Senior Theatre Practitioner - Orthopaedics

at  East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

Leadership - Managerial Duties To support and assist the Theatre Coordinator to provide continuing responsibility for the department. Ensure staff competence for clinical practice procedures, using Trust competency framework, including appropriate underpinning knowledge and practical skill. To support and assist the Theatre Coordinator to monitor performance and manage the theatre staff in areas of responsibility, ensuring all employment records are locally maintained and current in the absence of the Theatre Coordinator. To support and assist the Theatre Coordinator to monitor performance and manage the theatre staff in areas of responsibility, ensuring all employment records are locally maintained and current in the absence of the Theatre Coordinator.
To support and assist the Theatre Coordinator to ensure that the staff update mandatory training in line with Trust guidelines. Maintain accurate staff records regarding annual leave, sickness and absence. Represent the department at Trust wide forums and interagency meetings, deputising for the Theatre Coordinator when required. Actively take part in and support Care Group initiatives and issues.
Clinical and Professional Leadership Use clinical skills and knowledge to provide specialist advice and support to peer group staff, patients and relatives. Act as a clinical expert and positive role model for all staff. Provide professional leadership, advice and guidance to theatre practitioners and non-theatre staff, within the theatre environment and foster collaborative partnerships with other disciplines. Lead and develop the supervision and management of clinical nursing practice within area of responsibility to ensure safe and effective holistic evidence-based care.
Lead in the development of clinical standards ensuring these are set, embedded and monitored in accordance with the needs of the service in conjunction with the Theatre Coordinator. Liaise with the multidisciplinary team in planning patient care, implementing measures to improve the patient pathway. To deliver nursing care of the highest possible standard to patients in your care by ensuring that nursing assessment, implementation and evaluation of patient care are undertaken competently by all staff. Lead and facilitate decision making within the department and the development and implementation of department objectives.
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Support the Theatre Coordinator to maintain a 24 hour continuing responsibility for professional, policy and procedural practice to ensure the continuance of best practice in your area during your absence. Support the Theatre Coordinator in implementing Productive Theatre to increase the time spent on direct care. Participate in audit and research programmes appropriate to the advancement of the nursing service as identified and initiated by the Matron for your area. Act and lead on designated areas for improvement.
With senior staff, identify and minimise clinical and non-clinical risk issues reporting to the Theatre Coordinator and other senior staff. Implementation of action plans to address areas which fall below acceptable standards. Ensure that all quality initiatives within the nursing environment are adhered to and that the highest standards of care are maintained at all times. To always act in a professional manner in accordance with the NMC/ HPC guidelines.
Safe, efficient and effective administration of medicines in accordance with the NMC/ HPC guidelines. Ensure that accurate and legible patient records are kept in line with professional and legal requirements. Promote and maintain effective working relationships and communications with Consultants, medical staff, nurse colleagues and other multiagency professionals. Infection Prevention and Control Ensure staff standard of dress and appearance promotes patient and public confidence in Infection Prevention and Control practice for the department.
To support the Theatre Coordinator achieve a department culture of cleanliness and compliance with best practice in Infection Prevention and Control, promoting zero tolerance to avoidable infection. Ensure all clinical areas have consistent access to alcohol hand rub. Contribute to the Implement Care Group Key Performance Indicator Targets as appropriate to area. Ensure that relevant audits are completed by each clinical area in line with the Trust’s annual programme for Infection Prevention and Control.
Contribute to development of action plans and support implementation following the annual Environmental Infection Control audits. Implement service changes following adverse incidents/ root cause analysis. Support the Theatre Coordinator in implementing and support the Infection Prevention and Control Link Worker role with emphasis on ensuring hand hygiene training and assessment of competency. Patient Experience Act as the patient’s advocate and ensure the advocacy role is understood by all staff.
Ensure that privacy and dignity of patients is maintained at all times and to work to minimising mixing of male and female patients and sharing of toilet facilities and mixed sex areas. To ensure that learning from complaints is evidenced and actioned within the department. Ensure that complaints are resolved by local resolution where possible. Contribute to formal complaint investigations, written responses and attendance of complaint meetings.
Developing the Workforce Conduct management of short and long-term sickness in accordance with Trust policy in absence of the Theatre Coordinator. Support Theatre Coordinator in ensuring a system if annual appraisal for all ward staff, setting appropriate performance objectives in line with Care Group and Trust objectives; expected performance of 100%. Ensure an effective learning environment for all staff. Ensure effective mentorship support for students and preceptor support for preceptees.
To contribute and lead on the implementation of site based seminars to raise awareness and develop skills in practice for theatre staff. Participate in the development and delivery of appropriate training materials/ programmes to promote professional development. Contribute to the clinical supervision and support process and facilitate the development of reflective practice. Clinical Governance Ensure adherence to the Clinical Governance Framework for nursing by ensuring appropriate policies, protocols and guidelines are in place to support practice.
Production, updating the department-based risk register. Report, investigate and act upon complaints and adverse incidents in line with Care Group and Trust policies. Collating themes and identification of learning points for the department and Care Group. Where there are areas of concern, ensure these are escalated appropriately identifying a clear reason for escalation.
Monitor and report clinical competency profile of staff including clinical skills ad use of equipment. Support Theatre Coordinator in ensuring all staff complete mandatory training updates with an aim to achieving 100% compliance. Personal Development To identify own personal development needs and maintain the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the role effectively. Complete competencies that demonstrate the ability to perform within sphere of practice e.g.
assist surgeon cutting sutures, holding camera or other relevant clinical skills. To participate in an annual appraisal with relevant reviews and to follow personal development plan as agreed with line manager. To ensure that all staff have a yearly appraisal. To keep updated of current professional issues and maintain the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the role effectively.
Develop and maintain a professional portfolio. Ensure compliance with professional expectations as outlines in the NMC/ HPC Code of Professional Conduct

Please refer the Job description for details