Job titleWard Sister/Charge Nurse (Inpatients)

DepartmentInpatient Unit

LocationMarie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh

Reports toInpatient Unit Manager

Accountable toHospice Manager

Job Purpose/Summary

  • The post holder acts as team leader for a team of nurses and health care assistants within the Inpatient areas and supports the Lead Nurse In-Patients in the active promotion of a positive working environment.
  • Pivotal to the post is the development of junior staff to ensure that care is patient-focused and reflects the current and emergent needs of the specialist palliative care population.
  • The post holder must work in accordance with the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) code of professional conduct and Marie Curie policies and procedures.

Key Relationships

  • Patients and relatives
  • Multidisciplinary team within the Hospice
  • Primary Care Teams

Accountabilities (Duties & Responsibilities)

  • Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates patient care for patients in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team.
  • Supports the development of person centred nursing.
  • Demonstrates specialist palliative care expertise and acts as a professional role model.
  • Actively participates in the development of initiatives to identify best practice and facilitates the involvement of fellow team members within the hospice.
  • Facilitates the development of nursing practice through specific projects in line with the Hospice’s objectives.
  • Acts as a managerial and clinical resource for nursing issues within the Hospice.
  • Co-ordinates ward activity and encourages a team approach to the provision of patient
  • Assists with the bed management, admission and discharge of patients
  • Assists the MDT to achieve effective and appropriate length of stay and occupancy outcomes by encouraging robust discharge procedures and thorough assessment of referrals.

Education and Development

  • Ensures active participation in the development of standards, policies and guidelines and their subsequent audit and on-going development. This will be in line with the Hospice’s clinical governance arrangements.
  • Contributes in the development of nursing activities and audit procedures whilst working within the clinical governance framework
  • With support from theLead Nurse undertakes Personal Performance Review and Development (PPRD) for all nurses within the immediate team, and/or supports the registered nurses to undertake PPRD’s of more junior staff.
  • Ensures that all new nurses in the team have allocated preceptors to support their development and have a planned orientation period within this programme.
  • Actively participates in own clinical supervision and promotes the clinical supervision of junior staff within the Hospice.
  • Undertakes mentorship training to become an assessor of student nurses if required.
  • Delivers and participates in formal and informal teaching throughout the Hospice to reflect the needs of the service.
  • Promotes continual learning and reflective practice.
  • Actively directs and develops roles of the volunteers on the wards
  • Develops and co-ordinates orientation programmes and mentoring arrangements for staff undertaking rotation to theInpatient unit

Communication

  • Provides highly effective communication with patients, families/carers
  • Develops and maintains effective systems of communication between members of the nursing team, spanning both day and night duty and all wards.
  • Ensures effective communication and liaison with members of the multi-disciplinary team, support departments within the hospice, community and hospital teams and other primary care services
  • Maintains accurate patient records ensuring all relevant information and outcomes are clear
  • Assists with leading the volunteers within the In Patient areas, ensuring appropriate support and guidance.
  • Manages complaints, compliments, and incidents, obtaining and sharing patient and carer feedback.

Management

  • In conjunction with the Lead Nurse / Service Manager, plans and maintains appropriate staffing levels and skill mix to meet the care needs of the patient population and is responsible formanaging budgets and resources appropriately
  • Assists the Lead Nurse/ Service Manager in ensuring that all of the team and volunteers undertake mandatory trainingwithin the required time frames
  • Assists in recruitment and selection processes for both staff and volunteers .Regularly co-ordinates the ward, or supports junior nurses who are co-ordinating the ward fortheir own development.
  • Maintains a flexible approach to working hours in order to meet the needs of the service and of the team. This may include occasional night duty and weekends.
  • In conjunction with the Lead Nurse (Inpatients), ensures that the Hospice’s policies, procedures and guidelines are available within the clinical area and are used to guide practice. Ensures that policies and procedures are reviewed, updated and disseminated appropriately.
  • In conjunction with the senior nursing team, takes a lead in actioning MDA alerts and adopts processes to address health and safety issues arising.
  • Directs and develops roles of volunteers present on the ward.
  • Manages staff performance / attendance issues in conjunction with the Lead Nurse
  • As and when required to cover for the Lead Nurse
  • When on duty, provides Centre Cover as required

