Registered Nurse

Job Title: Registered Nurse Spinal Point Range: 13,15,18 Hours: Negotiable Department: Patient Services Location: St Michaels Hospice, Bartestree Reports to: Senior Registered Nurse Job Purpose: To deliver high quality palliative and end of life nursing care to patients and their families Responsibility Areas: Care Provision Using clinical judgement to plan, implement and evaluate holistic care for patients with complex palliative needs. To ensure nursing practice is evidence based. Administer medications adhering to NMC and hospice policies. Verify death, complete care after death and orchestrate the removal of deceased patients from the Hospice. Provide specialist advice on symptom management to GPs or other professionals, patients and families within sphere of competence. To act as a link nurse in selected specialism e.g. diabetes. To understand the breadth of Hospice services and those offered by external agencies and signpost patients and families appropriately Ensure and maintain
patient dignity and confidentiality at all times in line with NMC Code of Conduct and Hospice policy. Promote a rehabilitative palliative care approach enabling people to live fully until they die. Planning Delegate activities for Heath Care Assistants and Senior Health Care Assistants for specific patients on a shift by shift basis. Manage and prioritise own workload according to patient and family need; in the absence of senior nursing colleagues co-ordinate and manage workload across the team. Undertake risk assessments, document these and implement risk reducing measures escalating to senior colleagues as appropriate. Is proactive in ensuring hospice skills, expertise and professional resources e.g. multi-disciplinary team discussions and review meetings, are used to best effect to ensure the appropriate and timely response to patients. To participate in the admission and bed allocation process in the absence of senior nursing colleagues. To plan timely patient discharge from
admission. Communication Communicate and liaise with relatives and carers regarding patient status, understanding the sensitivities and complexities of each situation. Provide accurate written and verbal holistic reports in line with the Hospice and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) guidance to colleagues during handover on patient condition, including any concerns or changes. Encourage patients/relatives/carers to express what is important to them, to identify their needs, to ensure that this information is recorded and informs the care plan. Promote collaborative working and effective communication between all members of the multidisciplinary team. Ensure the nursing voice is represented in ethical decision making. Recognise own limitations when offering emotional support. Respond to complaints in line with Hospice policy, escalating as appropriate. Promote awareness of child and adult protection issues policy and guidelines. Professional Leadership Act as a role model in all
aspects of clinical and non-clinical nursing practice. To provide formal and informal clinical supervision, support and mentorship. To deliver informal and formal training sessions for staff and others. Provide volunteers with information required to enable them to give appropriate care to patients and their visitors. Deputise in the absence of the senior nursing colleagues. Quality, Improvement, Audit and Research. To contribute to audits and evaluation of work in order to develop and improve palliative/end of life care for patients and their carers. To embrace quality improvement initiatives and to deliver evidence-based service development projects. Facilitates and participates in reflective reviews of palliative care. Ensure clinical incidents /near misses are recorded and managed in a timely manner and take action to minimise risk. Health and Safety Act at all times to promote the safety and wellbeing of patients, visitors and volunteers. Ensure the environment
is free from hazards and all nursing equipment is clean, in good working order, safely and appropriately used and stored. Responsible for the timely disposal and documentation of clinical waste and Laundry. Safe storage and use of hazardous substances according to COSHH regulations. Checking building, ensuring that environment is clean and tidy. Be aware of own limitations and when to seek advice and help. Adhere to the Infection control practices on the Inpatient unit. Adhere to the safe storage of medicines and hazardous substances policy and processes.