Job overview
Subject to banding approval, we have an exciting opportunity for a part time band 7 (26.5 hours per week) clinical nurse specialist with experience of managing patients and their families through early pregnancy loss and the recurrent early pregnancy loss pathway.
The post holder will provide direct clinical and psychological support to those patients that require investigations following a pregnancy loss from the first loss through to subsequent recurrent losses in line with the national standards and guidelines on managing recurrent pregnancy loss.
The post holder will work in tandem with the lead consultant for recurrent pregnancy loss to support those patients and families through the pathway. The post holder will interpret clinical results, make management plans, prescribe appropriate treatment and follow up. In addition, the specialist nurse will support the recurrent pregnancy loss consultant led clinic.
The specialist nurse will also be required to undertake early pregnancy ultrasound imaging for those patients on the recurrent pregnancy loss pathway, providing reassurance scans in line with the national guidelines and standards.
The successful candidate will be supported through their training to complete their ultrasound qualification if not already held and also undertake the non-medical prescribing module, if not already held. During the training period, the successful post holder will be paid at band 6 level until fully qualified in ultrasound.
Main duties of the job
The Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Nurse Specialist will be an autonomous nurse practitioner providing support to women and their families who have experienced pregnancy loss at less than 16 weeks in line with recurrent miscarriage pathway. This will include requesting and following up investigations, carrying out, interpreting and reporting early pregnancy ultrasound diagnostics & reassurance scans as per guidelines. The specialist nurse will support the early pregnancy MDT meetings & undertake independent nurse led recurrent loss clinics. They will provide guidance & support to nurses and medical staff caring for women experiencing recurrent loss in early pregnancy. They will act as an educational resource for staff on physical, psychological and administrative aspects of recurrent pregnancy loss care, providing educational training and one to one support for staff where necessary.
The Specialist Nurse role will ensure there is a responsive, coordinated and compassionate approach to providing seamless care to patients who require support along the recurrent pregnancy loss pathway. The specialist nurse will work collaboratively with gynaecology, obstetrics, bereavement services and mortuary services to deliver a high calibre of equitable and evidence-based care consistent with recommendations and national standards.
The post holder will also work closely with the Women’s Health Research Team, to support the facilitation of relevant research relating to recurrent pregnancy loss.
Working for our organisation
We have 10,000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever your role, you help look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 2.1 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.
Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients & staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our local towns.
You’ll have access to varied development opportunities, learn new skills, meet fab people & do things you’d never have done. You’ll learn about working in a hospital, interacting with people from all different roles to build skills & enhance your career path.
You’ll make an impact, be challenged to think differently, be bold & help innovate to keep improving things. Everything we do centres around patient care which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
·To demonstrate extensive knowledge of early pregnancy loss and recurrent miscarriage, providing written and verbal information, and give advice, counselling, support to women and their families,.
1. Work as part of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure that care is evidence based and reflective of national guidance
2. To coordinate the recurrent loss pathway for each patient and her family experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss under 16 weeks
3. Ensure a continuity of care for patient and their families on the recurrent pregnancy loss pathway
4. Ensure each patient has their own specific care plan to address their needs as individuals
·Ensure each patient is offered appropriate investigations after their loss as required in line with guidelines
·Ensure all patient and families are referred to relevant ongoing aftercare services as indicated
·Liaison with external agencies such as genomics laboratory.
5. Discuss further investigations available in relation to recurrent miscarriages and molar pregnancies.
6. Provide information relating to screening options such as Cytogenetic Testing and Trophoblastic Screening
7. Provide pre-conception advice if known maternal medical conditions that could influence pregnancy loss
·Develop, implement and evaluate care pathways and services for patients and their families experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss and act as a change agent for service improvement
·Be responsible for a defined clinical caseload of patients within the outpatient setting, managing patients queries and providing support and care for their condition
8. To act as an autonomous nurse practitioner by planning and organising own workload effectively and being accountable for the quality and standard of work individually performed
·Work in collaboration with the lead consultant for recurrent pregnancy loss and other members of the MDT.
