Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities

Clinical
•    Lead on assessing planning and implementing high quality care, and evaluating care options for patients in the clinical area, in line with the Trust values and objectives
•    Lead on complex clinical care for patients within their area
•    Ensure the safe custody, maintenance and administration of medication, in accordance with established Trust policy
•    Promote and maintain a safe therapeutic environment for patients, their families and staff, according to national and local Infection Control guidelines, Health & Safety legislation and Trust policies and objectives
•    Coordinate discharges and transfers, promoting timely and safe processes for them
•    Ensure that patient flow and the management of beds is effective and safe
•    Ensure the delivery of high quality end of life care in line with national pathways, e.g. Liverpool Care Pathway, through the provision of holistic palliative and terminal care 
•    Provide sound evidence based clinical advice as required to staff and patients
•    Maintain a good understanding and implementation of clinical escalation procedures as required
•    Understand the Trust clinical governance framework, and participate in the promoting and safeguarding of high standards of care, through effective risk management & governance, and adherence to the Trust values
•    Ensure that the team promote, ensure and adhere to the Trust safeguarding polices
•    Undertake effective multi professionally work with colleagues to deliver care
•    Coordinate and manage  nurse led clinics where appropriate
•    Coordinate specialist functions, including making clinical decisions where appropriate
•    Monitor quality of standards of care, in line with CQC requirements and Trust and Divisional objectives
•    Deliver and supervise a  high quality patient experience 
•    Work with manager to collect and disseminate data on quality indicators etc, in line with national and Trust objectives
•    Maintain a  safe working environment, including ensuring equipment is safe, and used in line with Trust policy and values
•    Promote and maintain patient safety at all times, including  proactively implementing falls prevention 
•    Lead role in the detection, management and prevention of safeguarding issues
•    Have an awareness  of current professional and clinical developments within their area of practice and promote this to others

Leadership & Management
•    Manage the day to day staffing arrangements and rotas, to ensure safe levels of practice 
•    Be a shift coordinator on a regular basis where appropriate
•    Ensure staff adhere to Trust protocols of care, eg Infection Control
•    Take continuing responsibility for the Ward / Department in absence of manager
•    Participate in senior nurse / unit on call rota / bleep holder (some areas, e.g. paediatrics) as appropriate
•    Lead and manage their own clinical team within general clinical areas, and of the total team in the absence of the manager, in line with Trust values
•    Develop and maintain effective communication and working relationships with other professional groups, and staff generally within the Division and the Trust
•    Contribute to the effective management of the area by ensuring correct levels of staff are in place to deliver and assist with the planning of off duty rotas
•    Assist in the  delivery of induction / orientation of new staff 
•    Act as a role model, ensuring staff work to Trust guidelines and values
•    Supervise, under the direction of their manager, the work of qualified and unqualified staff and learners
•    Provide clinical support and guidance to staff 
•    Act as a resource for clinical knowledge to staff
•    Initiate action on complaints & incident management and responses, and assist in their investigation and resolution
•    Participate in recruitment and selection, and develop effective selection and interviewing skills
•    Undertake appraisals of staff, following training
•    Chair team meetings as required
•    Lead  on specific projects, as indicated and agreed by manager
•    Have a working knowledge of budget arrangements for area, focussing on cost effectiveness  and quality, to ensure maximum use of resource
•    Understand and manage local change with team members, including the embedding of new projects

Education & Research
•    Participate in the education of all learners within their area
•    Actively support and assist in preceptorship  and in pre-registration student support, supervision  and guidance  including mentorship where appropriate
•    Identify and respond to learning needs for area
•    Develop and deliver or organise local training sessions, mindful of the Trust values
•    Facilitate others in the development of informal teaching skills
•    Participate in the annual training needs analysis for their area

•    Apply and encourage others to utilise evidence based practice and relevant  research findings in practice
•    Identify areas of nursing / midwifery research within their area that will be of benefit, and encourage and educate other staff to recognise the importance of research 
•    Participate in clinical supervision / acting as supervisor

Professional Development
•    Maintain professional registration
•    Ensure mandatory training and a satisfactory appraisal is in date
•    Undertake a professional development plan and demonstrate achievement of objectives
•    Ensure adherence to Trust policy and guidelines at all times
•    Role model Trust values at all times.

Communication
•    Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.  

•    Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions. 

This job description may be subject to change according to the varying needs of the service. Such changes will be made after discussion between the post holder and his/her manager.

All duties must be carried out under supervision or within Trust policy and procedure. You must never undertake any duties that are outside your area of skill or knowledge level. If you are unsure you must seek clarification from a more senior member of staff.