Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit

at  Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust

JOB OVERVIEW

We have an exciting opportunity to join the Early Pregnancy Unit team at Epsom and St Helier Hospital, the successful applicant will be working within a highly skilled team of nurses, midwives and clinicians.
We are looking for an individual who is compassionate, forward thinking and who provides a high standard of care. You will need to have previous EPAU/Gynaecology nursing experience and are motivated and inspirational.
The successful candidate must have excellent communication skills to engage with patients and colleagues at all levels.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

• Able to demonstrate clinical knowledge, skills and expertise
• Demonstrate understanding of Essence of Care, and Bereavement care in early pregnancy loss.
  Your application: Please ensure that you have read the job description and person specification and that your supporting statement reflects these, as your application will be assessed and scored against these criteria.
  References: You will be required to provide 3 years of employment/educational history. We do not accept references from personal email addresses such as Hotmail, Gmail etc. therefore please ensure you are providing professional working email addresses within your application form. If you are unable to provide professional email addresses and are invited to an interview, please ensure you advise the interviewers of this - otherwise, this may delay your pre-employment checks.
  Closing date: In order to streamline recruitment within our Trust, we reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications.
  Shortlisting: You will only be contacted via e-mail/SMS by the SWL Recruitment Hub if you are successfully shortlisted for this post. Please ensure that you check your Trac registered e-mail regularly.
  DBS: We are committed to safeguarding children and adults who are at risk of abuse. As such, if this post will have access to children or vulnerable adults, you will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. However, all employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.

Disability Advice Line: SWL Recruitment Hub is committed to promoting equity and equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We believe that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even more positive impact on the people we serve. For support with job opportunities and reasonable adjustments contact our Confidential Disability Advice Line at:

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

MAIN DUTIES OF THE JOB

• To supervise nursing/midwives practice and the delivery of patient care in accordance with NMC Code of Professional Conduct and Trust/Unit Policies and procedures.
• Act as an effective role model and demonstrate effective organisational and leadership skills in the absence of the EPAU Lead, to take charge and responsibility for the day to day management of the clinic.
• Contribute to the provision of emotional and medical support to women and their partners who are experiencing problems during the first 16 weeks of their pregnancy including miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
• Triaging and history taking either face to face or over the phone.
• To provide advice to other health care professionals and patients in their care.
• To support other specialist clinics that run out of EPAU such as the recurrent miscarriage clinic as needed.
• Work closely with the wider multidisciplinary team, including sonography, fertility and A and E.
• Work flexibly to cover the needs of the unit. This includes the expectation that the post holder will work weekends on rotation if this becomes necessary.

DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION AND MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Take responsibility for own personal development and adhere to the NMC standards for Midwifery Practice.
• Undertake venepuncture, order diagnostic blood tests, interpret results and initiate appropriate interventions.
• Oversee the close follow-up of women with pregnancy of unknown location, ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage in consultation with the lead EPAU nurse and consultant.
• Update the clinical notes electronically.
• Develop and maintain skills in relation to miscarriage and early pregnancy by participation and attendance at relevant educational events.
• Recognise limitations within own clinical knowledge and seek advice and support as appropriate.
• Attend and keep up to date with all statutory and mandatory training.
• Supervise other junior midwives/nurses, healthcare assistants and students as necessary and to carry out all relevant nursing/midwifery care.
• Co-ordinator of the shift and the rostered allocation of staff, referring to other CNS’s and health care assistants if appropriate or available.
• Emotional support for the staff to deal with complex patients and families and arrange best interest meetings as required.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive nursing records, using appropriate documentation and Nursing Information system, and ensure their confidentiality and safe keeping. Safe working practices with regard to Trust clinical guidance are ensured.
• Assist and support clinicians during consultation, examination and treatment of women.
• Ensure that nursing care is patient focused and that patient dignity and privacy are maintained at all times.
• Ensure women are prioritised according to need and there is effective patient flow throughout the department.
• Use reflective practice as a method of ensuring that appropriate and effective nursing care is delivered to each patient.
• Ensure safe storage and administration of medicines in accordance with the Trust policy and practice. Safely administer prescribed medications and monitor their effects.
• Ensure competency in use and safe maintenance of all medical devices within the sphere of responsibility.
• Assist the evaluation and assessment of new equipment and technology.
• Report incidents and near misses promptly and appropriately, escalating as appropriate to reduce risk.
• Whenever possible the post holder will attempt to resolve all complaints locally.
• To assess individual care needs, develop, implement and evaluate care given to patients in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team.
• To carry out nursing procedures and practices as specified in the Trusts policies and ensure that all team members understand and follow them.
• Be a contact/resource for information and advice for women, GP’s and other Healthcare professionals.
• Promote good communication and working relationships and collaborative Working with the multi-disciplinary team, both within the Unit and the rest of the Trust.
• Actively promote and implement evidence based practice.
• Assist and maintain evidence based quality standards that are regularly audited and participate in appropriate changes in practice.
• Be proficient in the use of information technology. Ensure access to procurement/ordering of supplies/stock, EPR, PACS, PAS, viewpoint.