Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication

• Communicate effectively with patients, relatives and healthcare professionals, including consultants and clinical nurse specialists working in this field. Share knowledge and experience through networking.
• Communicate life-changing issues such as a new diagnosis or medical complications to patients and provide support to patients and their families.
• Refer patients with complex issues and challenging behaviour for psychological care after obtaining the patient’s consent.
• Provide information on national support groups and charities.
• Acts as a patients’ advocate in issues concerning their care.
• Provide written and verbal reports to GPs and other members of the multidisciplinary team regarding treatment changes and recommended management of care.  Communicate results of tests to patients and GPs.
• Support verbal communication by providing written educational material to patients, carers and healthcare professional to ensure understanding of complex issues. Explore different formats and media.
• Utilise the interpreting service for patients with a language barrier.
• Maintain accurate records regarding all patient contacts, including telephone consultations.
• Ensure close liaison with all members of the MDT including medical and nursing staff and referring centres.

• Ensure that confidentiality and adherence to the Data Protection Act in relation to own practice is maintained.

• Attend relevant internal and external meetings as required to communicate the performance of the service. 
• Present data and nursing related information at both national and international level.

• Seek opportunities to publicise and promote the service.

Service delivery and improvement

• Share responsibility for the development and management of this service. Identify areas for service improvement and lead on this.
• Ensure efficient use of outpatient slots, ensuring patients have had the necessary tests in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with secondary care and primary care teams across Sussex to enhance patient care and avoid unnecessary delay to referral and treatment.
• Contribute towards meeting the targets achieving UHSussex objectives regarding clinical governance.
• Inform their manager of any untoward incident or accident and ensure that appropriate investigation, corrective action and documentation takes place. Complete the DATIX procedure, in accordance with the Trust Policy.

·       Lead on the implementation of Trust policies relevant to their specialist field.

• Maintain the required data collection for the Aortopathy caseload and deliver an annual audit of this workload.
• Maintain a knowledge base that reflects contemporary issues and therefore be able to autonomously select and apply the most appropriate treatment regime.
• Maintain, develop and implement professional policies, standards and practices for Aortopathy across the Trust.
• In collaboration with UHSussex cardiac research department, develop, participate in and encourage research pertaining to area of specialism, and assist in changing practice related to evidence based research findings.
• In agreement with the specialist team, identify areas for and actively participate in audit, including evaluation of Quality of Life and impact of the service.
• Develop mechanisms for patient feedback about the service and the quality of their care, and act on findings.
• Critically analyse methodology and results of research and apply to future clinical practice where appropriate.

·        Utilize information provided by the Trust library services and critically appraise research papers obtained from a literature search.

People management and development

·       Responsible for carrying out duties in line with the Trust’s e-rostering processes, including managing rosters, supporting staff allocation, and contributing to effective budget reconciliation and workforce planning.

·       Provide specialist education and training to staff and students.

·       Ensure that education delivered has a structured curriculum that is theory-driven, evidence-based and resource-effective, has supporting materials, and is documented.

·       Establish links with educational providers (e.g. University and School of Nursing and Midwifery) and Primary care providers in line with UHSussex regulations, providing maximum learning opportunities in this field.

·       Provide training and education for GPs as required.

·       Keep up to date with current research and evidence-based practice by attending relevant meetings, courses and seminars. Responsible for sharing knowledge with other professionals and team to influence better care and outcomes for patients.

Patient care delivery

• Be the co-lead for Aortopathy nursing, acting as a role model.
• Deliver autonomous specialist practice to this group of patients, including independently requesting imaging at an appropriate timeframe (following IRMER guidelines) and interpretation of the results.
• Run a bi-weekly nurse-led Aortopathy clinic seeing patients with a diagnosis of thoracic aortic dilation / aneurysm or patients who have had a surgical repair to a thoracic aortic aneurysm or dissection. This will facilitate close surveillance and timely surgery where indicated.

·       Identify patients that achieve the criteria for genetic testing, counselling the patient accordingly and facilitating the test and actioning results.

·       Take a family history related to Aortopathy for new patients and advise about screening of family members.

·       Facilitate the alternate week Aortopathy MDT, presenting patients and arranging onward investigations, along with communication to clinicians and to the patient.

·       Maintain a database of Aortopathy patients to support their management.

• Act as a liaison between the clinical team, the patient and their partner/family/carers throughout their care.
• Provide age-specific information, education and support to individual patients at these clinics by explaining the diagnosis and management plan.
• Provide age-appropriate information and lifestyle advice to ensure they are fully competent to manage their own condition and healthcare.
• Provide specialist advice on contraception and pre-pregnancy counselling specific to the individual patient.
• Provide information on gaining reimbursement for travel expenses and access to social care benefits and support.
• Provide a telephone advice line for patients, carers and other health care professionals in order to influence better care and outcomes for patients.
• Ensure full and accurate records of relevant information are documented in the patients' medical notes.
• Make clinical judgements about patients and adjust treatment plans accordingly in order to achieve treatment targets.
• Participate in the expansion of nursing practice using protocols or Independent Nurse Prescribing, as required of the role.
• Work closely and network with other nurse specialists to share practice and provide a uniformly high standard of care.
• Refer patients with complex medical and social needs to community adult support services as their condition requires.
• Support the development of an individualised end of life plan, including an advanced care plan, in consultation with the patient and their family/partner/carers

Learning and development

·       Attend mandatory training updates as required.

·       Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.

·       Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.

·       Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager

·       Participate in the Trust’s appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.