Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to be part of the community palliative care team; you will be mentored to develop advanced clinical skills to undertake specialist assessments and interventions with patients in the community who have a life limiting illness.

Main duties of the job

The post holder should have experience within palliative care and be keen to develop advanced clinical skills to undertake specialist assessments and interventions with patients in the community environment who have a life limiting illness.

You will work within our community team to support the development of Single Point of Access and Virtual Ward projects. Following the addition of onsite clinics at Trinity hospice, working within the Living Well services is also a key part of the role to deliver hospice support to patients and their loved ones, following their palliative diagnosis.

Delivery of education is a key part of the role to enable acute and community colleagues to support their patients to live well. Also, working collaboratively within the Palliative Care Networks across the area, to support the strategic vision of care needs.

You will be a team player with the ability to work autonomously and possess a willingness and motivation to make a difference.

The post holder will rotate to support all Trinity services according to patient need.

The service is provided over 7 days. A UK driving licence and access to a car is essential.

About us

The successful candidate will be joining an established team and an organisation which is highly rated by the people who work there. The 2023 Staff Survey found 98% of respondents enjoy the work that they do, 96% were proud to work for our Charity and 96% enjoy working with the people within the organisation.

Trinity is a great place to work, having an outstanding rating with the Care Quality Commission and Investors in People Gold accreditation. If you are looking to join a thriving, increasingly innovative organisation, which puts passion and care at the heart of its operations, want to make a difference to palliative and end-of-life care and seek to ensure high quality care to patients and their families, then this may well be the post for you!

• 38 days annual leave each year, pro rata (inclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Various Health and Wellbeing benefits including annual flu vaccinations, access to complementary therapy and counselling.
• Free car parking on site
• Professional NMC registration fees reimbursed
• Pension scheme or NHS Pensions can be transferred
• Maternity/Paternity benefits
• Being part of an organisation with an exceptional reputation

Job responsibilities

OVERALL PURPOSE: To develop skills and competencies to provide specialist palliative care knowledge, expertise and support to patients, carers, their GPs and all other healthcare professionals to maximise the patients quality of life.

JOB PURPOSE: The intention is that the post holder has an opportunity to develop their skills in palliative care and increase their clinical competencies and skills, moving from intermediate to advanced clinical practitioner in this defined area.

The post holder will have a key role in providing support to patients in their own homes who have palliative and end of life care needs, raising clinical standards and promoting a learning environment for other healthcare providers. You will be responsible for planning, assessing, implementing and evaluating care in partnership with the District nurse teams and out of hours providers. The post holder will take responsibility for the management of the designated case load in the absence of the CNS.

MAIN DUTIES OF POST:

1. Assess patients requiring palliative care in the community and contribute to their total nursing care and management of symptoms by providing support and specialist advice to both the patient and carers.
2. Participate in the development and delivery of management plans in conjunction with the primary health care team. Reviewing and undertaking assessments as required for the management of complex symptoms.
3. Liaise with the healthcare professionals working in the neighbourhoods and other members of the Trinity Clinical Nurse Specialist Team.
4. Set and maintain high standards of patient care in Palliative Nursing.
5. Demonstrate enhanced communication skills when dealing with patients and families.
6. Undertake discussion regarding advanced care planning.
7. Take referrals direct from General Practitioners, Hospital Consultants and Clinical Nurse Specialists.
8. Support the Clinical Nurse specialist to maintain a designated case load, ensuring effective use of resources and regular review of patients, prioritising workload and managing resource allocation when required.
9. Feedback to designated caseload holders.
10. Advise and support the Primary Health Care Team regarding End of Life care.
11. Advise and liaise with third sector and voluntary organisations regarding patients requiring Specialist Palliative Care.
12. Contribute to the assessment and prioritisation of patients for admission to the Hospice.
13. Advise and liaise with General Practitioners regarding pain and complex symptom management, care needs, admission to Hospice or referral for appropriate care.
14. Develop enhanced skills to understand family dynamics and give specialist emotional and psychological interventions to the patient and carers as needed.
15. Liaise with Hospice Chaplains and the Clergy in order to provide spiritual support when needed.
16. Continue to support relatives during bereavement, as appropriate. Identify problems and refer them for appropriate care to the Linden Centre.
17. Keep accurate and up to date nursing records of each patient, reporting and discussing any problems which may occur with Trinity Clinical Nurse Specialist mentor, Manager and Hospice Consultant as appropriate.
18. Be involved in audit of patient care and participate in research programmes to promote high standards of Specialist Palliative Care.
19. Attend staff meetings in the community and Trinity, communicating information as appropriate (GSF, MDT, Complex neighbourhood discussions, extensive care).
20. Maintain confidentiality in all matters, presenting a professional attitude at all times.
21. Supervise the work of healthcare assistants and ensure hospice policies are followed.
22. Be prepared to cope with incidents or emergency situations as they arise and report to senior nurse on duty.
23. Cover a 24-hour nursing rota for enhanced professional development in the total care of patients requiring specialist palliative care.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Undertake all mandatory training as required by Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services.
2. Maintain the strict confidentiality of all information acquired especially with regard to patients and staff.
3. Participate in the appraisal and personal development reviews annually.
4. Improve knowledge and utilise competencies to influence self-development.
5. Be a co-operative and supportive member of the Trinity staff team, ensuring that all members are aware of any issues in the post holders workload, which may affect other members of the Trinity team and identify to the Line Manager.
6. Take responsibility for being up to date with current policies and procedures and to adhere to these.
7. Cooperate fully in the introduction of any new technology and new methods as appropriate.
8. Promote at all times the Hospice philosophy and uphold the Trinity core values.
9. Any other duties that may be reasonably requested.

