Job Description
The Imaging Department has an exciting opportunity for an Imaging Care Assistant (ICA) position.
The post holders will be supporting the Ultrasound service with a view that they will also assist in other areas of Imaging in the future.
The post holder will provide assistant and chaperone cover in all ultrasound rooms, on site and off site. There will be a requirement for the ICAs to form part of a roster to ensure that all evening, weekend and bank holiday services are supported.
Candidates who are shortlisted will need to be available for interviews on 11 May 2023.
The ICA will provide assistant and chaperone cover in all ultrasound rooms, on site and off site. They will assist the ultrasound practitioner, who may be a Consultant Radiologist, Radiology Registrar or Sonographer, whilst supporting the patient during the ultrasound scan.
The ICA will communicate with the ultrasound practitioner and the patient effectively and assist with musculoskeletal joint injections and fine needle aspirations. Training can be provided for successful candidate(s) once in post.
The ICA must be able to take patient observations. The ICA will be required to look after inpatients in the inpatient wait area before and after their scan/procedure and also outpatients who may need recovery time following a procedure.
The Medical Imaging Service Line at Derriford Hospital and its peripheral sites provide diagnostic and treatment pathways for a wide spectrum of emergency and elective patients from across the South West through the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Ultrasound (US), Interventional Radiology (IR), Plain Film (PF), Nuclear Medicine and Fluoroscopy.
The Ultrasound service is currently delivering ultrasound scans from rooms based in Derriford Hospital and other locations off site such as Cumberland centre. We provide a comprehensive and varied service which extends into the evenings, weekends and bank holidays. We are seeking helpful and cheerful assistants to join our friendly team.
The role of the Imaging Care Assistant is essential to safe and efficient patient flow across the department, responding to the needs of the service to provide support to patients and their clinician during their time in the department.
Flexible working patterns can be supported if they fit in with service needs.
Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS at Risk staff throughout Devon who is able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.
- Accompanying patients to and from the scan room, providing advice to the patient on the correct way to change for their examination if required and where necessary assist with undressing and dressing.
- To get the patient ready for ultrasound examination appropriately when patient is in the scan room.
- To assist Radiographers/Sonographers/Registrars/Radiologists during patient examination as required using manual handling skills & mechanical aids when appropriate.
- To ensure the scan rooms are clean, tidy and well stocked according to the requirements of each room at all times.
- To be familiar with imaging procedures of all modalities in order to be able to explain them to patients of all ages & abilities, carers & relatives & report any concerns to a radiographer.
- To provide support for anxious, emotional, frightened & terminally ill patients of all ages & their relatives.
- To transport patients to and from the department in wheelchairs or beds either alone or with a Porter or colleague as necessary. Also moving equipment from one modality to another.
- To assess any infection risks & use necessary precautions. There may be on occasional contacts with bodily fluids. To be competent in infection control issues concerning medical equipment in all areas of imaging.
- To be able to organise & prioritise your own workload to maintain efficient & effective patient management.
- To participate in any other duties commensurate with grade & at the discretion of the Service Line Manager and Modality Leads.
- To demonstrate the posts duties to assist in the training of new ICAs, Student Radiographers, Trainee Sonographers and Assistant Practitioners.
- To use IPM & keyboard skills to accurately enter patient information on to the computer system (CRIS) ensuring that data/alarms held is correct and completed in a timely manner.
- Adhere to the date protection act ensuring patient confidentiality at all times.
- To maintain yearly competences in accordance with the modality in which you are working.
- To support & enhance the continual quality initiative programme ensuring a “quality first” approach to all aspects of work in the Imaging Department.
- To assist with the daily checking, re-stocking of the Resus Trolley and the weekly check with a senior member of staff.
- The ability to be able to work with other employees as part of a multi skilled team, flexibility in working patterns to fulfil unexpected clinical requirements.
- To act as a chaperone when required ensuring that the patients’ dignity is protected. These patients need to be dealt with in a sensitive & empathetic manner due to the nature of the examination.
- Empty sharps bins and dispose of in the correct place. Confidential waste and yellow bags should be placed in the correct areas for disposal.
- Wipe down equipment after appropriately every use and reset the room between patients.
- To assist in medical emergencies i.e. resus or contrast reactions.
- Ultrasound service is provided predominantly during weekday daytimes and evenings. There is a regular weekend service and increasing use of rooms during the weekends. Whilst the department supports flexible working, the post holder needs to be able to have a working pattern that fits in with service needs and participate in covering of extended days, evenings, weekends and bank holidays when required.
- To provide assistant and chaperone support within the Ultrasound rooms located in Derriford Hospital including Orthopaedic clinic and in any of our off site locations such as Cumberland.
- To be the dedicated assistant in Ultrasound room and be willing to help across adjacent rooms when required.
- To assist the Ultrasound operator and aid smooth running of the ultrasound session.
- To ensure each Ultrasound room is set up appropriately, with appropriate stock, for the clinical session according to the type of examinations booked and have an awareness of how the room should be set up for the next session.
- To acquire necessary skills to prepare a trolley and assist with Ultrasound procedures such as musculoskeletal (MSK) injections and fine needle aspirations (FNAs) etc.
- To possess the skills or be willing to be trained to take patient observations.
- To complete training required to be competent to use Trophon sterilisation machine.
- To have an awareness of infection control procedures applicable to Ultrasound service, including appropriate way to clean down the Ultrasound equipment.
- To have an awareness of Ultrasound equipment and look after Ultrasound machines and transducers appropriately.
- To work in collaboration with Consultant Radiologists, Registrars, Sonographers, Trainee Sonographers, Nurses and Porters to deliver an Ultrasound service to the highest standard.