Lead Nurse Microbiology

at  NHS Blood and Transplant

JOB SUMMARY

The Microbiology Services Clinical Team are seeking to appoint a senior nurse to the position of Lead Nurse for Microbiology. We are a multidisciplinary team working closely with our colleagues in the Microbiology Services, Blood Donation and other clinical colleagues both internally and externally. Over the last two years a specialist microbiology nursing team has been established and we are now in a position to recruit for a permanent lead nurse.
We are looking for an enthusiastic nurse who will lead and develop the nursing and administrative team, becoming a nurse expert in the infectious disease aspects of blood safety and an ambassador for donors and recipients. The majority of your work will be with blood donors and recipients of blood components, but the team also provide support for NHSBT’s tissue, stem cell and organ donors.
You will be involved in some of the day-to-day management of donors and recipients but your wider role will be more strategic, developing the nursing team, working with scientific and medical colleagues on specific projects, being part of the senior leadership team within clinical microbiology and deputising for the clinical director when required. There are opportunities to be involved in, and potentially lead, research and development related to both microbiology and behavioural science.

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• Project management/lead experience, specialist understanding of project management techniques or substantial working across directorates in a complex organisation and substantial management and leadership experience in a clinical environment.
• Experience of understanding the principles of clinical effectiveness and best practice. Has the ability to be flexible and to look beyond existing ways of working and boundaries to produce effective and innovative service delivery.
• Substantial experience of education or training to others and substantial experience in managing and motivating people to deliver corporate strategy and objectives.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of clinical audit, research, and a current understanding of developments within the wider NHS including benchmarking with similar services.
• Experience of managing a departmental budget or experience of working with budgets and the use of financial/activity information.
• Possess experience of planning and delivering teaching programmes within a clinical environment.
• Proven evidence and experience in setting, monitoring, and evaluating standards of care to meet organisational regulatory standards.
• Demonstrable evidence of successful improvement in service delivery, implementing and evaluating changes in clinical practice.
• Experience of initiating and supporting the professional development of other staff, whilst supporting own development.
• Demonstrates an understanding and knowledge of donor and patient safety initiatives, strategies, and risk management.
• Have an in-depth working knowledge of donor management in Pulse (or similar tool) and of all clinical aspects of blood and component donation and care of the donor.
• Proven experience of mentorship, coaching and presentation of educational materials.
• Substantial experience of influencing multidisciplinary team.
• Experience of working with Information Technology using Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).

QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING

• Registered Nurse (RNA1 or RNA) with current Nursing and Midwifery Council registration (which must be maintained).
• Degree in relevant healthcare subject and proven leadership and management qualification.
• Educated to master’s level demonstrated either by academic qualification or supported by extensive management and leadership experience at a senior level.
• Possess a valid driving licence, allowing you to drive in the UK
• Demonstrates commitment to own continued professional development (CPD).

ABOUT US

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.
Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do.
By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we’ll save and improve more lives than ever.
You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

MAIN DUTIES

In this role, you will lead, manage, and develop the specialist Microbiology Nursing Service. Your responsibilities include:

• Assessing and making strategic recommendations for the ongoing development of the service, ensuring that it remains fit for purpose and continues to meet current and future requirements of NHSBT and its customers.
• Delivering microbiology education to all levels of staff internally and to postgraduate specialist students attending NHSBT hosted courses e.g. Intermediate Certificate in Transfusion Medicine.
• Being a microbiology nursing subject matter expert, with clear visibility in NHSBT and participating in research relating to microbiological risks to recipients.
• Managing the scientific secretariat for organisational governance meetings
• Managing safe, timely and auditable investigations into possible transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs) and donor lookback investigations.
• Providing visible management and positive leadership to the Microbiology Nursing Service.

You will be required to travel and spend time away from base, which will involve working irregular hours and overnight stays when required, with prior notice.
On occasion you may be required to participate in on call rotas and provide cover during operational emergencies.