ProfessionalResponsibilities

  • Promotes a caring and sensitive approach to patients, visitors and colleagues.
  • Practices within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and adheres to all NMC guidelines.
  • Develops own role within the NMC Scope of Professional Practice.
  • Ensures that own PREP requirements are met.
  • Assumes responsibility for own professional development and updates and maintains own clinical skills as required for the role.
  • Demonstrates specialist palliative care expertise and acts as a professional role model, professionally and behaviourally.

General
In addition to the specific duties and responsibilities outlined in this job description, all Marie Curie employees should be aware of their specific responsibilities towards the following:

  • Marie Curie is committed to encouraging volunteering throughout the organisation and as such the post holder will be expected to support and respect volunteers, and may be asked to work alongside or supervise a volunteer as part of their role whilst working at Marie Curie.
  • Marie Curie operates a no-smoking policy. The post holder should either be a non-smoker or be prepared not to smoke in any Charity premises, grounds or vehicles or when on Marie Curie business outside the office.
  • Adhere to all health and safety and fire regulationsand to co-operate with the Charity in maintaining good standards of health and safety.
  • Adhere to all Marie Curie policies and procedures at all times
  • Actively promote and support the safeguarding of vulnerable adults, young people and children, observing and adhering to Marie Curie policies on safeguarding
  • Uphold ethical and professional standards and not behave in a manner that is likely to bring the Charity into disrepute.
  • Promote and sustain a responsible attitude towards equal opportunities and diversity within the Charity.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to on-going registration requirements or any national professional or occupational standards associated with the role.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to on-going learning and development and to participate in any training relevant to the role.
  • For designated roles, the post holder will be responsible for health & safety, business continuity planning and/or risk management. (These responsibilities will be notified on appointment).

This job description is not exhaustive. It merely acts as a guide and may be amended to meet the changing requirements of the charity at any time after discussion with the post holder.

/ Marie Curie
Person description
Criteria / Essential / Desirable / How assessed
Skills/ Abilities / Experience of formal and informal teaching
Evidence of research-based practice
Ability to contribute as part of a team to a dynamic environment
Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
Ability to offer mutual support and demonstrate a ‘can-do attitude’
Ability to manage time, self and own workload and prioritise affectively / Lead educational initiatives e.g. teaching programmes etc
Led developments in practice
Advanced communication skills / Application Form / Interview
Knowledge / Up to date knowledge of current palliative care issues
Understands the importance of developing and following policies and protocols.
Understanding and support of the benefits of clinical supervision and reflective practice / Awareness of key national and local policies and their impact on practice / Interview /Application Form / Interview
Qualifications,
Training & Education / First level Registered Nurse
Health Related diploma or working towards
Mentorship / Teaching qualification (ENB 998 or equivalent)
On a degree pathway / Relevant first degree or working towards
Specialist palliative care qualification / Certificates
Experience / Experience at Band 5 caring for patients with specialist palliative care needs (hospice/hospital/community)
Understanding of steps involved in audit and research
Understanding of steps involved in introducing change
Understands benefits of working with a patient-centred philosophy of multi-disciplinary team working. / Experience in caring for non-cancer patients requiring specialist palliative care
Experience of standard setting and audit
Experience in developing nursing practice
Experience in leading a team of nurses / Application Form / Interview
Other Requirements / Computer literate
Ability to remain calm under pressure
Motivated and enthusiastic
Genuine commitment to providing high quality care. /  / Application Form

Where appropriate, reasonable adjustments to these criteria will be considered to accommodate personal circumstances such as disabilities

/ Marie Curie
Terms and conditions

Job titleWard Sister/Charge Nurse (Inpatients)

Salary scaleAgenda for Change Pay Scale Band 6

Annual leave entitlement35 days (including 10 bank holidays)

Notice periodOne Month (after first 6 months of service)

Working hours37.5 hours per week

Disclosure Check PVG Disclosure check

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March 2011