Admiral Nurse Band 7

Since 1994, Home Instead has operated as a world-leading private home care company with franchises in 14 different countries worldwide. The global US franchise model has enabled Home Instead to amalgamate the best home care practices from around the world and formulate a unified, high-quality personal care approach that is consistent at Hammersmith & Chiswick local office. This has enabled the office to benefit from both high-quality training and efficient elderly care processes that empowers them to fulfil the mission statement:

…To Enhance the Lives of Aging Adults and Their Families.

As a small local business, Hammersmith & Chiswick office focuses all their efforts and attention on their clientele's needs to ensure that they receive a personal and outstanding experience - each and every time.

Summary of Responsibilities:

The primary focus of the Admiral Nurse role is to provide and influence the clinical leadership and delivery of person-centred and relationship-centred dementia care within Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick to improve the experience of carers/families affected by dementia.*

The post holder will:

• Provide leadership, advice and consultancy to facilitate excellence in practice that meets the needs of people living with dementia and families / carers.
• Use and demonstrate sound clinical judgement, critical analysis and advanced decision making skills to review, develop and promote quality improvements.
• Deliver training and supportive education in creative ways to influence a positive culture of care and wellbeing for carers/families and staff
• Deliver and support evaluation of workforce development in dementia to improve staff knowledge and skills across the organisation.
• Promote, implement and evaluate evidence based dementia care ensuring continuous quality improvement for carers/families affected by dementia.
• Apply the Admiral Nurse Competency framework at an enhanced specialist level, including person-centred care, therapeutic skills, and triadic relationships, sharing knowledge, best practice and critical reflective practice.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Clinical

•  Advise on the care of people with dementia and their carers/families with complex care needs from peri diagnosis to post bereavement support.
• Provide specialist nursing assessment, using the Admiral Nurse Assessment Framework for residents and carers/families affected by dementia.
• Improve identification and management of co-morbidities and frailty for people with dementia and their carers/families.
•  Influence relationship and family-centred approaches to care, which meet the needs of people with dementia, carers/families and staff. 
• Promote understanding of the effects of transitions in care including grief and loss for both the person with dementia and the families / carers
• Provide a range of psychosocial interventions and emotional support to meet psychological needs and promote health and wellbeing for people with dementia and their carers/families.
• Develop and support person-centred care plans for people living with dementia alongside life story work, positive risk management (e.g. falls, delirium, depression, incontinence) and advance care planning in collaboration with professional carers and families.
• Ensure that all legal requirements relating to mental capacity, DoLs, safeguarding and mental health are considered and adhered to.
• Act as an advocate for people with dementia and their carers/families to promote their rights and best interests.
• Work collaboratively with professional carers, families and health, social and voluntary sector services to achieve coordinated care, avoid inappropriate admissions to hospital and facilitate reduced length of stay when admission is unavoidable.
• Ensure that care is delivered in accordance with relevant local and national guidelines and all relevant Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick policies.
• Ensure that clinical records are up to date and maintained and stored appropriately in line with local and national guidance.

Education and Leadership

• Provide relevant dementia training and education in creative ways, to improve staff attitudes, knowledge, skills and confidence, in line with best practice and guidance.
• Participate in and/or lead formal training events promoting best practice in dementia care and disseminating Admiral Nursing work.
• Provide leadership on the delivery of evidence based best practice in dementia care
• Act as a clinical leader and positive role model to others, and mentoring other staff as required.  
• Support the development of and involvement in local dementia awareness and engagement activity with local communities and stakeholders, including meeting the needs of BAME, diverse and minority groups.
• Provide professional and clinical leadership, mentorship and clinical expertise to the staff in Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick
• Work in partnership with colleagues and stakeholders in the wider health and social care community to provide support and information to people affected by dementia and families, particularly around advance care planning, best interest decisions, palliative and end of life care.
• Work proactively with key local and national stakeholders to develop more integrated care pathways and holistic models of care, through dissemination of specialist skills and knowledge.
• Support delivery of a dementia care policy for Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick to improve identification, assessment, ongoing support and care for people affected by dementia and their families / carers.

