Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist

JOB PURPOSE:

• Working as part of an integrated team of nurses, you will contribute to the overall care of patient and families referred to St Joseph’s within the community setting.  Specialising in the advisory and Care Coordinator component of this support you will have shared clinical responsibility for the patients and be managed by a Clinical Nurse Specialist

• As a team member you will contribute to a positive supportive working environment with an emphasis on team work and cooperation.  You will participate in a rota system providing a 7 day a week face to face and telephone service for patients and their families and, in the out of hours rota providing telephone advice and support. This may include visiting out of hours in exceptional circumstances

• It is anticipated that the work plan will be 10% case management and review, 80% clinical and 10% Education and Teaching.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

St. Joseph’s Hospice is a charity established in 1905 by the Religious Sisters of Charity to offer patients diagnosed with a life limiting illness a range of care and professional advisory services.  It currently provides high quality palliative and end of life care to a significant and growing number of people living in East London and beyond.  It employs a large team of clinical staff, including medical practitioners who work across community, in-patient and out-patient services delivering individualised, responsive and holistic support to patients and their families/carers.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

You will work closely with a range of professionals within the hospice and external partners to identify and support expert care to patients and their families within the boroughs. You will be expected to build close and effective working relationships with professionals providing end of life care within the boroughs.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and managerial

• Support the leadership of the team, act as an ambassador for best practice and with honesty and integrity

• Act as a point of expertise, providing advice and support to other colleagues

• Deputise, as directed, in the absence of CNS

• Participate in multi-professional meetings, acting as a patient advocate and representing nursing

• Attend appropriate patient related and team meetings.

• Participate in service development initiatives as appropriate and support change within a complex environment

• Work with the CNS and Head of CPCT to review and develop policies and processes and ensure team compliance

• Work with the CNS and Head of CPCT to take responsibility for assurance of standards, governance, and audit.

Clinical

• As Care Coordinator participate in First Contact assessment and decision- making, including attendance at the first contact meeting

• Be responsible for the continued co-ordination of the content and delivery of your allocated patient's care plan, and assure that the patient is getting the right service from St Joseph’s.

• Undertake patient assessments using appropriate tools

• In liaison with other Nurse Practitioners, ensure the overall quality and provision of nursing care of patients and families referred to St Joseph’s in the community setting and their needs are met

• Promote the principles and practice of palliative care as an extension of the hospice into the community

• Work across a range of settings, including community visits e.g. home / care home / community hospitals), telephone conversations and meeting with patients in outpatient settings

• Assess the needs of patients and their carers and identify their respective physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual needs

• Work within a team framework, collaborating with colleagues and members of other disciplines

• Use a proactive and sensitive approach with patients and relatives to enable involvement in advance care planning

• Assess people’s information needs and provide relevant information to meet those needs

• Offer bereavement support to carers in collaboration with the bereavement team, or refer them onto the appropriate service

• Provide appropriate nursing interventions

• Participate in the out of hours rota to provide telephone advice and exceptional visits if indicated

• Contribute to patient management, governance and liaison by attending practice based meetings

• Liaise and communicate with community, nursing home and hospital staff in order to raise awareness and promote Hospice services

• Ensure that all relevant information is documented and recorded on the appropriate systems

• Foster positive working relations with the Primary Healthcare professionals and with other health and social care professionals in order to provide the delivery of community based palliative care.

Allocated Lead Responsibility

These roles will also take lead responsibility (for one of the following areas) as defined by the team manager.

• Working in partnership with dementia programmes

• Working with care homes

• Participation in formal education programmes

• Development of and input into audit and research programmes

• Input into Clinical Governance framework

Development, Education and Training

• To provide input to service development initiatives

• To keep abreast of current advances in nursing practice and research

• To take responsibility for attending, and ensure others' attendance, at mandatory and hospice compulsory training and in-house courses in line with organisational policy and current legislation

• To promote and engage in new ways of working, such as the use of technology and working off site

• To participate in, and contribute to the on-going educational programme of the Hospice

• To attend and participate in the identified CPD opportunities provided

• To proactively maintain appropriate level of clinical competence as identified within the St Joseph’s Competencies Framework

• To identify training and education needs in line with service provision with Team Manager

• To assist in orientation programmes for new members of staff

• To participate in research projects as required

• To take personal responsibility for life-long learning, self -development and reflection.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Identify own learning and development needs in order to meet the key requirements of the post

• Take responsibility for linking own development needs with the Hospice appraisal and objective setting process

• Take responsibility for own continuing development by undertaking specific areas of work/projects to develop new skills

• Engage in supervision to support personal and professional development.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

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 the grounds of sex, marital status, race, age, belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion, disability, creed, class, gender or 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.

HEALTH & SAFETY

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.

THIS JOB DESCRIPTION WILL BE REVIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES AND MAY INCLUDE OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, FOLLOWING DISCUSSION WITH JOB HOLDER AND THEIR MANAGER

Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist – Community Palliative Care Team

BAND: Band 6

REPORTS TO: CNS Band 7 Team Coordinator

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Head of Community palliative care

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Delivering and assisting in the delivery off high quality specialist palliative nursing care in community settings. Demonstrating clinical excellence and the highest standards of nursing practice.