Heart Failure Specialist Nurse

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a new heart failure team in Norfolk, working closely with the Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust. The post will initially be as a 12-month fixed-term contract or 12-month secondment within the trust. This is a pilot project to prove the concept of the impact that community heart failure nurses can have on patient outcomes, particularly admission avoidance, and will be the basis of a business case for a permanent heart failure service for Norfolk.

This post is a fantastic opportunity to work in a service that provides expert advice and treatment to patients with heart failure. The aim is to improve the delivery of evidence-based care to this group of patients.

Main Duties of the Job

To perform as a specialist nurse, performing assessments, supporting diagnosis and management of heart failure using local and national guidelines.

The role includes:

• Working as a resource for patients, their carers, and other staff.
• Working and liaising with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to provide high-quality, evidence-based patient care.
• Supporting the planning, coordinating, delivering, and evaluating of care given to heart failure patients in the community.
• Supporting the development of the service across Primary Care and working collaboratively with the heart failure team in Secondary Care to promote a seamless service across the patient pathway.
• Working autonomously within own scope of practice under the guidance of the Band 7 Heart Failure Nurse and Clinical Lead.
• Constantly striving to improve heart failure care, the role requires engagement with other healthcare professionals to support the modernization of care delivery with supervision from the Clinical Lead.

About Us

Apply now to join an organization that has been awarded an 'Outstanding' rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.

If you are aged 16-30 and not currently in education, employment, or training, our colleagues at the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (supported by the Princes Trust) can provide application and interview coaching. To request this support, please contact

Job Responsibilities

Professional and Clinical

• Provide care to a specialist level in a variety of settings for heart failure patients referred into the service in line with agreed guidelines.
• Support the implementation and monitoring of a care pathway for heart failure patients, including rehabilitation and lifestyle changes.
• Liaise with GPs and Consultant Cardiologists on the initiation and titration of evidence-based medications for patients on the heart failure service caseload.
• Using clinical care plans to enhance management of heart failure.
• Accept referrals and manage a patient caseload according to agreed guidelines.
• Support the development and delivery of a specialist nursing and support service across the care pathway with supervision from the Clinical Lead.
• Support the improvement of Standards of Care for people with heart failure, in line with the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guidelines for Chronic Heart Failure.
• Identify those patients who would be suitable for telehealth monitoring and implement this service as needed. Ensure data is recorded. Liaise with Band 3 to monitor and record data.
• Provide a specialist resource for Primary Health Care Teams to provide care and support for people with heart failure with supervision from Band 7 and Clinical Lead.
• Working with the MDT to deliver the care pathway for people with heart failure, including supportive and palliative care.
• Assist in the provision of training and education for patients, carers, and professionals to develop the skills required to manage heart failure effectively.
• Demonstrate specialist knowledge and skills through nursing practice in line with local and national guidelines.
• Maintain own levels of clinical competence.
• Working autonomously with support from Band 7 and Clinical Lead and being accountable for own practice.
• Promote and facilitate research and evidence-based practice in heart failure nursing.
• Maintain a high profile in the clinical area, acting as a role model for other healthcare professionals.

Management & Leadership

• Work towards development of managerial roles by undertaking training to further own career pathway as appropriate.
• Responsible for their own workload and of other groups of staff within the team, including work allocation, performance/attendance issues, appraisal, and development.
• Ensure timely and effective communication with the Clinical Team Lead on all professional matters.

Financial Responsibilities

• Ensure effective use of resources, both financial and human.

Information Management

• Maintain a database of heart failure patients according to agreed guidelines.
• Maintain records, as required.
• Promote effective clinical data entry at practice level.
• Support the development of care pathways for the management of people with heart failure in line with NSF and NICE guidance.
• Use research findings critically in order to develop practice with supervision from Clinical Lead as required.

Education & Professional Development

• Provide information about heart failure to people with the disease, including its treatment and symptom management.
• Provide information to healthcare professionals about heart failure, its treatment, and symptom management at practice level.
• Maintain links with other Heart Failure Nurse Specialists and networks such as the Eastern Heart Failure Nurse Forum in order to learn and share examples of good practice.
• Be responsible for developing and sustaining own knowledge, clinical skills, and professional awareness in accordance with NMC requirements and to maintain a professional profile.
• Participate in continuing professional development activity and all mandatory training as required.

Operational Delivery

• Accountable for ensuring workload of self and others is prioritized, planned, and delivered in line with key performance indicators and service targets.

Project Management

• Support the development and delivery of additional projects within heart failure service as required with supervision from Clinical Lead.

Risk & Governance Management

• Be responsible for recording risks and near misses as per trust policy, report on Datix, and to Clinical Lead.
• Carry out appraisals for other team members.
• Responsible for safe of equipment and supplies.

Service Development

• Working with the supervision of the Clinical Lead to support the newly developing Primary Care Networks in the early detection of heart failure, to improve the management of the condition with evidenced-based treatments with an aim to reduce Secondary Care admissions.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Current NMC Registration as First Level adult registered nurse.
• Post-registration teaching qualification ENB 998 or equivalent.

Desirable

• To have or be working towards first degree.
• Post-registration qualification relating to Cardiovascular Disease.
• Qualification in heart and lung assessment or willingness to undertake.

Experience

Essential

• Up-to-date relevant clinical practice underpinned by specialized knowledge and experience.
• Able to demonstrate management skills and experience.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of change management.
• Good knowledge of NHS and Social Care structures and policy (most notably NICE and ESC Heart Failure Guidelines).
• Able to demonstrate examples of innovative practice.

Desirable

• Understanding of Primary, Community, and Secondary care within the current NHS agenda.

Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge

Essential

• Ability to work effectively within a number of different teams, demonstrating leadership skills.
• Committed to developing clinical practice.
• Interested in research and evidence-based practice.
• Ability to travel between different bases.
• Good IT skills.
• Able to perform advanced assessments to support clinical decision-making and developing a management plan.
• Specialist clinical reasoning skills.

Desirable

• Previous use of SystmOne.

Communication

Essential

• Self-motivated and directed.
• Confident in own ability while acknowledging limitations.
• Forward thinking.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Demonstrate empathy and sensitivity.

Desirable

• Evidence of Advanced communication training to include difficult/sensitive end-of-life discussions.

Personal and People Development

Essential

• Supporting the management/supervision of a team of other staff and facilitating development.
• Delivering training/education to other professionals.

Desirable

• Appraisal training.

Personal Attributes/Behaviours (linked to the Trust's Behaviour Framework)

Essential

• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults.
• Flexible and committed.
• Innovative and proactive.
• Work autonomously under pressure, able to prioritize work with good time-keeping.
• Supporting colleagues when under pressure.
• Act as a role model, identify gaps in learning, and identify own training needs.
• Demonstrate responsibility for the wellbeing of patients, other colleagues, and self.

Other

Essential

• Must hold a full and valid driving license and have access to a vehicle.
• Able to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language.