Band 6 Chemotherapy Nurse

Are you interested in joining a stimulating environment that is committed to fulfilling the needs of it's staff as well as it's patients?

If you are, a unique opportunity has arisen for a band 6 chemotherapy nurse to join our established and dynamic Chemotherapy Nursing team at Lewisham Hospital.

We specialise in solid Tumours and Haemato-oncological malignancies as well as clinical haematology.

As a service, we strive to maintain a positive and supportive working environment where staff development is a priority.

We are passionate about continually improving our services and you will be working collaboratively with the team on quality improvement.

The shift pattern is 9.5 hour shifts (4 shifts per week) from 08:00 and 18:00 and some Saturday working on a rota basis

We are seeking a motivated and committed experienced chemotherapy trained nurses to join our team as Band 6 Unit sisters in the Chemotherapy day Unit Suite 8 (UHL). This role involves cross site working between our two chemotherapy day units at UHL and QEH

The successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating the shifts in the Chemotherapy day unit. She/He will be expected to lead and role model the service ensuring that the team deliver safe effective care and treatments whilst maintaining a holistic, pro active and dynamic approach to patient care.

Previous applicants need not apply.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Lead Chemotherapy nurse and Matron for Cancer Services, Chemotherapy Day Unit Manager and other key members of the Multidisciplinary team to ensure quality and safety for our patients remain paramount.

Our service is committed to developing staff and provides excellent educational opportunities and professional development. Our provision of high standards of care is recognised by our patients via feedback and recognition at the Trust staff awards. Our team are proud of our excellent reputation within the Trust and extended cancer community.

We are extremely proud of our service provision on both the University Hospital Lewisham (UHL) and Queen Elizabeth (QEH) and sites.

This band 6 Unit sister position will give you an excellent opportunity to develop and gain experience within a Cancer setting working closely and supporting the Unit manager. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to undertake cross site working on the Macmillan Brook Unit -chemotherapy Day Unit at QEH, supporting both units in cancer services at LGT.

In order to provide the highest quality standard of care we welcome applications from nurses who are kind, honest, and reliable and have strong team working ethics

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development

Widening access (anchor institution) and employability

Improving the experience of staff with disability

Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development

Making equalities mainstream

Job Summary:

Participate in daily review of the treatment diary and ensure appropriate staffing levels and skill mix are scheduled to reflect the workload and meet the needs of the patients

The post holder will work in collaboration with the Unit Manager and team in identifying the developmental and educational needs of staff focusing on the care required by patients.

To assess patients and monitor condition while on treatment.

To provide advice and signposting for patients, carers and colleagues.

To work collaboratively with the chemotherapy team to maintain safe standards of care within the NMC code of conduct and in line with Trust policies

To participate in educational and training opportunities offered by the team to members of staff across the trust.

Key Result areas

Performance

To offer advanced clinical knowledge and expertise in relation to nursing practice and specialist clinical knowledge pertaining to the service.

To demonstrate clinical competence related to the support of patients receiving chemotherapy and other treatments delivered within the service.

To ensure that care delivery is patient focused and that sound elements of research-based practice are introduced, maintained and audited.

To participate in the setting, implementing and evaluation of clinical practice standards within the team and unit, and meeting standards within Clinical Governance and government targets.

To act as advocate to patients to ensure a patient-orientated approach to the delivery of care and meeting standards within Clinical Governance and Government targets.

To contribute to the maintenance of patient held records, where appropriate.

To provide appropriate information to patients and their carers / families regarding their disease, treatment, services available to them, and the mechanism for emergency treatment, particularly in relation to neutropenic sepsis.

To provide emotional / spiritual support for patients and their carers / families, referring to other relevant professional where appropriate.

To support management of the service budget, manpower (including recruitment) and skill mix in order to ensure the effective day-to-day running of the day unit environment.

To maintain accurate and legible records of all clinical and legal documentation with regard to Statutory and Trust Policies.

To identify the specific education needs of individual patients and carers and facilitate meeting those needs

Workforce

To work with the Unit manager in the assessment of the short and long term development needs of the team.

A close working relationship will be maintained with the Unit sisters and other staff for clinical and educational purposes.

With the Unit Manager and other unit sisters participate in Quality assurance initiatives and ongoing nursing audits, with resulting changes in practice being implemented.

To participate in reviewing practice with other nurses within the Trust and to attend relevant meetings and working parties.

In conjunction with other members of the nursing team identify the training and education needs of non-specialist colleagues – in order to promote specific skills related to the service speciality.

To work collaboratively with the team to provide teaching programmes / opportunities to meet these needs.

Financial

With the Unit Manager and unit sister colleagues be involved in the evaluation of their roles, having consideration for the most effective use of staff.

To take an active role in off-duty planning, ensuring an effective skill mix within the available resources.

Along with other members of the team maintain safe stock levels of equipment

To be always aware of new ways of managing resources to increase efficiency and reduce waste

Partnerships

To liaise with and facilitate effective communication within the multi-disciplinary team.

To provide high standards of evidence based nursing care in the delivery of Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy/supportive treatments in the Chemotherapy Day Unit.Where appropriate, work flexibly across David Whitmore, Suite 8 UHL and MBU Chemotherapy Day Unit QEHTo daily coordinate the shift and ensure safety is maintained and smooth service delivery achieved

To work in close collaboration with the multidisciplinary team members, pharmacists, dieticians, Acute Oncology Service, palliative care team and other site specific clinical nurse specialists.

In conjunction with the Unit Manager, unit sisters and CNSs, to advise and support non – specialist professionals who care for cancer / haematology patients – including issues relating to chemotherapy treatment and side effects, the safe handling of cytotoxic drugs, care of intravenous lines, and neutropenic sepsis protocols.

To act as a role model and mentor to other staff, providing informal education and support for them in their provision of care to cancer / haematology patients