Senior Staff Nurse

Working to support the Matron and In-Patient Unit Manager within our In-Patient Unit, you will be responsible for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care.

Main duties of the job

You will also demonstrate and develop a high-quality nursing care through evidence based practice whilst supporting other team members.

About us

As an employee, you will be offered a range of benefits, including 27 days holiday (pro rata for part time staff), access to our Employee Assistance Programme, high-quality, low-cost meals at our Dalton site and complementary therapies. NHS Pensions are also transferable for those already contributing.

The Kirkwood provides specialist care, free of charge, to adults in Kirklees with advanced, progressive illnesses at any time from diagnosis to the end of life, respecting their individual needs and wishes. Care and support are also provided for their family members, friends, and carers, both during the illness and after death. Through education, training, and partnership with others, we improve care for everyone affected by a life limiting illness.

Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.

Job responsibilities

• Primary Responsibilities
  • Clinical Role: To act as specialist resource to colleagues, MDT members and external agencies.
  • Link Nurse Role: To act as a link nurse for clinical topics and participate in education and training for that area of care.
  • MDT Participation: To function as an active participant in MDT meetings and other clinical meetings providing feedback and disseminating information as appropriate.
  • Primary Nurse Responsibilities: To act as a Primary Nurse, responsible for the organisation of patient care and delegation of duties to nursing staff. To participate in all patient care activities, giving guidance and support as necessary to other team members.
  • Medication Management: To ensure that all medications are correctly stored, administered and recorded in accordance with Hospice policy and legal requirements.
  • Accident & Complaint Management: To deal with and report accidents, untoward occurrences or complaints according to The Kirkwoods policy. To cooperate with any investigation of accidents, untoward occurrences or complaints.
  • Team Coordination: To initiate the involvement of the multi disciplinary team members to ensure effective patient management, continuity of care and the support of patients and their families.
  • Staff Morale: To promote and maintain staff morale, giving support, supervision and guidance to other team members.
  • Relationship Building: To establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients, relatives and all visitors to The Kirkwood.
  • Equipment Training: To ensure that all staff are trained in the use of equipment having regard for the safety of the patients and themselves.
  • Clinical Development: To be proactive in the development of clinical areas, supporting other Senior Staff Nurses and the Matron through contribution of new ideas to improve and maintain standards of care.
• Managerial Role
  • Administrative Duties: To cooperate with The Kirkwoods administration and carry out nursing administrative duties as required.
  • Stock Management: To maintain agreed stock levels of stores and other equipment.
  • Efficiency: To be aware of the importance of efficiency and cost effectiveness within The Kirkwood and act accordingly.
  • Bank Staff Management: To manage bank staff on a day to day basis to ensure appropriate staffing levels, obtaining bank shifts as appropriate for workload.
  • Recruitment: To participate in the recruitment of junior staff.
  • Policy Adherence: To ensure The Kirkwoods nursing policies and procedures are adhered to and participate in policy reviews as required.
  • Record Keeping: To maintain professional clinical records (written and computerised) to NMC and hospice standards, auditing these on a regular basis.
  • Conflict Management: To recognise, prevent where possible and manage areas of conflict, reporting to the Matron if unable to resolve.
  • Appraisal: To carry out annual appraisal of team members as required.
  • Patient Concerns: To acknowledge and respond to the concerns of patients, families or carers and take initial steps to resolve issues, escalating as appropriate.
  • Continuity of Care: To work in other areas in The Kirkwood as required to ensure continuity of patient care in all areas.
• Educational Role
  • Training Participation: To participate in the induction, training and ongoing supervision of team members.
  • Hospice Education: To participate in hospice education and training programmes.
  • Annual Appraisal: To be appraised annually.
  • Professional Development: To develop and maintain personal and professional development, sharing knowledge and skills with multi disciplinary team members.
  • Mentoring: To act as mentor or clinical supervisor to colleagues and visiting students as appropriate.
  • Supervision Access: To access clinical supervision as required.
• Quality Assurance Role
  • Standard Setting: To be actively involved in standard setting, implementation and review.
  • Audits & Research: To undertake surveys, audits or research as necessary to ensure delivery of evidence based practice.
  • Clinical Development Research: To suggest areas for clinical development, auditor research relevant to specialist palliative care.
• Other Responsibilities
  • Values Compliance: To work in accordance with the values of The Kirkwood. Patients, families and carers are the focus of everything we do. Our values are what we live and work by.
  • Values
    • Respectful and Inclusive
    • Passionate and Determined
    • Open and Honest
    • Kind and Compassionate
    • Forward thinking
    • We strive for Quality and Excellence
  • Performance Review Participation: To participate in The Kirkwoods performance and development review process.
  • Additional Duties: To undertake any other duties required by The Kirkwoods Management team commensurate with the post.
  • Mandatory Training: To undertake annual mandatory training provided by The Kirkwood.
  • Confidentiality: To maintain complete confidentiality as a condition of employment. Information relating to patients, other members of staff and volunteers or which is acquired for the purposes of employment may only be disclosed with the express permission of the appropriate manager.
  • Ethos Compliance: To respect the ethos and values of The Kirkwood and its services and comply with its policies, procedures and regulations.
  • Role Review: This job description is not exhaustive therefore the employer and employee share responsibility to review and amend this job description to reflect any changes in role/development.

Person Specification Experience

• Extensive palliative care/hospice experience at Staff Nurse level.
• Experience of multi professional team working.
• Teaching experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrable palliative care knowledge including symptom control.
• A positive attitude to change with the knowledge of implementing and managing change.
• Awareness of evidence based practice and the need for audit and research.
• Ability to demonstrate an awareness of the impact of loss and bereavement on self and others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to assess and deliver care to meet complex patient needs.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Demonstrates care and compassion.

Qualifications

• First Degree in relevant subject area.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.