Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Leadership/Managerial Continuing responsibility for the assessment of care needs and setting standards by: 

• Managing and developing the nursing resource of the Chronic Pain unit.
• Organising the unit to provide individualised patient care.
• Ensuring staff work within national and locally agreed policies and procedures.
• Compiling, implementation and evaluation of philosophies of care, ensuring support for the patient and his/her family and all staff members.
•  Leading the implementation of policies as per Trust/National guidelines
• Working closely with consultants and Service Line Cluster Manager to manage the demand of elective and emergency patients.
• Manage all aspects of recruitment and retention of staff, including sickness and absence, appraisals and staff training in line with Trust policies.
• Development of policies and planning of specialist/new services either as part of the multidisciplinary clinical/management team, or where appropriate as individual lead.
• Working closely with the Directorate management team in the area of responsibility to play an active role in service development and achievement of specialty-based targets.
• Planning off-duty rotas to make effective use of staff.
• Being responsible as the delegated budget holder for efficient and effective usage of the available resources, working within budget and identifying savings with support from the Matron.
• Maintains and develops specialist protocols and policies for specialist area of care.
• Be a member of relevant professional association and attend regional/national meetings and conferences.
• Participates in clinical research and audit and contributes to development of knowledge within field of expertise.
• Supports and advises junior staff who wish to undertake audit and research. 

Clinical:

• Delivery of high standards of clinical care, underpinned by sound evidence-based knowledge
• Delivery of Infection Control practice as defined by National recommendations and local policies. Teaching staff to understand their responsibilities e.g. environmental cleanliness, maintenance and use of all equipment within clinical setting
• Ensuring staff understand and implement actions and responsibilities e.g. environmental cleanliness, maintenance and use of all equipment within clinical setting
• With support from the Matron, lead the investigation and follow up of all clinical incidents and complaints ensuring that any corrective action is implemented.
• Acts as a role model for excellence, maintaining own clinical competence and active NMC registration.
• Providing Specialist Nursing advice to the multidisciplinary team.
• Providing and delivering a high standard of nursing care by initiating and co-coordinating the assessment, planning, implementing and evaluation of individual patients needs based on the ward philosophy. Providing continuity of care throughout the patient journey, liaising across the organisations. This includes all aspects of care from admission to the planning & organisation of discharge arrangements with voluntary & statutory agencies to ensure continuity of care from the hospital to the community or continuing care setting.
• Identifying and interpreting complex patient needs in relation to their disease and proposed treatment.
• Reporting and documenting all relevant nursing/patient needs, communicating changes with other health care professionals in the multi-disciplinary team with ongoing responsibility for patient care, both verbally & in writing, as they occur
• Providing and delivering health information, education & promotion within the clinical area and advise patients, family, and others in a manner which maintains an individual’s privacy & dignity.
• Communicates highly sensitive and emotive information about patient’s conditions to patients and significant others.
• Identifies, assesses and meets the educational and training needs of patients and carers.
• Engage & interact with carers/family encouraging them to be actively involved in patient’s care, planning as outlined in the ward philosophy.
• Supports patients, their families & carers during the delivery of care in the department Maintain a safe working environment, ensuring high standards and safe practice are maintained by:
  • Adhering to the guidelines of the Health & Safety at Work Act.
  • Utilisation of Trust Risk Assessment documentation, to ensure that Health & Safety / Clinical risk issues are identified/actioned in the ward area.