Ward Sister/ Charge Nurse (Band 6)

at  Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Clinical/Professional Promote and set high standards of professional nursing care and maintain the delivery of quality care within the trust policies, protocols and guidelines. Implement the trust values and beliefs ensuring they are embedded into everyday practice and evaluate their impact on the patients experience. Provide professional nursing leadership to staff within sphere of clinical responsibility. Lead and motivate staff by giving clear direction and setting achievable objectives through APDR process.
Responsible for the assessment of care needs, the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care on a day to day basis. Maintain a high visible presence within the clinical area ensuring that patients, visitors, healthcare staff and the multidisciplinary team, have access to senior staff at all times. Act as an effective professional role model and expert clinician. With the Unit manager contribute to the ward/department philosophy and models of care to ensure that all policies and procedures are implemented.
Ensure that all staff understand the significance of this philosophy to practice, monitoring its impact on the patient experience. Ensure that all nursing issues relating to the implementation of patient quality and safety are addressed on the ward/department. This includes monitoring and evaluating standards of care by the clinical team and providing regular feedback to the ward team on the standards of nursing care. Implement evidence based practice, initiate, manage and evaluate changes that lead to improved and high standards of care and in particular any service changes following feedback from patients.
Communicating, influencing and working with the multidisciplinary team in different ways to improve quality of care, and informed clinical decisions. Promote innovation and participate in benchmarking and quality audits to measure effectiveness of current practices. In collaboration with other areas and the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse, improve and maintain standards of fundamental nursing care, using tools such as the Portsmouth Bundle. In collaboration with members of the multidisciplinary team, ensure that the users of the service and their families have a positive experience and using feedback (Elephant Surveys, Family and Friends Test, concerns and complaints) evaluate patient processes and pathways of care are redesigned as required.
Create a culture for learning and development that will sustain person-centred safe and effective care. Support junior colleagues in the provision of direct care; facilitate learning in and from practice at the same time as working alongside; or undertaking a care plan review if an when a serious incident or complaint has occurred. Ensure concerns raised by patients and their families are dealt with in an open, honest and transparent way, quickly and effectively, in line with trust policies, procedures and Duty of Candour legislation. Ensuring that accurate and timely nursing records are maintained, monitoring standards and taking corrective action as required.
Ensure all staff in the clinical area are competent in the use of medical devices/equipment and have access to training and monitoring compliance. Management/Leadership Responsible for the organisation and management of the ward/department when on duty. Have an overall view of the intensity of the workload and the experience of the staff and act to utilise the nursing skill mix on duty to ensure the nursing cover achieves a high standard of nursing care. With the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse use the Trust Ward Accreditation Programme, an essential part of the organisations Safe and Effective Care Framework to strive towards achieving excellence for the clinical area.
Key quality indicators embedded in the framework, alongside trust peer reviews and focused CQC style reviews will be tools to measure the ward/department performance and identify key areas for improvement. Manage the discharge and transfer of patients by using the SAFER discharge bundle and other discharge policies to ensure a seamless transition from hospital to home or other community care services. Actively contribute to achieving the clinical governance goals/targets set by the trust and department and comply with reporting schedules for monitoring and reporting on clinical outcomes. Implement the Nursing Strategy by setting clear achievable objectives for staff who the post holder manages into annual performance and development reviews and evaluate performance.
Robust roster management taking into consideration the skill mix and inform senior sister/charge nurse of any issues as they arise. Working with the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse contribute to the recruitment, selection and retention of the nursing workforce. With the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse look a succession plan for any hard to recruit posts and use Talent Management skills to identify key staff for further development. Be proactive in the prevention and management of complaints (formal and those via Patient Advice and Liaison Service) and when they occur investigate and respond in a timely manner.
Use any learning to share widely with the multidisciplinary team and to improve care delivery. Responsible for the management of staff performance and attendance in line with trust policies. Promote the health and well-being of staff, patients and their carers. Comply and promote compliance with Trust policies and guidelines e.g.
Health and Safety, Clinical Risk and Infection Control. Take appropriate action to address unexpected changes and situations, informing the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse or other if unable to resolve. Contribute to the ward/department pay and non-pay budgets to ensuring good housekeeping and economic use of resources. Delegate duties and tasks as appropriate to team members and evaluate the outcomes.
Ensure efficient bed management. Work closely with partners i.e. Engie, resolving any issues regarding cleanliness, provision of food and maintenance of the environment. Ensure staff are aware how to escalate when issues cannot be resolved.
Research and Education Research Contribute to a research culture within the nursing team to identify current knowledge and deliver evidence based care. Support local research teams, actively contribute to local department multidisciplinary audits, represent the clinical area at governance meetings and highlight areas for change. Liaise with the relevant research nurse to ensure patients are identified to take part in clinical research studies and research is delivered safely on the ward. Report research activity as standard practice and as part of the ward accreditation process.
Embed in the team culture the concept of recruitment to clinical trials which is a national performance indicator. Education Ensure staff under the post holder leadership has an annual personal development review and set achievable objectives. Feed agreed development opportunities into the department training plan. Create an environment that is conducive to learning and encourage team open-ness so that an evidence based approach is utilised and applied to nursing care.
Act as a mentor and coach for student nurses, support staff and junior team members Commit to and encourage a culture where students receive quality placements supported by mentorship and teaching from the multi-professional team. With the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse ensure student mentors and sign off mentors within the clinical area are up-to-date with NMC standards, including annual updates and undertaking triennial reviews. Responsible for ensuring that ward/department staff undertake essential training. Ensure there are processes in place for the orientation of new/temp staff and preceptorship for junior nurses.
Communication and Working Relations Communicate highly sensitive and complex information with empathy ensuring that information is understood. Communicating and co-operating with other wards and departments, promoting and maintaining good working relationships within own clinical area and across the organisation, giving accurate information as required and keeping everyone informed of any untoward incidents. Develop expertise in dealing with interpersonal conflict and be responsible for the resolution of any adverse situation/incidents. Comply and promote compliance to Trust policies e.g.
Harassment and Bullying. An active member of the clinical nursing team contributing to relevant Trust wide nursing groups and meetings. Represent the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse in their absence at ward level. Working Conditions and Effort Frequent moderate effort for several short periods.
Moves, manoeuvres patients from bed to chair, wheelchair patients and transferring patients from ward to ward. May be frequently exposed to distressing circumstances e.g. if working with patients who are terminally ill and their families and/or exposed to other conditions. Frequent exposure to unpleasant or highly unpleasant working conditions e.g.
bodily fluids, smell, etc

Please refer the Job description for details