Specialist Palliative Care Nurse - Weekend Service

at  St Lukes Cheshire Hospice

The post and service aim to provide access to specialist palliative care services for patients and their families during the weekend and bank holidays. Access to this service aims to improve outcomes and experiences for these patients and their families and improve standards of care. It is also there to prevent unscheduled access to hospital and other acute settings such as A&E. The post holder will support providers of general palliative care throughout primary and secondary care.
The post holder will support the delivery of care to palliative patients in the local area during the weekend period 9-5 Saturday & Sunday including bank holidays. The post holder will be based at St Lukes Hospice and although working as part of the Multi-Disciplinary Team will be a senior nurse within the team and primarily responsible for co-ordinating the weekend service as a single team member. The post holder will be required to support patients with a palliative and advanced disease who may contact the service directly or be referred by a professional. Contact may be via the telephone, face to face at the hospice or via home visits.
Duties may include symptom management advice, emotional and spiritual support, and practical help such as dressings and or continence management. During the out of hours period the SPC Nurse will have access to advice and support from the medical team and a palliative care senior clinician in palliative medicine. Whilst the position is site specific there may be occasions when you are asked to work at other subsidiary sites. This description is not exhaustive and you may be asked to undertake other duties by your manager.
Communication Foster good working relationships and effectively communicate with members of the multidisciplinary team, users of service and other healthcare professionals working externally. Take responsibility for ensuring communication between clinical staff, patients and their carers is timely and effective. Ensure that patient documentation is accurate, disseminating all relevant changes in the patients condition to the multidisciplinary team. Acts as a role model for nursing staff in delivering effective communication to patients, staff and relatives and provide feedback to nursing staff on the use of their communication skills.
Provide ongoing support to carers/relatives at the time of death and in the early days of bereavement. In consultation with the ward manager represent the organisation in a nursing capacity at external meetings as requested. Act sensitively and, where appropriate be the patients advocate to inform decision making Personal and People Development Practice in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code and ensure that your professional registration with the NMC is maintained. Maintain own professional development to facilitate the provision of evidence-based practice.
Actively participate in the Hospice Individual Performance Review process to identify own learning needs and take necessary steps in order to reach personal/professional objectives. Be personally accountable for actions and omissions in your practice and be always able to justify your decisions. Ensure staff are aware of hospice policies in place to offer support where needed. Act as a mentor and provide support and a positive learning environment for staff working in your team Support the ward manager to ensure that new nursing staff complete the induction process in accordance with hospice policy.
Support the ward manager to ensure staff are supported by clinical supervision and performance development according to Hospice policy Health, Safety and Security Work in accordance with hospice policies, procedures and guidelines. Attend organisational mandatory training as required relevant to your role and ensure that the nursing staff attend organisational mandatory training relevant to their clinical role. Ensure that the off duty rota meets the requirements of the service, being mindful of any staffing difficulties which may lead to compromised care and advise the Director of Care of any issues. Carry out risk assessments within the patients own home and or ward environment; ensure feedback systems are utilised effectively and practice changed accordingly.
In conjunction with the ward manager ensure staff are trained and competent in the correct use of all equipment used in the clinical setting, in accordance with instructions and departmental procedures, reporting faults as necessary. In conjunction with the ward manager identify potential health, safety and security issues appertaining to the Inpatient Unit and report to Matron. In collaboration with the Infection Control Nurse work to promote an environment that supports infection control policies and procedures and ensure that staff are conversant with these and practice according to them. Complete 24hr advice line call documentation Service Improvement Support the Director of Care in implementing agreed initiatives thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the Inpatient Unit.
Support the Director of Care and participate in organisational service development. To participate in the monitoring and evaluation of clinical services. Support the Director of Care to promote patient and public involvement in activities designed to inform service improvement e.g. comments cards, user group etc.
Ensure that users of the service are able to give feedback using organisational systems. Quality Collaborate with other members of the multi-disciplinary team in the delivery of high standards of effective healthcare within best practice guidelines. Ensure own clinical practice is evidence-based, effective in clinical outcome and is patient-centred. Organise and manage own workload, ensuring it reflects on the core components of your role in a manner that ensures quality and reduces risk.
Liaise with the medical team and MDT and take responsibility for the co-ordination of the referrals and admission process to the Inpatient Unit. Provide effective feedback to the nursing team on the quality of care delivered within the Hospice Respond to informal and formal complaints in accordance with hospice policy and procedure. Equality and Diversity Promote a culture which respects and values diversity, and support patients, visitors and staff in exercising their rights. Foster an environment and service which strives to reflect the diversity of individual needs.
Ensure care within your practice is consistent with the 5 principles of the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice (2005). Promote and demonstrate awareness of anti-discriminatory practice or behaviour which undermines equality and diversity in accordance with organisational policies and current legislation Assessment and care planning to meet health and wellbeing needs Assess complex holistic needs of the patient, and where relevant the needs of families and carers. Identify their specific goals in relation to supportive, rehabilitative and specialist palliative care needs. In conjunction with the patient and the wider multi-disciplinary team, develop and review care management plans to meet identified needs.
Discuss with patients implications of their programme of care including end of life care where appropriate. Analyse and rigorously review all aspects of the patients management plan interpreting information provided and using knowledge and judgement to provide specialist advice to recommend a new course of action where necessary. With the patient and their carer, identify their specific goals in relation to specialist palliative and supportive care needs. Enablement to address health and wellbeing needs Support the ward manager to provide an environment that encourages the patient to actively participate in their care enabling them to voice their wishes about current and future care utilising end of life care tools.
Provide support, information and advice to patients, families and carers to enable them to make decisions about treatment and care options whilst acting as an advocate to ensure that the patients perspective is heard within the multi- disciplinary team. Support individuals to adjust to and manage large scale changes in their lives to maximise their potential within the constraints of their conditions and circumstances. Act sensitively and where appropriate act in the role of advocate in order to enable patients to undertake informed decision making. In conjunction with the ward manager provide support, information and advice to patients, families, colleagues and other healthcare professional agencies, including the 24 Hour Advice Line.
Learning and Development Ensure the clinical environment is conducive to learning for both students and staff and that staff have the necessary competencies and skills to deliver Specialist Supportive and Palliative Care. Ensure clinical placements are effectively facilitated, creating a positive environment. Participate in the development of nursing staff as mentors in accordance with NMC requirements. Be a mentor and/or supervisor for students on placement.
Take a pro-active role in the preparation of information for placement audits and evaluations ensuring actions are identified and acted on accordingly. Contribute to the internal/external hospice education and conference programmes. Support the ward manager to provide educational and supportive opportunities to pre-registration nursing students to ensure placements satisfy all requirements of their learning outcomes

Please refer the Job description for details