Healthcare Assistant, Band 2- Critical Care

at  Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Exciting opportunities have arisen for Healthcare Assistants to join our Critical Care team at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We are seeking experienced, motivated, organised health care assistants to join our team in caring for critically ill patients and their families.
You will assist and support the team in the delivery of care in this busy Critical Care environment, help maintain a clean and ready to respond department, working within the multidisciplinary team to ensure best patient/carer experience. You will be expected to rotate between days, nights and across the two departments of Critical Care within the GHNHSFT.
We are looking for organised, flexible staff that can prioritise and manage their time well. You will need excellent communication skills, understanding of confidentiality and be able to work well within a busy team. Ideally, we are looking for someone with experience in an acute ward environment, however this is not essential.
As a successful candidate, you can look forward to working within a friendly and supportive environment where training and education are awarded high priority. You will be offered 4-6 weeks initial supernumerary status, clinical mentorship within a structured program of learning.
We aim to maintain this status by continuing to employ motivated and enthusiastic healthcare assistants who will work alongside the multi-disciplinary team to contribute to the delivery of care to critically ill patients and their families.
Working in Critical Care is interesting, challenging and rewarding where there is always an opportunity to enhance knowledge and clinical skills, as well as deliver fundamental aspects of nursing care.
Clinical Practice

As a HCA working within Critical Care, the expectation is that, with adequate training, supervision and assessment, you will be able to;

• To participate as a member of the multidisciplinary team providing the highest standard of patient care
• Undertake specific delegated tasks following the appropriate training and competency level e.g. patient observations and patient personal hygiene
• To adhere to all Trust policies and procedures
• To assist patients with hygiene and nutritional needs as directed by a registered nurse or dietitian
• To undertake clinical activities, following training and assessment, as directed by the Registered Nurse
• To help and support team with aiding to rehabilitate patients with the activities of daily living
• To report any change in the condition of patients to the nurse in charge
• Assist registered nurse to prepare patients for transfer or discharge home including correct documentation of property
• Assist caring for dying patients and their relatives with the supervision of the registered nurse and assist with last offices

Planning and Organisational Skills

• To contribute to maintaining a suitable environment to meet the needs of the patients
• To undertake housekeeping activities such as: bed making, disposal of linen, cleaning, tidying and re-stocking equipment, in accordance with Infection control policy
• To maintain continuity of supplies by being aware of products commonly used by doctors and nurses in patient treatments, assist in units stock control system
• To undertake processing, setting up and checking of unit equipment, (following training and assessment,) as directed by the Registered nurse
• Re-equipping, cleaning and re-stocking of bed areas post discharge of patients
• To collect, clean and test equipment as instructed. To keep equipment storage areas safe and in good order and report any damage to the nurse in charge

Health and Safety

Comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures e.g. Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Manual Handling, clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times. This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in the care of GHNHSFT and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters

• Report personal sickness to the Nurse in Charge
• Report near misses and untoward incidents, complaints, clinical emergencies, injury or medicine administration errors as detailed in the departmental and Trust protocols. Assist lead staff in investigating incidents as required
• Maintain and contribute to the development of standards of practice
• Ensure a smart, professional image that adheres to Trust policy
• Undertake all mandatory training
• Ensure the Trusts infection control policy is adhered too

Physical, Mental & Emotional Effort & Working Conditions

• Will be required to utilise recognised manual handling techniques and guidelines
• May be expected to frequently manoeuvre patients/objects over 15 kg using appropriate aids
• Will have frequent exposure to unpleasant working conditions and will be required to follow policies and procedures pertaining to bodily fluids, infection control, infestations and COSHH regulations
• Frequent exposure to distressing and emotionally demanding situations involving patients and relatives
• Some exposure to patients displaying verbal and physical abuse
• Ability to work where the work pattern may be unpredictable with quick changing workload and patient dependency e.g. prioritising patient demands
• There is the on-going requirement to deliver fundamentals of care whilst working under pressure in an ever-changing and challenging environment
• May be expected to work in confined spaces

Please refer the Job description for details