Trainee Ophthalmic Nurse Practitioner

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

A fantastic opportunity has arisen in the Emergency Department at Bristol Eye Hospital.

Do you have experience as a Band 6 working in emergency ophthalmic care? Or are you a keen Band 5 who would like to develop into this speciality? Are you proficient in assessment and a quick thinking problem solver? Then come and join our highly skilled ophthalmic team.

This is a very exciting opportunity for someone who has an interest in Ophthalmology and wants to explore the speciality or someone who already has extensive Ophthalmic experience and wants to expand their skills. This post will allow you to improve your triage skills and develop history taking and assessment expertise in the ophthalmic setting. Ophthalmic experience is desirable, however, candidates who have a keen interest in ophthalmology will also be considered. You will get to work with a team of highly skilled Nurse Practitioners and Doctors who will help you to develop your skills in Ophthalmology. Full training will be provided.

This post is fixed term for 12 months.

Main duties of the job

• To be able to triage effectively and prioritise patients accordingly
• To be able to use a slit lamp to assess patients (Training given)
• To see and treat patients independently using patient group directives (PGD's) or as a Non-Medical prescriber (Depending on experience)
• To be able to see, treat & discharge patients without medical input (Depending on experience)
• To be able to implement tests for patients prior to medical staff examination
• Perform venepuncture, cannulation and take swabs as required.
• Perform irrigation on patients with chemical injuries
• Assist doctors with medical procedures
• To be able to take charge and lead a shift, utilising delegation and communication skills to ensure patient safety is maintained at all times.

About us

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them.

Job responsibilities

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• NMC registered
• Post registration ophthalmic qualification (Band 6)
• Practice Assessor (Band 6)
• Post registration ophthalmic qualification (Band 5)
• Practice Assessor (Band 5)

Knowledge and Experience

• Slit Lamp experience (Band 6)
• Previous Ophthalmology experience (Band 6)
• Good knowledge of the A&P of the eye (Band 6)
• Previous ophthalmic experience (Band 5)
• Good knowledge of the A&P of the eye (Band 5)
• Slit Lamp experience (Band 5)

Skills and Abilities

• Venepuncture and Cannulation
• History Taking
• Ophthalmic Triage (Band 6)
• Ophthalmic Triage (Band 5)
• Good communication and delegation skills
• Good Team player
• Ability to adapt to change
• Self-motivated
• Ability to work a flexible shift pattern

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.