Job Description
Band 6 Paediatric Sister / Charge nurse - general paediatrics, St Mary’s Hospital
Join our dynamic and friendly nursing team on our 22 bedded inpatient unit: Great Western ward. You’ll utilise your experience caring for patients that range from neonates to adulthood. Great western ward looks after a wide range of patients being admitted from the emergency department as well as paediatric intensive care and neonatal intensive care units at St Mary’s and Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea hospitals. You’ll be able to use your clinical skills to look after these acute admissions ranging from the complex needs patient to the acute trauma admission.
Undertake a career pathway of training and education that is individually developed for you and supported by our clinical nurse educators who often work alongside you on the ward. There are many opportunities for development such as: leadership programmes, diabetes specialist course and APLS amongst many others.
At Imperial you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people. You’ll be working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care. Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You’ll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career.
Providing high quality, effective and individualised nursing care to a variety of patients in a compassionate and caring way.
- Assessing care needs and developing, implementing and evaluating care plans without supervision.
- Helping to lead and monitor the performance of the nursing team.
- Deputising for the Senior Nurse as required.
At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care. Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You’ll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career.
Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.
We encourage staff to have the Covid vaccination to protect themselves, patients, other colleagues as well as the wider community.
Please note it is an operational requirement to comply with infection prevention and control procedures within the Trust such as lateral flow testing, handwashing and the wearing of masks, according to the procedures in place at any time or location.
As part of our continued response to Covid19 we are still conducting the majority of our interviews virtually.
We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part-time or job share.
Communication and relationship skills
- To demonstrate politeness, courtesy and sensitivity in dealing with patients/clients, visitors/relatives and colleagues, maintaining good customer relations.
- Contribute towards sharing good practice within the ward/department and Trust wide.
- To promote a positive image of St Mary’s NHS Trust at all times.
- To work cohesively with all members of the ward team in ensuring that the very best services to patients are provided at all times.
- Adhere to and actively promote to others St Mary’s People to People Expectations six point guide.
- Be involved in St Mary’s organisational development plans to transform the hospital to meet the needs of future, this will include upholding St Mary’s shared values.
- Work towards provision of support mechanisms for sharing good practice within the Ward/Department and Trust wide. Assist in the programme and provide clinical supervision, as required for all registered nurses working in the Ward / Department.
- Work towards maintaining and promoting effective communication with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and other Wards / Departments, including developing your formal presentation skills.
- Contribute to Directorate / Site bleep cover arrangements as required
Responsibility- Patient/ client care
- To assess, plan, implement and evaluate programmes of care, actively seeking evidence based practice which will improve the quality of care and meet the needs of the patient. A holistic approach to caring should be planned that will include the appropriate level of physiological; pathological; spiritual, socio-economical and cultural aspects which influence the care of clients within your specific speciality.
- To lead the provision of care in accordance with St Mary’s NHS Trust Policies reflecting current trends and developments in nursing and the NHS.
- Using specialised knowledge to take charge of the clinical needs of a group of defined patients and/or to take charge regularly of the clinical area and/or to take charge of the clinical area in the absence of the Ward / Department Manager, prioritising workload according to changing clinical need over a 24 period. Utilising appropriate support as necessary to ensure safe staffing levels are maintained.
- In conjunction with the Ward / Department Manager provide a suitable and safe environment for the physical and psychological wellbeing of staff, patients/clients and their relatives/carers. Identify clinical risks and ensure that appropriate action is implemented in accordance with the Trust Risk Management policy.
- Ensure that nursing documentation is maintained to the Trust standard (including electronic records).
- In the absence or as delegated by the Ward / Department Manager initiate investigations of untoward incidents, accidents, complaints and other relevant information.
- To delegate tasks and activities to a range of team members in relation to patient care. (for example when taking charge or as link nurse)
- In conjunction with the staff team, to assist in developing and maintaining a Ward/Department philosophy and model of care.
- To comply with and participate in the Trust’s framework of clinical governance within the ward or department area, seeking advice or guidance where necessary.
