Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB TITLE:Community Nurse

REPORTS TO:Head of Community Nursing

CONTEXT:

The Hospice of St Francis Charity provides essential free care across West Hertfordshire and South Buckinghamshire and inspires people to raise over £5million every single year to fund this care. Our care at home and in the Hospice, delivered through inter-disciplinary teams and skilled volunteers is rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. As a local employer we aspire to meet this outstanding rating in all aspects of what we do, from the experience of staff and volunteers through to our compliance with the corporate, financial, fundraising, charity and trading regulations for our business.

OVERALL JOB PURPOSE:

• This post will comprise of working as a bank nurse under the direction of the specialist nurses
• The establishment of effective working relationships with community teams, including GPs
• To provide advice and support to patients affected by life-limiting disease and to support their families. In the Spring Centre, at patients home or at other care settings as required.
• To work as a member of the Hospice multi-professional team aiming to provide a high quality, responsive, skilled and compassionate service.
• To assess patients physical, psychological, spiritual and information needs, plan, implement and evaluate care, provide specialist symptom control advice and emotional support.
• Refer to appropriate services in order to ensure patients have the support they require.
• Act as the patient or carer advocate by liaising with other colleagues including the GP, hospital teams or within the HOSF and sign posting appropriately.
• The post holder shall carry out her/his duties according to the philosophy of the Hospice, acting at all times in such a manner as to justify public trust and confidence, and to safeguard the interests and confidentiality of individual patients and their families. She/he shall uphold and enhance the good standing and the reputation of the nursing profession, being accountable for her/his professional practice, according to the NMC: The Code.
• Represent the organisation and uphold the organisations reputation and values
• To support the organisations income generation activity

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Operational

1.1 Demonstrate professional expertise and ensure all tasks are completed in line with best practice and Hospice policy

1.2 Support the department and charity strategy, and help identify opportunities and challenges

1.3 Deliver and maintain professional relationships with individuals and organisations whether direct, or indirect interface with The Hospice of St Francis

1.4 Work with productivity measures and best practice to accomplish individual objectives that contribute to the department goals

1.5 Demonstrate and evidence a consistently high standard of nursing practice. Contribute to planning, delivery and evaluation of interventions and treatments to improve/maintain quality of life.

1.6 Demonstrate competence in working alone with patients and their families at home or in out-patient setting, under the guidance of a Community Clinical Nurse Specialist

1.7 Assess physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of patient and carers needs and plan appropriately. Select referrals for Spring Centre services and refer through Systm 1. Discuss any complex medical management with the Clinical Nurse Specialist.

1.8 Have the ability to react promptly to a crisis and sudden patient changes

1.9 Work within own knowledge competencies and skills and take action to further develop

1.10 Provide continuity of care through comprehensive, accurate recording and verbal handover to the multi-professional team within the Hospice and/or community.

1.11 Be able to provide nursing cover to support with 7 day service.

1.12 Provide bereavement support for patients family as appropriate following the death of a patient, liaising with the Family Support Team to provide comprehensive handover of care.

1.13 Be aware of and comply with all legal and professional; standards relating to the duties and responsibilities of a clinical nurse, including the Nursing and Midwifery code of conduct and scope of practice and the administration and security of drugs. Complying with revalidation requirements.

1.14 Ability to support the teams transition to 7 day working, with the flexibility to cover weekend shifts working with and supporting band 2 and 3 carers.

