Job summary
Here at St Lukes Hospice we offer 24 hour care / seven days a week to people who have advanced disease. You will be caring for people in our community covering Harrow and Brent. Our person centred care is delivered with compassion and respect for peoples wishes.
We are welcoming candidates looking for truly rewarding positions, who want to deliver the highest quality of care and who embody our Hospice Values. We are looking for Band 6 nurses who are keen to join a caring, compassionate and diverse multi-disciplinary team delivering care of the highest quality.
It is desirable, but not essential for you to have any previous palliative care experience, as you will receive a full induction and ongoing support.
Main duties of the job
To be responsible for the development and sustainability of a Safe, Effective, Responsive, Caring and Well-led home care service.
To be responsible for the day to day efficiency and effective shift management of the pall 24.
To actively contribute to clinical governance and quality assurance processes.
To actively contribute to the wider patient services workforce and learning and development planning.
About us
St Lukes Hospice Caring for Harrow and Brent St Lukes Hospice cares for people approaching the end of their life in Harrow and Brent. We aim to give the people we care for the best possible quality of life, each and every day. Supporting local people and their families is at the heart of what we do focusing on what matters the most to them is at the centre of our care.
The care we give is free of charge, available to all, and respects the cultures, religions and beliefs in our richly diverse community. Our care is given with compassion and dignity and involves not just looking after the patient, but also includes supporting the people closest to them.
We receive around some of our funding from the NHS and the rest is raised from the amazing generosity of the organisations and people who make our care possible. Our local community is a vital partner in our care, kindly supporting us through their donations and fundraising alongside the dedication of over 800 incredible volunteers who freely give us their time to support the best possible end of life care for local people.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. Job Purpose and scope
1. To be able to provide professional telephone advice
2. To receive and process referrals.
3. To work closely with H at home for arranging care packages for patients who require urgent bridging.
4. To provide face to face visit in crisis
5. Provide support and direction to Healthcare Assistants to ensure the delivery of a high-quality service to palliative care patients in their own homes.
6. Be responsible for recording activities and maintaining accurate and complete patient notes
7. The post holder will play a key role in the raising of clinical standards and quality for patients with life limiting illnesses and in the monitoring and improving standards of care.
8. To be able to update care plan and register patient on UCP (urgent care planning)
2. Main Duties & Responsibilities
Clinical
9. Be confident and competent to manage telephone contacts and triage calls appropriately
10. Be able to receive, register referrals and make a telephone contact or visit the patient.
11. Visit patients at home to assess their needs, putting together packages of care, order equipment, using a risk assessed approach that are appropriate, flexible and patient focused.
12. Liaise closely with H at home and other care agencies involved in the care of the patient encouraging effective and efficient use of resources (Social Services, Continuing Care Teams and Hospital Discharge Liaisons teams).
13. Deliver direct care to patients and provide day-to-day clinical support to the Health Care Assistants and volunteers in their delivery of care to patients at home
14. Liaise with the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT) involved in the individuals care to ensure the package of care is communicated to them.
15. Liaise with the MDT when significant changes to this care package are required / implemented
16. Work with the wider professionals to ensure the patients shared record is kept up-to-date and that key information is available in a timely way
17. Work with the team to ensure clinical documentation and all care plans are reviewed and evaluated at regular intervals.
18. Make additional visits to patients at home if requested to do so by the patient / family, another healthcare professional or at key stages of their care pathway that have been agreed.
19. Respond to urgent requests for care ensuring the appropriate professional attends to deliver care and that needs are met within the required timeframe
20. Provide specialist palliative telephone advice and support to patients, families and other health and social care professionals
21. Be responsible for updating the icare patient data system regularly and manage patient information sensitively and confidentially.
22. Ensure the dignity of patients and families is respected at all times
23. Ensure confidentiality in the best interest of the patient is maintained at all times.
Management and People
24. Act as a role model and expert resource to the team, wider hospice services and teams / services in primary and acute care on the delivery of high quality end of life care
25. Be accountable for your professional practice in accordance with the NMC Code.
26. Work with volunteers to ensure they understand their role within the service providing them with support and advice as required
27. Liaise with third party care providers and work with them to ensure care is delivered to our expected standards
28. Ensure the service provided is in accordance with Hospice policies and procedures and key aspects of the pilot service.
29. Promote and maintain positive working relationships with all members of the team to ensure positive outcomes with each patient.
30. Be aware of the Health and Safety aspects of the service with particular reference to the implications of working in a patients home and lone worker issues.
Governance, Quality and Service Improvement
31. Implement clinical audits of records to measure and evaluate all aspects of care.
32. Ensure sensitive data is stored and transferred securely.
33. Promote effective evidence based clinical practice.
34. Communicate and liaise effectively with hospice and community colleagues, promoting and consistently marketing the Hospice at Home Service and the Hospice philosophy.
35. Liaise with external agencies regarding day-to-day issues in relation to packages of care and undertake spot inspections of notes and care delivery as a routine in every care package and provide feedback to the agencies involved raising concerns when required.
36. Increase awareness of Hospice provision by representation of Hospice at Home Service at public events.
Education and Professional Development
37. Participate in the arrangement of induction programs for all new Hospice at Home staff.
38. Work with the Hospice home care manager to facilitate Health Care Assistants with their professional development.
39. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of professional developments in Palliative Care and Community Care.
40. Attend relevant courses, meetings and conferences ensuring own practice and development.
41. To take responsibility of own professional and clinical growth and be prepared to attend mandatory training sessions requested at St. Lukes.
42. Assist in the education of colleagues in end-of-life care issues
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
43. Registered Nurse with NMC registration
44. Post registration qualification in community nursing, oncology, palliative care or other relevant area of practice
45. Mentorship qualification.
46. Recent community experience at least 2 years
Desirable
47. Education to degree level or willingness to progress to this
48. Community Nursing Qualification
49. Advanced Assessment Skills
50. Non-medical prescribing
51. Verification of death
Additional Requirements
Essential
52. Flexibility to meet the needs of the service.
53. Car driver and owner
54. Able to clearly communicate over the phone
55. Has understanding of telephone advice lines and direct support required.
56. A good team player
57. Able to work in stressful situation
Experience
Essential
58. Proven experience at a suitable level of seniority of managing complex cases in either the community or an institutional setting
59. Ability to implement change
60. Has been working in palliative care setting or cared for palliative patients.
61. In-depth understanding of relevant care pathways
62. Understanding of services in both primary and secondary care and the interface between these and social care
63. Understanding of palliative and end of life care
Desirable
64. Experience of working with volunteers or community setting
65. Knowledge of local and national agenda in relation to the role of the nurse and carer in end of life care
66. Knowledge of the role of Care Quality Commission
Skills and Attributes
Essential
67. In-depth understanding of relevant care pathways
68. Understanding of services in both primary and secondary care and the interface between these and with social care
69. Understanding of palliative and end of life care
Desirable
70. Ability to use and analyses data within the context of pilot service