Dementia Nurse

NHS; Newport; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000

Job description

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Our vision for Single Corporate Services Isle of Wight NHS Trust (IWT) and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) have a shared vision of a single corporate service across our two organisations, supported by a single set of identical systems and processes, under joint leadership, to drive significant efficiencies, improve employee experience, and return time to patient care.

This vacancy is part of the Single Corporate Services Division.

Why are we changing the way we deliver Corporate Services? Working as a partnership, both IWT and PHU have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this. The creation of a single corporate service is essential for us to support our clinical and operational services, and our wider transformation programme.

The single corporate service is delivered across both organisations. Individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites at either IWT or PHU. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in-person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

Please note, this position has also been advertised on the Isle of Wight NHS Trust's jobs page. If you are interested in this position and wish to apply, there is no requirement for you to submit two separate applications.

Main duties of the job

Location: This role is based at St Mary's Parkhurst Road, Newport PO30 5TG

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours a week

Contract Type: Permanent

We are looking to appoint a compassionate and caring Dementia Nurse. This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, dynamic and forward-thinking professional to join the Corporate Nursing Dementia Team as part of the Mental Health Team.

You will undertake the responsibility to deliver and coordinate person-centred dementia care to improve the experience of people with dementia and their families with complex needs, during the acute stay and transitions of care within operational areas of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust.

You will work in conjunction with the Dementia Team to support the ward clinical teams by providing specialised practice, expertise, and knowledge in the field of dementia.

You will be an accessible and visible clinical presence, providing a responsive service advising and supporting ward or departmental staff, patients and their families to ensure effective patient care enhancing the patient experience across the whole patient pathway.

You will provide facilitation of education and training for staff in the delivery of evidence-based dementia care.

Frances Usher-Smith, our Dementia Matron, can be contacted for further information and to answer any questions you have. Please contact her via email on [e-mail]

About us

Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.

Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits and access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity.

Job responsibilities

1. To act as a clinical role model to others by working collaboratively with the ward teams in promoting best practice of evidence-based standards in dementia care.
2. To assist and advise ward teams with all aspects of care for patients who have dementia and are presenting with complex care needs or distressing behaviours.
3. Provide specialist nursing assessment for carers/families affected by dementia during their hospital admission.
4. Liaise with patient families or carers to ascertain a full collaborative history of the level of patient physical, psychological and emotional care requirements.
5. Support people with dementia, carers/families and staff to understand and respond to changes in behaviour and relationships because of dementia.
6. Demonstrate in practice high level communication skills when providing or receiving complex sensitive information which requires empathy and reassurance for the patient and family.
7. Communicate in a tactful and sensitive way when handling challenging and complex situations where the information is contentious and there are barriers to understanding due to dementia.
8. Review and advise multi-disciplinary teams on any aspects of appropriate therapeutic intervention including non-pharmaceutical methods.
9. Assess, develop, implement and review specialist individualised care plans for patients with dementia whilst they are in hospital, liaising with ward multi-disciplinary teams.
10. Document accurately within the patient notes any activity or intervention undertaken, with patient level of engagement and effectiveness in this.
11. Communicate effectively with the ward team to report any changes in patient condition or level of activity during time spent with the patient.
12. Liaise with teams to provide specialist advice on current and future planning for patients with dementia to avoid future unnecessary hospital admissions.
13. Liaise with Carers Support teams and the community Admiral Nursing Service for those carers needing signposting or assistance with accessing external agencies including social services, charitable organisations and care centres who specialise in care of patients with dementia.
14. Ensure the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and that all legal requirements relating to Mental Capacity Act 2005, Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007), and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (2009) are considered and adhered to in relation to patient care.
15. Act as an advocate for people with dementia and their carers/families to promote their rights and best interests.
16. Participate in case conferences and best interest meetings to support patients and their carers/families where required.
17. Assist the Dementia Associate Practitioners with completion and monitoring of This Is Me Audits, liaising with ward teams as required.
18. Ensure all nursing practice is carried out in accordance with the agreed policies and procedures of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust and the NMC Code of Professional Practice.
19. Maintain professional registration in line with NMC guidance, including re-validation.
20. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of evidence-based recommendations on supporting people with dementia and their carers/families.

Please see Job description for further details:

Person Specification

Qualifications

• RGN or RMN registered with the NMC
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development in the field of dementia care, including dementia Level Tier 2 training or diploma level equivalent
• Mentorship, teaching and assessing qualification or equivalent eg, ENB 998

Experience

• Experience of working in an acute hospital setting within an area caring for patients with dementia
• Experience of working with patients and their carers affected by dementia at every stage of the disease process
• Teaching and facilitation experience
• Ability to demonstrate through experience, excellent communication skills
• Ability to present and receive complex information to patients, relatives and staff
• Ability to produce clearly written work
• Ability to rationalise and explain decisions and judgements to a wide range of staff groups in the context of acting as a patient advocate

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.