Evaluation and Audit

•  Lead on and support the audit and evaluation of quality improvements and initiatives aimed at improving the delivery of dementia care within Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick
• Collect and review quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate and audit the Admiral Nurse Service.  
• Undertake analysis and evaluation and make any recommendations to Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick Dementia Strategy Group or similar.
• Maintain [clinical] records using the relevant data recording system and provide verbal and written feedback appropriately and as required
• Ensure recorded information and data is relevant, accurate, and complete and captured in a contemporaneous manner.
• Ensure that [clinical] records are up to date and maintained and stored appropriately in line with local and national guidance.

Professional

• Ensure all nursing practice is carried out in accordance with the agreed policies and procedures of Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick and the NMC Code
• To actively participate in practice development, clinical supervision, and continuing professional development, including the Admiral Nurse Competency module and the Admiral Nurse Forum, as supported by Dementia UK
• To develop own competence through use of the Admiral Nurse Competency Framework and portfolio development using resources provided by Dementia UK
• To maintain professional registration in line with NMC guidance, including re-validation
• Contribute to and lead the development of policies, procedures and protocols relevant to dementia and Admiral Nursing within Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick.
• Ensure compliance with quality and clinical governance requirements.
• Participate in clinical supervision/mentoring within Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick as required.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of evidence-based recommendations on supporting residents/people affected by dementia and their carers/families
• Ensure that clinical records are up to date and maintained and stored appropriately in line with local and national guidance.
• Be fully aware of and comply with the Data Protection Act and the GDPR in relation to protecting the confidentiality of patient and service-user information and enabling appropriate information-sharing.
• Participate in Dementia UK/Host organisation steering groups and develop and maintain positive working relationships with Dementia UK.

Essential Qualifications:

• Registered Nurse (RMN/RNMH/RGN/RNLD).
• Post registration qualification / training in dementia.
• Formal knowledge of dementia/ older people acquired through clinical post-graduate education.
• Willingness to complete Dementia UK's Pre Admiral Nursing e-learning course prior to starting in post
• Willingness to work towards Level 7 qualification including the Admiral Nurse Competency Framework module.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Additional nursing qualification.
• Masters level qualification in dementia / older people's care.
• Mentorship Qualification.
• Relevant teaching qualification.

Work Experience & Attainments:

• Significant post-registration clinical experience of working with people with dementia and their carers/supporters in different settings.
• Experience of recent involvement in practice/ service development.
• Experience of working with groups and individuals in a variety of roles and settings.
• Demonstrated experience of working as an autonomous practitioner.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage services.
• Experience of professional supervision of staff.
• Experience of audit/ evaluating clinical practice.
• Experience of working within domiciliary care setting
• Experience of undertaking staff performance reviews and planned development of staff.
• Experience of working collaboratively with people affected by dementia and families / carers to develop practice.

Skills and Knowledge

• Incorporating and demonstrating all of the 6 Admiral Nurse competencies including person-centred care, therapeutic skills, triadic relationship, sharing knowledge, best practice, and critical reflective practice at enhanced specialist level.
• Ability to use a range of therapeutic skills.
• Effective role-modelling.
• Understanding practice and promoting person-centred and relationship-centred care.
• Collaborative and multi-agency working.
• Critical reflection.
• Facilitator and arbitrator.
• Acting as a decision maker and advocate.
• Good organisational skills.
• Enhanced knowledge of dementia and therapeutic working with families and organisations.
• Application of sources of research and research methods to evaluate and enhance practice.
• Knowledge of research methods and methodologies.
• Knowledge and understanding of care homes.
• Understanding of competency frameworks.
• Experience of supporting systematic practice development/ quality improvement.

Aptitudes & Attributes:

• Enhanced communication skills.
• Professional flexibility and creativity such as being able to work on own initiative, in groups/one to one - with the ability to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy.
• Ability to treat families affected by dementia with respect and dignity, adopting a culturally sensitive approach that considers the needs of the whole person.
• Positive mental attitude and a willingness to discuss and negotiate issues and ideas with the appropriate team/individual.
• Ability to learn through practice.

Other requirements:

• Flexible approach to meet the needs of the service.
• A full valid driving license and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 and a reasonable adjustment can be made).

How to apply:

Please, submit your CV and cover letter, answering the below-given questions:

1.   Tell us how your experience of working with families and people with dementia are relevant to this role.

2.   Have you completed the pre-Admiral Nursing module? If not, what other preparation have you undertaken to prepare yourself for applying for this role?

3.   How would you ensure that you provide a service that meets the support needs of Home Instead Hammersmith and Chiswick families?

4.    How would you ensure that you develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to support the running of the Admiral Nurse service?