·Demonstrate expertise in clinical practice in the speciality area, working within scope of knowledge and practice
·Act as a resource for specialist advice and support for other health care professionals in relation to all recurrent pregnancy loss care
·Raise awareness amongst health professionals of the additional support needs of this patient group
·Deliver high quality recurrent pregnancy loss training and mentoring to other gynaecology nurses and clinicians
·Ensures they are up to date with national guidance and recommendations and undertake additional training as required to maintain current clinical knowledge of the specialist area
·Participate in clinical research and audit as required within the specialist area and ensure outcomes are measured and recorded to understand the impact of the role and developments required.
·Ensure current patient literature is relevant and up to date, improving the information given to patients and their families
·Attend relevant events and conferences on behalf of the service
·To gain consent for administering treatment and be aware of potential diminished responsibility by assessing mental capacity, clarity and degree of confusion.
·To be fully conversant with all drugs used in the service and to undertake relevant drug administration training when necessary
·To be maintain competence in nurse prescribing in line with designated formulary and Trust policy
·Identify local, demographic, cultural and environmental factors that influence the health and quality of life for client group
9. Ensure that child protection and vulnerable adult legislation is adhered to within own practice and service
10. Independently undertake transabdominal and transvaginal early pregnancy scans in relation to recurrent loss pathways.
11. Produce diagnostic ultrasound reports
·Exercise professional autonomy and escalate concerns
·To undertake ultrasound examinations competently and provide written reports after reviewing patient history and scan findings into a diagnosis. Seek a second opinion where necessary.
·To provide specialist information by performing, interpreting and reporting examinations as per departmental protocols
·To inform patients of their scan results when appropriate, imparting bad news eg no foetal heartbeat, in a sensitive and empathetic way and to provide help and support to colleagues with respect to this
·To assess the patients physical and psychological suitability for transvaginal ultrasound before deciding to proceed with the examination and obtaining consent for the procedure to be undertaken.
·To maintain knowledge of technical and clinical developments within the field of the service
·To use the Radiology systems, such as Sectra to record patient examination details and images. Abiding by the rules of patient confidentiality and GDPR
·Have the expertise to handle and operate highly specialised and expensive equipment
Ensure concentration is maintained when assessing and performing examinations
·Set, monitor and maintain standards of care to improve the patient outcome and experience.
·Produce and review guidelines and protocols in relation to recurrent pregnancy loss care in accordance with local and national guidelines
·Undertake clinical audit to measure productivity and outcomes of the service
·Identify the need for improvement and bring about change where required.
·Ensure the patient and their family are involved in service development and improvement
·Develop strong links with support organisations such as The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, Tommys, and the Miscarriage Association
12. Offer opportunities for eligible patients and partners to participate in research and take responsibility for leading research, and be proactive in keeping the profile of research raised with relevant depts
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria
13. Registered Adult Nurse / Registered Midwife
14. Relevant degree in subject area
15. Post graduate CASE accredited qualification in medical ultrasound (or willing to work towards)
16. Non-Medical Prescriber (or willing to work towards)
17. NMC recognised mentorship or teaching qualification
Desirable criteria
18. Masters degree in relevant subject area
19. NIHR Good Clinical Practice Training
20. Relevant leadership qualification
Knowledge and experience
Essential criteria
21. Evidence of post registration experience in caring for patients and families through recurrent early pregnancy loss services
22. Knowledge of and ability to apply in practice relevant local and national policies and guideliness
23. Awareness of national standards in relation to recurrent pregnancy loss
Desirable criteria
24. Experience at working at band 6 level
25. Evidence of multi-agency working
26. Experience of case load management of patients
27. Experience of clinical research delivery or academic research experience
28. Experience in undertaking and independently reporting of ultrasound examinations