Junior Sister/Charge Nurse Chemotherapy, WRH

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits you if you are a highly motivated,enthusiastic senior nurse wanting to become a Sister within the great Rowansuite team. You must have with excellent communication skills; you will havethe opportunity to be part of this service and our innovative ways of workingas we grasp this opportunity to influence, shape and develop the changing faceof cancer care and service provision in our Trust

The 13-chaired day unit cares for patients with a range of cancers whoare receiving chemotherapy. We aim to provide an individualised and supportiveenvironment for patients to deliver this specialised, high-standard care.

We are seeking someone who wants to increase their Oncology/Haematologyexperience and work in this rewarding environment. Applicants should bemotivated to undertake a recognized post-registration oncology course in thefuture. If you have cannulation, phlebotomy, or central lines skills, it willbe an advantage, but if not, you should have the enthusiasm and dexterity todevelop these skills. The ability to communicate effectively with all membersof the multidisciplinary team is essential.

All our sisters will be responsible for ensuring that the patientexperience is a high priority and will learn new skills to enable them toprovide support, knowledge and experience to our staff nurse and other teammembers.

Main duties of the job

The Sister role involves leading and coordinating the team toensure that patients are treated promptly, with patients being thecentre of their treatment.

Also, you must be able to assess patients for chemotherapy toensure their physical condition and blood parameters are satisfactory so thatthey can safely receive treatment according to treatment protocols/regimes andescalate any concerns to the coordinator.

Administer and dispose of intravenous and chemotherapy safely byTrust and National Guidelines.

Provide treatment and side effects information to ensure eachpatient is prepared for their specific treatment and elicit informed consent.

Provide one-to-one and telephone advice to patients and theirfamilies regarding treatment side effects and the management of side effects toensure each patient receives specific and appropriate care.

Excellent communication skills are required to enhance andaugment patients' understanding and adapt information to their specific needsas they progress through treatment. Liaise with other appropriate health careprofessionals within both hospital and community settings regarding individualpatient care to ensure seamless transfer of care between disciplines (or ensurepatients' needs are being adequately met). Recognise and provide thepsychological and emotional support individuals and their families need whilstundergoing treatment and refer them to other professionals.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

Best services for local people Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients Best use of resources Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Sister role involves leading and coordinating the team toensure that patients are treated in a timely manner, with patients being thecentre of their own treatment.

Also, you must be able to assess patients for chemotherapy toensure their physical condition and blood parameters are satisfactory so thatthey can safely receive treatment according to treatment protocols/regimes andescalate any concerns to the coordinator.

Administer and dispose of intravenous and chemotherapy safely byTrust and National Guidelines.

Provide treatment and side effects information to ensure eachpatient is prepared for their specific treatment and elicit informed consent.

Provide one-to-one and telephone advice to patients and theirfamilies regarding treatment side effects and the management of side effects toensure each patient receives specific and appropriate care.

Excellent communication skills are required to enhance andaugment patients' understanding and adapt information to their specific needsas they progress through treatment. Liaise with other appropriate health careprofessionals within both hospital and community settings regarding individualpatient care to ensure seamless transfer of care between disciplines (or ensurepatients' needs are being adequately met). Recognise and provide thepsychological and emotional support individuals and their families need whilstundergoing treatment and refer them to other professionals sensitively andappropriately to meet patients' needs adequately.

Responsibilities for establishing and maintaining communication and relationship both internally and externally.

Establish and maintain effective communication and foster good working relationships with all multidisciplinary teams, both internal and external.

Provide and receive complex and / or sensitive information from patients and staff. For example, breaking bad news to patients, giving complex information about procedures and their outcomes, dealing with performance issues, holding staff meetings. Able to support and talk to distressed patients, visitors, and staff members.

Responsible for cascading information to unit staff and chairing staff meetings from which minutes are provided.

Make use of electronic internal / external mail and Internet systems as appropriate and necessary.

Deal effectively with comments, complaints, or incidents that affect staff and users of the unit in accordance with complaints, risk management, or human resources procedures.

Bring to the attention of the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse any factors which may adversely affect patient care or service provision.

Report all serious incidents to the appropriate Manager / Director within 24 hours; these include Never Events and serious falls.

Planning and organisational skills

Assist in planning of duty rotas or alter planned rotas to ensure maximum service delivery, standards of patient care and human, and resource management. Use e-rostering as it becomes available.

Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse by utilising available resources to ensure safe and effective patient care periods of unplanned staff absence and / or equipment failure.

Be aware of Trust financial position and target objectives and ensure that ward area is as effective as possible in meeting these objectives.

Participate in Directorate / Departmental meetings and feedback to the team.

Be involved in practice development and patient experience issues.

Responsibilities for Patient Care Therapy & Treatment

Ensure that safe and effective nursing care is delivered, this to be in accordance with Trust policies and best practice guidelines, also Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) Codes of Practice and guidelines.

Act as a role model when carrying out and demonstrating nursing care and procedures.

Ensure clinical staffs assess the conditions of patients within the clinical area, ensuring that signs and symptoms are acted upon accordingly and in a timely fashion.

Provide expert advice and support to colleagues in the care and management of patients within speciality.

Actively contribute to the health and well-being of patients by promoting health through a number of methods healthy eating, exercise and smoking cessation.

Ensure accurate, comprehensive contemporaneous and clear documentation of patients care.

Ensure that own and others written reports are in accordance with Trust policy and NMC guidelines

Be familiar with the policy for safe administration of prescribed therapies, including Medicines Management, Intravenous Therapy, Patient Group Directives, clinical guidelines for cytotoxic administration.

Demonstrate the ability to safely monitor and provide care for the patient once therapies have been administered.

Responsibilities for Development and Implementation of Policy and / or Services

At all times act in accordance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines and NMC Codes of Practice standards and guidelines.

Be aware of and support policies and procedures existing and being introduced throughout the Trust

Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse by cascading information and new policies and guidelines to staff in the clinical area

Represent clinical area at forums and meetings as requested by Senior Sister / Charge Nurse.

Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in staff appraisal and the progress of staff while completing goals and development plans.

Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in the formulation of induction and training programmes and assist in the delivery of these to staff and learner nurses.

Undertake agreed mandatory training and to seek out opportunities to enhance knowledge, skills and develop practice.

Participate in the teaching and development of staff and ensure records kept of all training activities within the department. Ensure these records are sent to the Training department to maintain the ESR (electronic staff record).

Ensure risk assessment of working environment and conditions, equipment, chemicals and activities is routinely carried out within the department.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Registered nurse Part 1 1st level degree or working towards Administration of chemotherapy course or completion of SACT passport

Desirable

Post registration qualification in relevant speciality (palliative care/Oncology/ Chemotherapy) Recognised NMC teaching and assessing qualification Advanced communication course training

Experience

Essential

Proven post registration experience at band 5 Proven clinical experience of working in clinical haematology/oncology nursing delivering chemotherapy

Desirable

Evidence of management / leadership skills and autonomous practice Evidence of teaching both formal and informal

skills knowledge

Essential

Expert clinical skills in speciality Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues across health and social care settings Good IT skills Able to undertake extended roles Evidence of continuing professional development Good understanding of research and audit

Desirable

Evidence of writing protocols / standards Able to supervise and demonstrate potential to lead Knowledge of professional and NHS issues and policies relating to cancer

PERSONAL CRITERIA

Essential

Articulate High professional standards Able to remain calm under pressure Aware of own strengths and weaknesses Flexible and adaptable Highly motivated Committed to quality improvement

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