care
·To participate in the strategic development of the service
·Providing leadership, motivation, and vision regarding the contribution of nursing to health care
·Forge links with those involved in the development of the service both internally and externally
Communication
·Provide support mechanisms for sharing good practice within the Department and Trust wide. Assist in the programme and provide clinical supervision, as required for all registered nurses working in the Department
14. Maintain and promote effective communication with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and other Wards / Departments, including developing your formal presentation skills
15. Promote the corporate image of the Trust to all individuals, groups, and organisations both within the Trust and to the community at large
16. Participate fully as a team member, sharing knowledge and information and supporting colleagues, including support staff to promote a cohesive team and the achievement of team objectives
17. Contribute to the development and maintenance of a positive learning environment for colleagues, patients, and visitors
Policy development
18. Support the development of research protocols on differing aspects of Trans catheter Valve Implantation
19. To be actively involved in the development of Trust policies and procedures at department level, the implementation and reinforce their use
Service development
20. Assist with the running of trials (if necessary, travel to external study days and investigator meetings)
21. Actively participate in regular departmental seminars and educational programmes at both Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals
22. Maintain, update, and develop personal, professional knowledge and skills, using the Trust’s Performance Review System, enabling standards of patient care to be constantly monitored and improved
23. Collaborate in the preparation of papers for publication with suitable support
24. Participate in the business planning process, helping to identify areas for service development
Resource management
25. Plan and manage own time to meet the needs of the service
26. To ensure staff, equipment and resources are managed effectively
Information management
27. Identify areas where local audit is needed, conduct the audit, and analyse the data with support
28. To be actively involved in maintaining data quality on PAS or similar systems in the future
29. Undertake relevant training for electronic information systems in place & under development
30. Participate in the collection and analysis of audit and research data as required
31. Be able to undertake web searches as necessary
Person specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential criteria
32. Registered General Nurse
33. Relevant post-registration course
34. ALS/ILS Certification
35. Professional related degree
36. Masters level equivalent experience
37. Physical Assessment Module
38. Evidence of continuing professional development at post graduate level
Desirable criteria
39. MSc
40. Management course
Experience & knowledge
Essential criteria
41. Clinical experience in TAVI
42. Experience of change management
43. Knowledge and experience of research and audit
44. Evidence of the development of advanced critical care nursing skills
45. Excellent organisational skills
46. Previous CNS experience
Desirable criteria
47. Running nurse-led clinics
48. Counselling skills
Skills & abilities
Essential criteria
49. Leadership skills
50. Teaching and assessing skills
51. Demonstrates evidence of applying current research to practice
Desirable criteria
52. Demonstrate commitment through involvement in Trust wide initiatives/ committees
Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.