- To demonstrate awareness and compliance with Trust policies, procedures, guidelines and standards. This will include identification of risk (clinical, health, safety and security). To work towards promoting this to others.
- Record and report all incidents/complaints involving staff, patients and visitors in accordance with St Mary’s NHS Trust policies and assist in any investigations as required.
- Ensure through good practice that customer care initiatives are improved and sustained. Act as a resource for advice to patients, relatives/carers and staff.
- To promote actively a healthy lifestyle for patients and staff appreciating national strategy requirements.
Responsibility – Policy and service
- To work on delegated projects relating to local policy and service development. To work towards leading the same.
- To be aware of service delivery plans
- To be involved actively in the development of Trust policies and procedures at ward / department level, their implementation and reinforce their use.
Responsibility- Financial and physical
- To assist the ward/unit manager in the effective and efficient use of resources & adequate stock levels, adhering to procedures for the use of supplies.
- Ensure appropriate staffing levels and skill mix are scheduled to reflect the workload and meet the needs of the patient. Assist the ward / department manager by adhering to the procedures for the activation of the nurse bank/alteration of nurse duty rotas
- To participate in the business planning process, helping to identify areas for service development.
Responsibility- Staff/ HR/ leadership, training
- Actively manage own annual leave in line with Trust and local Policy and Procedure.
- Maintain, update and develop personal and professional knowledge and skills by participating in the Trust’s 1:1 process and PDP development.
- Participate in the programme for clinical supervision as required.
- Maintain a personal, professional profile, identifying role and skill developments in line with the Scope of Professional Practice.
- Assist in the recruitment, retention and selection of staff.
- Work towards delegation of tasks and activities to a range of team members and evaluate outcomes in conjunction with the Ward / Department Manager.
- Work towards assisting in the management of staff attendance, poor performance, disciplinary and grievance issues in the clinical area.
- Work towards being responsible for the 1:1’s and PDP’s of named staff as appropriate and as delegated by the Ward / Department Manager. Understand the impact of individual PDP’s on the learning needs of the ward / department.
- Maintain, update and develop personal and professional knowledge and skills, using the Trust’s Performance Review System, enabling standards of patient care to be monitored constantly and improved.
- Participate fully as a team member, sharing knowledge and information and supporting colleagues, including support staff to promote a cohesive ward team and the achievement of team objectives
- To engage actively with self rostering in clinical ward or departments
- To participate in planning the duty rota taking into consideration the needs of the service and in conjunction with the parameters set by the Ward / Department manager.
- To contribute to the development and maintenance of a positive learning environment for colleagues, patients and visitors.
- To participate in staff education and development, including utilising appropriate learning opportunities and to act as a mentor and resource for student nurses, adaptation and unqualified members of the nursing team.
Responsibility- Information resources
- To be involved actively in maintaining data quality on PAS or similar systems in the future.
- Undertake relevant training for electronic information systems in place & under development.
- Following Trust / local guidelines order relevant tests and access results reported on Web OCS.
- To have an active e-mail account
Responsibility- Research and development
- Demonstrate through a holistic approach to nursing care and day to day clinical issues an understanding of evidence based practice.
- Participate in the collection of audit and research data as required. Identify areas where local audit is needed, conduct the audit and analyse the data with support.
- Monitor the quality of nursing care and action audit information to achieve agreed standards under the direction of the Ward / Department Manager.
- Under the supervision of the Sister/Charge Nurse contribute and participate in the process of setting goals and benchmarking standards of care. Develop tools to improve the quality of the service and co-ordinate clinical services across the Ward/Department. Participate in conducting nursing audit to achieve the agreed standards.
- Participate in Trust wide research awareness sessions for nurses and midwives and recommend innovations for clinical practice.
Freedom to act
- At foundation gateway: required to act independently within appropriate clinical/professional guidelines and refer to their manager when necessary (level 3)
- At second gateway: freedom to initiate action within broad clinical/ professional policies, seeking guidance from others as necessary (level 4)
Other duties
- Provide cover for colleagues as appropriate.
- Undertake any other duties requested as appropriate to the banding.