Page 1 of 7 St Joseph’s Hospice, Hackney
Job description Job Title: Staff Nurse
Responsible to: Ward Manager
Responsible for: no one, however the post holder is responsible for performing all the key responsibilities listed here with minimal supervision and for presenting themselves and their work effectively.
Basic Function
The post holder will provide person centred care to patients requiring specialist palliative care. They will work as part of the multi professional team to develop their skills and knowledge to meet the needs of this patient group.
Organizational Context
St Joseph’s Hospice was founded in 1905 by the religious sisters of charity who retain an interest in the oversight of the Hospice. The hospice is working to achieve its vision 2024 which has five key strands: patients, enterprise, estates, funding and fundraising, and human resources. The hospice seeks to be an outstanding provider of palliative and end of life care. Each employee is critical to delivering and maintain those standards in accordance with the Hospice’s core values. Discretion to act
St Joseph’s Hospice practices a model of team nursing and each individual must demonstrate commitment to implement this approach in nursing care.
This post holder is required to demonstrate competency in practice as detailed in the St Joseph’s Hospice competency framework.
Specialist palliative care is delivered continuously over 24 hours and during this timeframe, in the absence of the Ward Manager and Team Leader, the Associate Team Leader has the delegated responsibility for the overall management of the shift of the ward.
Scale and Impact Key accountabilities 1. Patient care
• Independently assess physical psychological, spiritual, cultural, religious, social, legal and ethical issues affecting the patient and carer.
• Plan and deliver appropriate care in consultation with the multi professional team. • Ensure patients’ views are taken into account when planning care by establishing
their care needs and preferences both on admission and continually thereafter. • Recognise emotional distress in patients, relatives and carers and respond, using
empathy and supportive communication skills and recognise when to refer on to other specialist practitioners within the care team.
Page 2 of 7 2. Service development
• Participate in collaborative decision making with all those responsible for delivering care within the nursing team to ensure that the patient’s wishes and preferences are represented in every aspect of their care.
• Keep accurate clinical records in accordance with St Joseph’s policy and procedures and Nursing and Midwifery Council guidelines.
• Safely administer prescribed medication and monitor effectiveness in line with Nursing and Midwifery Council guidelines and St Joseph’s Hospice policy and procedures.
• Discuss with other members of the multi professional team individual patient needs; identifying appropriate strategies for symptom management and assessment in keeping with evidence based nursing care.
• Discuss with other members of the multi professional team individual patient needs; identifying appropriate strategies for symptom management and assessment in keeping with evidence based nursing care.
• Perform clinical procedures competently according to St Joseph’s Hospice policy, procedures and practice.
• Plan admissions and discharges in liaison with colleagues e.g. discharge facilitator social workers, district nurses and community palliative care nurses, to continue a high standard of palliative care, according to St Joseph’s Hospice policy, procedures and practice.
• In accordance with St Joseph's Hospice Health and Safety policies and processes be proficient in the use of manual handling equipment, taking due care and paying attention when using all manual handling equipment and resources.
3. Line management support
• Directly supervise junior colleagues, student nurses and HCAs, performing care to ensure safe practice in accordance with established evidence based nursing practice and protocols to be aware of their specific training needs and objectives • In the absence of the Ward Manager or Charge Nurse be responsible for all aspects
of clinical care. Ensure safe staffing levels and take responsibility for the health and safety of all nursing, support staff and patients, taking advice from the hospice bleep holder on clinical or site related matters.
4. Education and Training
• Deliver teaching sessions in areas of expertise within the ward area, as agreed with the Ward Manager and Charge Nurse
• Act as a mentor to junior members of the nursing team, supervising their clinical practice including., health care assistants and nursing students
• Take responsibility for own professional development by keeping up to date and attending relevant professional/clinical courses both at local and national levels, in agreement with the Ward Manager.
• Develop an awareness of clinical supervision and the need for self-reflection. • Act as a positive role model to aid the development of workplace learning by
ensuring open discussion and individual learning is practiced by nursing students and unqualified staff in the clinical area.
Page 3 of 7 5. Quality
• Participate in quality improvement activities and make a contribution to the process of change
• Monitor own work to ensure to maintain quality by ensuring that evidence based practice is adopted at all times.
• Participate in research, audit and quality initiatives as directed by the Ward Manger.
6. Communication
• Negotiate and advocate on behalf of patients, relatives and staff, providing information that can be difficult for people to understand or can cause distress for example giving pre / post bereavement support, information, advice to patients, families, children, next of kin, friends and recognise the need to refer to other expert counsellors and other agencies.
• Ensure effective channels of two-way communication with individuals, the multidisciplinary team, and other departments, outside agencies, managers and staff. This can take the form of receiving and acting on information, giving advice, and attending meetings.
• Adopt standards of behaviours in keeping with St Joseph’s Hospice mission and core value, the behavioural framework and NMC professional code of conduct. • Communicate effectively face to face, by telephone, in writing (including e-mail). • Attend the multidisciplinary team meetings to provide nursing opinion on patient
and clinical issues ensuring that open and focused discussion is practised. • Meet with patients’ carers to address and advise on nursing care, clinical practice,
and patient related inquiries.
