Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

Clinical Practice (Patient Care - both direct and indirect)

• Triage, allocate, assess the patients referred to the TVS holistically, using a range of different assessment methods and reach valid, reliable and comprehensive patient centred conclusions, which manage risk and are appropriate to their need, context, culture and ethnicity.
• Plan, deliver and evaluate programmes of care for patients referred to the TVS in conjunction with referrer.
• Make and take referrals directly to and from healthcare professionals in both primary, secondary, community, care homes and mental health services.
• Communicate with patients in ways that empower them to make informed choices about their health and well-being and promote independence where appropriate.
• To promote and deliver advanced nursing practice in relation to planning and delivering individualised patient care based upon principles of best practice in all aspects of tissue viability, either directly through personal contact or indirectly by telephone or supervision of others practice.
• To support district and community nursing teams, practice, ward and care home staff with the implementation of local and national practice guidelines, enabling them to initiate appropriate local developments and changes.
• To participate in tissue viability interest groups locally.
• To maintain professional networking relationships with all relevant professionals
• To work in partnership with an independent medical prescriber, as a supplementary non-medical prescriber, within the designated area of practice.
• As an Independent non-medical prescriber, prescribe for clients with an existing diagnosis taking full responsibility and accountability for clinical assessment and management of patients and their prescribing decisions. They may prescribe medications as considered safe and appropriate under national and local guidance and within their competency.

Education and Training

• To be pro-active in creating and promoting a supportive learning environment that embraces a culture of evidence and research-based practice.
• To plan the development, co-ordination and delivery of practice-based education and training in a variety of settings to different disciplines and levels of staff to facilitate the implementation of best practice.
• To plan, co-ordinate, deliver and monitor learning outcomes of skill development workshops.
• To monitor staffs learning needs in relation to tissue viability and develop, with the Nurse Consultant a programme of education and skill development to meet identified needs.
• To ensure that information detailing study days and workshops provided by the TVS are advertised widely and ensure that access is organised and attendance is monitored, evaluated and reported.

Research and Audit

• To co-ordinate and participate in clinical Tissue Viability research and audit projects and product evaluations.
• To facilitate the implementation of clinical governance through the implementation of evidence/research-based guidelines, education and audit.
• Facilitate the dissemination of appropriate research findings to the clinicians within the Trust.
• To organise, co-ordinate and evaluate current practice in tissue viability management through the audit process

Managerial including People (HR) Management

• To take an active role in the management, organisation, monitoring and reporting on aspects of the TVS.
• To collect, collate and report on service activities including outcomes data, audits, etc.
• To take an active role in Quality Improvement approaches related to tissue viability.
• To manage junior colleagues within the TVS, undertaking Appraisals, Management Supervision Meetings, monitoring compliance with Trust and Professional expectations and standards.
• Monitor and review TVS Asset Registers, Equipment maintenance and replacement and updates etc.
• Provide and participate in Clinical Supervision
• Day to day supervision of junior staff/local induction
• Deliver education and training as a major job responsibility
• Line management responsibility including recruitment, appraisals, performance.

Service Development

• To work with the Consultant Nurse & Lead TVN to pro-actively develop the TVS
• Work with the Consultant Nurse & Lead TVN to ensure the TVS has a mobile working approach using up to date available IT platforms and software.
• Contributing to business planning
• Support the development of policies, protocols, formularies, practice guidance documents etc.

Communication including Patient and Customer Care

• Deal with sensitive or contentious information in addition to routine, complex or highly complex
• Plan and organise TV activities
• Deal with complex staff issues or work planning/scheduling
• Deal with problems that require analysis and/or interpretation
• Maintain details of day-to-day contact with patients/customers

Systems and Equipment

• Responsible for stock and asset control and maintenance activity of service technical clinical and non-clinical equipment and equipment that relates to information management.

Effort, Mental and Environment

• Working with people with chronic wounds requires a level of physical strength and skills often in challenging situations that may be tight for space, restricted light conditions, working at different heights e.g. kneeling on a floor, bed, couch, standing and bending over for protracted periods of time, depending on the patients location.
• Working with people with chronic wounds and learners requires the ability to concentrate for long periods of time and complex mental effort is required.
• Emotional support for patients and learners and colleagues and will require compassion, respect and the ability to tailor approaches to the presenting situations.

Person Specification

Education and qualifications

Essential

• NMC 1st level registration
• Basic education
• Degree - nursing related
• Post registration accreditation in: Leg Ulcer / Pressure Ulcer Assessment and Management
• Mentorship Preparation Course
• Physical / Clinical Assessment Course
• Hold current registration as an Independent and Supplementary non-medical prescriber with the NMC.

Desirable

• Masters
• Tissue Viability degree
• Sharp debridement competencies
• Quality Improvement Course.

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Experience of working in a variety of settings e.g. Acute, Community and Mental Health, Nursing Homes & Intermediate Care
• Experience of managing staff and resources in a variety of settings e.g. Acute, Community and Mental Health, Nursing Homes & Intermediate Care
• Experience of nursing patients with tissue viability problems in primary/community and hospital settings
• Experience of supporting learning in junior and senior colleagues in and on Practice including leading internal events linked to National Wound Care Strategies using different approaches to maximise learning
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team
• Experience of supporting and promoting accountability among other nurses
• Experience of promoting advanced nursing practice
• Efficient management of resources
• Post registration experience of working at a senior nurse level with patients who have a variety of tissue viability problems including pressure ulcers, leg ulcers, diabetic foot wounds, dehisced surgical wounds, malignant wounds etc.
• Evidence of personal and professional development

Desirable

• Experience of working as a tissue viability nurse in a variety of settings e.g. Acute, Community and Mental Health, Nursing

Experience

Essential

• Advanced inter-personal and general healthcare related communication skills, including oral and written.
• Able to prioritise and organise own workload and that of others
• Competent in the use of Doppler/compression bandaging / hosiery etc.
• Comprehensive Specialist wound assessment & management skills
• Knowledge of the audit and Quality Improvement process and experience of applying to clinical practice
• Able to maintain own caseload and direct those of others
• Ability to work as a member of a team and independently
• Ability to develop staff and monitor and enhance their performance
• Ability to search effectively for data, critically analyse and interpret and disseminate various forms of evidence.
• Computer literacy skills; Word processing and data analysis skills and ability to use remote working technology and various common database systems e.g. EPR, Excel, Microsoft Office programs etc.
• Understanding of Clinical Supervision and appraisal
• Understanding of personal and professional accountability
• Current issues affecting nursing practice generally and tissue viability specifically Knowledge of the NMC Code of Conduct

Desirable

• Working knowledge of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Compassion
• Empathy
• Respectfulness
• Assertiveness
• Flexibility
• Reliability
• Adaptable
• Openness
• Honesty
• Team Working
• Interpersonal skills and written and verbal skills
• Importance of a positive "can do" attitude
• Positive attitude to change

Values

Essential

• Demonstrable ability to meet Trust values

Other Requirements

Essential

• Ability to work in a variety of settings, including patients' homes, wards, Care Homes, out-patient clinics and rehabilitation areas.
• Car driver and have access to a vehicle for business use

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

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust

Address

Forest Primary Care Center

308a Hertford Road

London

N9 7HD