Trainee Advanced Care Practitioner

Job summary

Work to develop a high level of personal and professional autonomy, using specialist knowledge and skills to deliver independent assessment, clinical examination, diagnosis, clinical decision making and planning of care and treatment, health promotion and safe admission and discharge of patients.

Work collaboratively with all members of the multidisciplinary team to provide best clinical care, emotional and psychological support and education to patients and their carers.

Facilitate evidence based practice, work with innovation and flexibility to adapt to a fast-changing speciality, and work towards playing an integral role in the operational/strategic development of the service.

Build generic skills to deliver Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and management plans to older people presenting to Accident and emergency with Frailty syndromes.

Communicate effectively with community teams to promote independence and support efficient discharge and care in the most appropriate place

Note - if you are already a qualified ACP then please do also apply and this post can be either trainee or qualified.

Main duties of the job

To work within the Frailty Team to ensure the efficient and safe flow through the hospital of frailty patients. To ensure that admissions are avoided as much as possible to ensure patients are returned home and to prevent deconditioning. Ensuring patients have the right support to prevent future admissions. Undertaking the training required to become a qualified advanced care practitioner within frailty.

About us

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programmefor staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication

Maintain accurate records regarding all patient contacts paper based/electronic as appropriate.

The post holder will need to learn to receive/provide highly complex and sensitive information relating to patient care (eg. from colleagues, patients, carers and relatives). Communicate clearly, concisely and accurately, engage patients and colleagues with tact and empathy, and interact with sensitivity with patients and relatives/carers where barriers to communication may exist (this may involve using the interpreting service for patients with language barriers).

Provide written and verbal reports to other members of the multidisciplinary team regarding treatment/changes and recommended management of patient care. Communicate results of test results to patients, relatives and to other clinical staff.

Participate effectively in multidisciplinary case conferences and team meetings, as required. Work to manage conflicting views and reconcile differences of opinion across/within professional groups.

Attend relevant internal/external meetings (eg. to discuss the performance of the service) and internal/external conferences (eg. to promote the achievements of the service and to network with colleagues).

Service Delivery and Improvement

As part of the wider Trust Clinical Strategy, champion the development of own specialty, opportunities for research and education, and raise the positive profile of the service and Trust through eg. publications, conference presentations, professional networking, and organisational collaborations.

Act as professional role model, providing advice and support to all staff working in the speciality, including medical and other students and trainees, nurses and doctors commensurate with tACP. Demonstrate the Trust Values & Behaviours in own day to day work, reinforcing positive behaviours that reflect our values, and challenge undesirable behaviour constructively and with positive intent.

Support colleagues/senior staff in creating a supportive, safe team environment and culture of continuous improvement (eg. safety huddles). Identify opportunities for improvement, and contribute to improvement activities.

With support develop, implement and maintain Trust-wide professional policies, standards and practices within own area of specialist expertise. Actively contribute to setting and monitoring standards in advanced practice and service local provision.

Undertake knowledge and skills to contribute to service developments and planning (eg. identification of best practice nationally and internationally, opportunities for new and extended services, improvement and innovation in service provision) as part of the Trust business development, service efficiency and strategic planning processes.

People Management and Development

Accountable for own practice and maintaining competence in accordance with the HCPC/NMC Code of Professional Conduct and other appropriate HCPC/NMC and statutory guidelines.

Develop and maintain and develop own theoretical knowledge, clinical experience, clinical competence and professional development through eg. self-education, regular clinical supervision, soliciting feedback, and active participation in the Trust appraisal and professional revaluation processes. Maintain own professional portfolio and Personal Development Plan.

Attend relevant education and training, including mandatory and statutory training.

Keep up to date with current research and evidence-based practice by attending relevant meetings, courses, seminars and own literature study. Share knowledge with other professionals and team to influence better care and outcomes for patients.

Develop advanced specialist clinical knowledge to design and provide clinical and theory-based education and training to other members of the MDT.

As agreed (eg. through job planning), supervise, train and educate more junior members of staff, incl. students and trainees up to and including Registrar level.

Establish links with HEIs (eg. University of Brighton, Brighton & Sussex Medical School). Undertake post graduate study and work towards contributing to the planning and delivery of educational programmes to all healthcare professionals relating to own advanced specialist area.

In collaboration with Trust Research & Development Team (and Service Lead), develop, participate in and encourage research and Clinical Trials in own speciality. This will include data collection, analysis and presentation/publication (incl. national and international journals as appropriate).

Contribute to service quality assurance activities (incl. demonstration of regulatory compliance).

Make best use of the Trust Library & Knowledge Services. Develop skills to critically analyse methodology and results of research and apply to future clinical practice. Encourage and support initiatives to develop clinical practice to reflect latest findings.

Undertake any other reasonable duties commensurate with the role and delegated or requested by the manager or supervisor, as the needs of the service require.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an on-going basis in accordance with the changing needs of the service/department and Trust.

Patient Care Delivery

Develop advanced skills to work as an autonomous practitioner, liaising with all members of the multidisciplinary team in order to provide clinical expertise, emotional and psychological support and education to patients and their carers.

To develop skills to independently assess, plan, implement and evaluate care delivered to own caseload of patients following attainment of competency.

Develop the ability to make clinical judgements about patients, order investigations and adjust treatment plans accordingly in order to achieve treatment targets following attainment of competency.

Develop and maintain a knowledge base that reflects contemporary issues and therefore be able to autonomously select and apply the most appropriate treatment regime.

Promote a critical, analytical approach to the delivery of care, reviewing care delivery and the implementation of change.

Develop advanced clinical skills, the insertion of central and arterial lines, patient intubation etc, as well as applying current skills required for administering intravenous injections, setting up syringe pumps and other infusions and advanced patient monitoring.

Provide support to patients with other psychological and emotional challenges, referring them to the clinical psychotherapist as necessary.

Provide education programmes for patients and their carers as appropriate to meet the needs of individuals.

Involve carers or relatives in the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of care of the individual patient, as appropriate.

Recognise and respond appropriately to urgent and emergency situation.

Assist in creating a therapeutic environment which meets the needs of patients, relatives and carers.

Ensure full and accurate records of relevant information are documented in the patients' health records.

Compile reports relating to clinical outcomes.

Ensure compliance with standard infection control precautions which include; hand hygiene, dress code and the use of personal protective equipment and all other policies relevant to infection prevention and control.

Be responsible for effective infection control in the delivery of patient care.

Work closely and network with other nursing teams, clinical educators and health professional specialists to share practice and provide a uniformly high standard of care.

Reflect on own clinical practice in individual and peer supervision. Responsible for own professional actions and recognise own professional boundaries, interpreting clinical and professional policies and national protocols.

Person Specification

Professional Registration

Essential

Registration on register with NMC/HCPC/Other

Experience/qualifications

Essential

Willing to undertake Masters degree MSc clinical practice or equivalent Willing to undertake Independent/supplementary prescriber Significant experience in primary care/UTC/emergency medicine

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Essential

Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).

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