Newborn Hearing Screener

We are looking for a motivated, conscientious individual with a flexible, adaptable approach to join our established team of newborn hearing screeners. Good communication and interpersonal skills are essential preferably with experience of working with young babies, children and their families.

Interviews will be held virtually via MS Teams

1 part time post 18 hours per week.

We are looking for experienced newborn hearing screeners who have fully completed their training

Or

Individuals interested in training as a newborn hearing screener. Full training will be provided, and successful applicants are required to complete the mandatory Level 3 Health Screener Diploma this involves self-directed learning and can take up to 18 months to complete. This includes NHSP eLearning modules and an external competency assessment

The SWL Newborn Hearing Screening service is carried out across 6 hospitals in the South West London and Surrey areas. These include Croydon, Kingston, St George’s, Epsom and St Helier hospitals and The Portland. Travel will be required for this post for screening and training requirements.

You will be based at St George’s Hospital.

Applicants must be educated to GCSE standard (or equivalent) as a mínimal requirement, good computer skills and IT awareness are essential and deaf awareness would also be an advantage. You will use your organisation skills to effectively prioritise your day ensuring all babies are screened. Experience of working in a hospital environment and baby handling skills are desirable.

Hours of work are between 8am - 5pm and include weekdays andweekends and Bank holidayswith flexible daily working shifts. It is essential that you can be flexible and available to work any of these shifts on any day.

This is an exciting opportunity to screen the hearing of newborn babies.

The post requires being able to work well as part of a team and also on your own initiative. You must be methodical and well organised and it is essential for you to be able to prioritise your own workload to ensure that all babies are screened. You must be able to remain calm when under pressure as you will be required to cover busy postnatal wards and clinics alone. Adaptable approach to role including administrative aspects is important. Every day is different.

Please see attached 'Day in the Life' document

1. To identify which babies require screening and effectively prioritise workload.

2. Provide written and verbal information to make an informed choice about screening

3. To liaise effectively with parents, team members and other health care professionals.

4. To refer babies for audiological assessment in line with national protocols.

5. To maintain the confidentiality of the babies and their families at all times.

6. To ensure patients and families retain their dignity, privacy and individuality at all times.

7. To carry out the hearing screening of newborns within maternity units. This will include testing babies on the postnatal wards, the delivery suites and in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and accurately record clinical and test data in line with national protocols.

8. To carry out hearing screening in community clinics of babies who have not completed a screen in hospital.

9. To carry out quality assurance checks of the equipment used and accurately record ensuring the safety and security of equipment at all times. Report any problems to the Local Manager/Programme Manager at the earliest opportunity.

10. To ensure the working environment is clean and tidy and that all necessary supplies are available.

11. To maintain an appropriate professional standard of appearance and promote a professional, welcoming and caring environment endorsing a family friendly approach to care.

12. Identify for each patient within National protocols the test or tests to be carried out to complete each stage of the screen.

13. Optimise conditions for screening ensuring room is quiet; baby settled and take action to limit electrical interference. Negotiate a convenient time to screen baby.

14. To be responsible for data entry utilising both paper and computer-based data entry systems

15. To inform parent/guardian of the outcome of hearing screening results as per protocol.

For further details please see attached documents