Staff Nurse (Band 5) Smithers Ward

A unique opportunity has arisen on Smithers ward to join our dynamic team. We are looking for a highly motivated nurse who wants to contribute to maintaining our high standards of care.

Smithers ward is a friendly 23-bed oncology ward caring for patients with a wide range of cancers throughout their treatment pathway. On the ward we specialize in SACT administration, surgical treatments, symptom management, and palliative care.

Smithers ward is committed to supporting ongoing professional and personal development, with a ward-based practice educator. This allows us to fulfill this aspect and ensure individuals gain clinical competencies in a timely manner. In addition, the hospital offers academic programs and modules via the Royal Marsden school, and on Smithers ward we support engagement in these.

The ward is often fast-paced but is a very welcoming and supportive environment. We pride ourselves on our positive teamwork and offer flexible working opportunities. This job is open to newly qualified nurses or nurses who want to develop into more senior roles.

Main duties of the job

• To plan, document, deliver, and evaluate evidence-based nursing care for patients in a responsible and efficient way, which has been drawn up in conjunction with the co-ordinator of the shift.
• To develop a greater awareness and understanding of the needs of patients with cancer and the different treatment modalities administered within the unit.
• To develop an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of managing a shift with the guidance of the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse.

Working for our organisation

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance, and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities, and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities, and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees' work-life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values, and can play a crucial role in our ongoing achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification:

These responsibilities will be carried out under the guidance of the shift co-ordinator:

• To complete the first level assessment of the patient’s needs to gain an understanding of the physiological, psycho-social, spiritual, and cultural needs of the patients with cancer and their families and to develop a positive, realistic, and supportive attitude to ensure that the needs of the patient and family are met.
• To assist with teaching patients in preparation for investigations, treatment, and home care.
• To be aware of the side effects of any treatment in progress and adopt a problem-solving approach to minimise the potentially adverse reactions.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

• Registration
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Qualification in oncology or speciality Diploma or Degree level study (or equivalent) Recognised teaching qualification

Experience

• Experience in intravenous drug administration
• Sufficient post-registration nursing experience in oncology or speciality to be confident and competent in using the required skills to do the job
• Experience in chemotherapy administration
• Experience in Clinical Management
• Evidence of relevant teaching experience
• Knowledge and understanding of clinical trials management

Skills Abilities/knowledge

• Venepuncture and/or cannulation skills
• Evidence of effective negotiating and influencing skills
• Ability to lead a team
• Ability to motivate others

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment.

All applicants will be contacted by email to the address supplied on your application. Applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly and to ensure that email filters are set to allow our emails.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the utmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.