• Attend regular meetings within the Hospice, for example ward nursing staff/ multidisciplinary team handover, Health and Safety and relevant meetings and briefings as directed by the Ward Manager.
Personal development
Identify your own learning and development needs in order to meet the key requirements of the post
Take responsibility for linking your own development needs with the Hospice appraisal and objective setting process
Take responsibility for your own continuing development by undertaking specific areas of work/projects to develop new skills
Take responsibility for your own professional development, including keeping up to date with relevant professional and other developments in HR at local and national levels
Engage in supervision to support your personal and professional development Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Comply with and promote St Joseph’s Hospice Equal Opportunity Policy and avoid any behaviour, which discriminates against colleagues, potential employees, patients/clients or their families on
Page 4 of 7 the grounds of sex, marital status, race, age, belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion, disability, creed, class, gender, sexual orientation.
Mission & core values
All Hospice staff are expected to work in line with St Joseph’s Mission & Core Values as these precepts act as a value base, which directly influences how all work activities, are undertaken. The ethos of the Hospice should be apparent in the behaviours and attitudes of all employees as the work they undertake, whether it is direct or indirect care is ultimately for the benefit of patients. The Mission and Core Values are an integral part of all job descriptions, the probationary period and performance and development reviews. (Full details are attached)
Health safety and Welfare
Ensure a safe working environment and be aware of responsibilities under the Health & Safety at Work Act, taking appropriate action in the event of an accident to patients, staff, self or any other person in the work area.
St Joseph’s Hospice operates a no smoking policy. Equality and diversity
Page 5 of 7
ST JOSEPH’S HOSPICE PERSON SPECIFICATION – Staff Nurse
CRITERIA ESSENTIAL DESIREABLE HOW TESTED
QUALIFICATIONS / EDUCATION Q1. Registered General Nurse
Application form and Interview
Q3. Diploma in Palliative Care or 1-2 years’ experience
working in Palliative setting
Application form and Interview
Q4. Be willing to undertake a relevant teaching
qualification (i.e. MN3272)
Application form and Interview Q5. NM3232 Palliative and End of Life Care: Core Skills
and NM3233 Palliative and End of Life Care: Specialist
Role Development or equivalent
Application form and Interview Q6. Preparation for Mentorship
Application form and Interview
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
S1. Ability to plan, implement and evaluate care
Application form and Interview
S2. Good written and verbal communication skills
Application form and Interview
S3. Ability to work independently and as part of the
multi-professional team
Application form and Interview
S4. Ability to learn new skills
Application form and Interview
S5. Ability to take charge and direct/supervise students
and unqualified care staff
Application form and Interview
S6. Willingness to undertake further study related to role
Application form and Interview S7. Computer literacy Application form and Interview
S8. Assessing and care planning of patients’ needs
Application form and Interview
Page 6 of 7 EXPERIENCE
E1. Experience of working in end of life care within an
acute or Palliative Care setting
Application form
E2. Experience of working in a specialist palliative care
environment as a staff nurse practitioner
Application form
E3. Assessing and care planning of patients’ needs
Application form
E4. Experience in undertaking audit
Application form
E5. Teaching peers and junior staff (qualified and
unqualified)
Application form
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
K1. Evidence based practice
Application form and Interview
K2. Infection control policies and procedures
Application form and Interview
K3. Clinical audit and clinical governance
Application form and Interview
K4. Health and safety at work issues
Application form and Interview
K5. Safe moving and handling
Application form and Interview K6. Equal opportunities Application form and Interview
K7. A knowledge of national initiatives relating to palliative
care, for example, the Government’s End of Life Care Strategy / NICE standards for palliative care for adults with cancer
Application form and Interview
OTHER
O1. Willing and able to conduct oneself in accordance with
the Values and Behaviours Framework of St. Joseph’s
Hospice
Application form and Interview
Page 7 of 7
02. Ability to work flexibly to meet service requirements
Application form and Interview
O3. Open minded and able to embrace change for benefit
of patient care
Application form and Interview
04. Ability to work shifts (internal rotation to night duty)
Application form and Interview
Definitions
Qualification, Knowledge Training and Experience
These sections requires a summary of all the forms of knowledge required to fulfil the job responsibilities satisfactorily. This includes theoretical and practical knowledge; professional, specialist or technical knowledge; and knowledge of the policies, practices and procedures associated with the job. It takes account of the educational level normally expected as well as the equivalent level of knowledge gained without undertaking a formal course of study; and the practical experience required to fulfil the job responsibilities satisfactorily
Communication and People Skills
This section requires a summary of the skills required to communicate, establish and maintain relationships and gain the cooperation of others. It takes account of the skills required to motivate, negotiate, persuade, make presentations, train others, empathise, communicate unpleasant news sensitively and provide counselling and reassurance. It also takes account of difficulties involved in exercising these skills
Planning and Organising
This section requires a summary of the planning and organisational skills required to fulfil the job responsibilities satisfactorily. It takes account of the skills required for activities such as planning or organising clinical or non-clinical services, departments, rotas, meetings, conferences and for strategic planning. It also takes account of the complexity and degree of uncertainty involved in these activities.
Other
This section requires a summary of any skills that are unique to the hospice the example listed is a good indicator of what this means