Health Care Assistant - Ward 19

at  East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Are you interested in developing your teamwork and caring skills? May be you are looking for a new challenge within inpatient rehabilitation and would be interested in being supported in a career pathway?
The Intermediate Care Team are responsible for 7 wards across 4 sites and care for patients who are medically optimised but need some additional support before being discharged back to their place of residence.
Ward 19 is a busy Intermediate Care ward , with a professional but friendly team delivering high standards of care. We are looking for a highly enthusiastic, motivated and committed Healthcare Assistants to deliver high quality holistic and compassionate nursing care to patients and and drive to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time.
Thw successful candidate will be a valued member of the Multidisciplinary care team working closely with other health professionals to meet the needs of this patient group.
Successful candidates would be expected to be proactive to provide excellent patient experience, and quality nursing care.
Work collaboratively to provide excellent care in the clinical environment and work effectively as a member of the ward team. The role will involve working alongside a nurse, assisting the patients with their daily activities of living, washing, dressing, nutrition, hygiene, etc to maintain an excellent standard of patient care.
Promoting a positive atmosphere , promoting independence , encouraging the patients to ensure good recovery and reduced length of stay.
We work with a multi-disciplinary team, to ensure that patient care is the priority.
We are looking for candidates with good interpersonal, communication and organisational. Previous care experience is also desirable ideally gained in a healthcare environment. In house training will be provided. It is essential that the successful applicant is committed to professional development and has the ability to work as part of a team and independently using their own initiative.
You need to be dynamic, motivated and enthusiastic and be committed to providing care to an excellent standard and open to change in order that we continually improve.
The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust.
We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.
We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

• Assist with the admission and discharge of patients - appropriate duties may include listing of clothing and assistance with dressing and undressing.
• Assist with making occupied beds and strip and clean unoccupied beds,

according to infection prevention policies.

• Help patients to prepare for meals and assist in the service of meals. Serve

refreshments and simple diets, where appropriate.

• Help with the feeding of patients where appropriate.
• Assist with bathing in bed and in the bathroom, with turning and moving of patients, including the use of mechanical aids and bed appliances.
• If required, help patients with personal hygiene, including care of hair, teeth and nails under supervision, assist with oral hygiene of conscious patients.
• Assist in the care of pressure areas and the care of the incontinent patient.
• Participate in the rehabilitation of patients in hospital e.g., dressing, undressing, taking to the toilet and using commodes.
• Participate in giving and/or removing toilet equipment.
• Care of sanitary equipment, including decontamination of baths, bins and commodes after use and the decontamination of beds, lockers and other ward equipment according to hospital policy.
• Prepare, clean and tidy clinical rooms, clean nursing equipment and cupboards, excluding cupboards for storing controlled medicines.
• Answer telephone, take, record and transmit messages to qualified staff.
• Assist with keeping of routine records, e.g., weight charts and fluid balance charts.
• Assist with movement of patients to other wards, clinics, departments or hospitals and undertake chaperon and escort duties.
• Help patients with the care of their personal belongings.
• Report to the person in charge, all observations made of the patient.
• Carry out basic administrative tasks in the absence of the ward clerk, e.g., filing, ordering, checking stock levels.
• Assist with the collection of specimens. Test urine and weigh patients as

requested,

• Liaise with other wards and departments, delivery and collecting items as required including the collection of blood for transfusion.
• Removal of spillages of types in accordance with the Infection Control Policy.
• Disposal of all waste including non-clinical waste bags, clinical waste and sharps.
• Care of patients’ flowers.
• Replenishing of all disposable items.
• Upon receipt of ward provisions, ensure they are stored and correctly rotate according to date, i.e. milk, medical and surgical supplies.

Communication

• Establish and maintain relationships with patients/clients, relatives, friends and staff, and participate in supporting patients.
• Attend ward/department meetings as required, to ensure an awareness of developments within the work area.
• Maintain an effective communication network; both verbal, written and electronic, keep registered practitioners informed.
• Assist in maintaining, recording and storing information, including patient records, in line with Trust policy.
• Meet and welcome patients/ relatives and other visitors and familiarise them with the environment.
• Maintain good relationships with team members, and visitors to the ward/department. Provide assistance when necessary.
• Operate and input basic information to computerised systems within the unit.
• Help maintain materials, equipment and stock, reporting problems and defects to professional staff.

Training and Development.

• Participate in Personal Develop Review. In discussion with line manager, develop an annual Personal Development Plan, to identify Training and Development needs, in line with personal and organisational objectives and linked to the Knowledge and Skills Framework
• All employees have a duty to attend annual mandatory training sessions as required by the Trust.
• Sustain and improve own development by using opportunities provided by the Trust.
• Assist with Local Induction programmes for newly appointed staff.
• Assist in training new staff in the care and maintenance of equipment

Please refer the Job description for details