CLINICAL:

1. Support the management of an identified caseload of patients with advancing disease who require Specialist Palliative Care in the community setting and communicate with the case load holder regarding the progress of such.
2. Develop expert clinical skills to manage patients with complex Specialist palliative care needs.
3. Develop advanced communication skills to enable patients and carers to make informed choices regarding their care and management.
4. Act as patient advocate in often emotionally charged situations involving other healthcare professionals, family and carers.
5. Maintain accurate records of all patient, carer and healthcare professional contacts so the activity of the Trinity Clinical Nurse Specialist Community Palliative Care Team can be audited and evaluated.
6. Record all contacts in our IT system as required to fulfil the minimum data set requirements.
7. Assess and refer appropriately to other Hospice services with the consent of the patient.
8. Administer drugs and assist with their ordering in accordance with NMC standards for the Administration of medicines.
9. Verify when a death has occurred, notify families and carers as appropriate.
10. Be responsible for coordinating flexible care provision to enable patients to stay at home (72 hour care package).
11. Undertake V300 non-medical prescribing course and actively prescribe within competencies (Following completion of symptom management portfolio and discussion with NMP lead).

EDUCATION:

• Support the education of families in helping them to give care and support to the patient.
• Participate alongside clinical mentor in Education Programmes organised at the Education and Learning Centre for Palliative Care Studies based at Trinity and in the Community Neighbourhoods.
• Participate in educational events with the general public on the role of Palliative Care Services in the community as required.
• Work actively towards degree using opportunity to extend clinical and professional knowledge.
• Develop computer skills to maintain records and collate statistics.

PERSONAL:

• Seek Clinical Supervision from clinical mentor and community Consultant as appropriate for complex clinical scenarios.
• Use opportunities to extend clinical and professional knowledge. Take responsibility for own professional development, identifying training and development needs to line manager. Participate in 1-1s.
• Ensure personal safety in accordance with the Lone worker policy.

Monitor relevant research developments and disseminate the findings to patients, relatives and colleagues in the extended Health Care Team as appropriate to promote effective patient care.

Join with other staff in the promotion of the overall Palliative Care Service as appropriate.

Comply with Nursing and Midwifery Council Regulations for professional registration and practice.

Undertake and support appropriate research activity and ensure awareness of and act in accordance with Health and Safety at work.

Promote the family of services at Trinity.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• First level RGN, minimum 3 years post registration experience.
• Registered with NMC
• Educated to degree level or willingness to undertake
• Advanced communication skills

Experience

• Previous palliative care/transferable experience
• Experience of working independently and as part of a team
• Community experience
• Experience of co-ordinating workload for self and others
• Ability to work unsociable hours including nights and across the needs of the service
• Ability to prioritise workload around competing demands on time.

Personal Attributes

• Highly enthusiastic & motivated to promote the values of Trinity
• Positive attitude to change and flexible work practice
• Full UK driving licence and access to car

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Good knowledge of palliative care
• Ability to use IT system (EMIS) and support data collection
• Ability to organise & supervise others
• Ability to develop & influence practice

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.