1.15 Provide a warm, confidential friendly and reassuring response to patients and families on the telephone, and face to face dealing with matters raised and exercising initiative with regard to action necessary

2. Productivity

2.1 Support the Head of Department/Line Manager in recruitment and induction of new employees and volunteers, as required

2.2 Participate and support training of staff and prospective and existing volunteers as required

2.3 Ensure careful resource management with relation to Hospices financial constraints.

2.4 Participate fully, and play an active role, in supervision and team meetings

2.5 Review effectiveness of own work and make recommendations to improve/change service provided

2.6 Ensure communication with colleagues across the organisation is professional, and maintain excellent working practice

3. Governance

3.1 Identify and notify line manager of any operational risks, and when identified follow the correct process

3.2 Comply with statutory and mandatory training, continuous professional development, and any registration revalidation requirements, as necessary

3.3 When handling personally identifiable and sensitive information ensure your conduct is consistent with GDPR requirements of the legislative, and regulatory frameworks for information and information governance, whether that be in hard or soft copy or digital formats

4. Personal Development

4.1 Keep up to date of key changes in policy, legislation and governance requirements relevant to the role and the Charity

4.2 Maintain continuing professional support and self-development to develop own skills and knowledge through additional education and training

4.3 Act as a role model promoting the values of the Charity in accordance with the post holders professional Code of Practice

4.4 To identify gaps in personal training and development and attend training as requested

5. Health and Safety

5.1 Understand and comply with Health and Safety, Fire and Infection Control regulations, and Hospice policy, to assure compliance and resolve and/or mitigate risk

5.2 Ensure own safety, patients and visitors in accordance with the Hospice Health and Safety Policy on-site and off-site at Hospice run events

5.3 Complete all mandatory training for Health and Safety, Fire and Infection Control. Ensure risk assessments are completed as necessary to maintain compliance with Hospice regulations

5.4 Report any accidents or incidents in the department, record the incident in the relevant accident book

6. Safeguarding

6.1 To act in a manner that safeguards the interests of beneficiaries and upholds public trust and confidence in The Hospice of St Francis

DIMENSIONS:

The following posts report to this role/budget responsibilities:

RELATIONSHIPS:

Direct reports

Staff and volunteers

Board of Trustees

Executive Team

Association Members & Patrons

Patients and Families

Bank staff

Head(s) of Service

Key donors and suppliers

Regulators regional officers/partners

National Charities

Professional bodies/networks

Relevant regional & national peers

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• -Proven post registration nursing experience.
• -Proven experience of working effectively in a team.
• -Minimum of 3 years experience in palliative care/oncology.
• -Proven experience of using IT systems.
• -Good organisational skills.
• -Knowledge of symptom control.
• -Ability to perform assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care.
• -Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• - Demonstrate an ability to supervise and support others.
• -Ability to work effectively in an emotionally demanding environment.
• -Caring and empathetic approach
• -Excellent listening and interpersonal skills
• -Good team player who is willing to support others/learn new skills
• -Excellent judgement and good decision making skills.
• -Ability to work with confidential sensitive information & understand boundaries and support others to work in this way
• -Good team member and ability to work autonomously
• -Flexible and adaptable to a variety of tasks
• -Ability to prioritise effectively and work under pressure
• -Strong planning and organisational skills
• -Able to use initiative and work without close supervision
• -Judgement to be able to ask for help and direction

Desirable

• -Proven experience of working in diverse communities, understanding and overcoming the impact of discrimination
• -Community experience
• -Experience of Systmone electronic patient record system
• -Experience working with volunteers
• -Advanced communication skills

Additional

Essential

• -Drive and enthusiasm
• -Self-motivated
• -Flexible working to defined shift patterns including weekend working.
• -Confident under pressure
• -Able to use initiative and work without close supervision
• -Judgement to be able to ask for help and direction
• -Keen to develop self within role
• -Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post
• -Car owner and driver
• - Ability to speak, write and/or sign more than one language relevant to the population served
• - Development of others to succeed
• - Keen to develop self within role

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered General Nurse (Level 1)/ Paramedic
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development
• Palliative care experience is essential
• Proven post registration nursing / Paramedic experience.
• Proven experience of working effectively in a team.
• Minimum of 3 years experience in palliative care/oncology.
• Proven experience of using IT systems.
• Good organisational skills.
• Knowledge of symptom control.
• Ability to perform assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website .

Employer details

Employer name

The Hospice of St Francis

Address

Spring Garden Lane

Berkhamsted

Hertfordshire

HP4 3GW