Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide administrative/treatment scheduling support to the CNSs and ACPs, supporting departmental flow and coordination of patient care.
• Assist the CNSs and ACPs with the management of the patient pathway, including ensuring that appointments have been requested and booked.
• Book and outcome lymphoma CNS telephone clinic appointments.
• Maintain an accurate and up to date patient database of CNS clinic activity
• Order supplies and written patient information as requested by the CNS. Assist with putting together patient information packs for new patients and accessing relevant literature for individual patients.
• Organise and prioritise the designated workload in order to meet the needs of the service. Assist the CNS with handover of patient care to other teams in order to facilitate safe and effective transition of care. Communicate effectively with a range of patients and health and social disciplines, including at other hospitals/care providers. This may include a variety of methods, such as electronic or in person.
• Provide a single point of access, including rapid re-entry into the system for those people identified as having urgent or specialist needs, under the direction of the CNS.
• Ensure patients/carers know how to contact the service when their condition/ needs have changed, including out of hours. Help patients and carers to understand what signs, symptoms or situations to be aware of, and what would prompt concern / necessitate clinical review.
• Triage telephone and email enquiries, using a risk assessment framework. Aim to work autonomously within this framework in order to prioritise needs and initiate appropriate response, according to protocols and individual pathways.
• Demonstrate the ability to recognise situations that require rapid response from a health care professional (CNS, ACP or medic), respond and communicate with healthcare professional and patient/carer appropriately.  Evaluate outcomes of care delivery with the registered practitioner.
• Provide general information and support about cancer services, using Trust approved literature. Sign-post patients and relatives/carers to appropriate services such as Maggie’s and Macmillan in order for them to speak to professionals who are able to discuss issues knowledgeably and impartially.
• Assist the CNS with the roll out and execution of Holistic Needs Assessment and electronic patient outcomes (ePROMs) within the disease group. To be aware of changing healthcare needs, and the importance of the psychological/emotional needs of patients and their families in order to provide evidence based, individualised care. To ensure that lymphoma patients have the opportunity to complete ePROMs at designated intervals.
• Attend day unit and inpatient wards to provide basic support and to attend Consultant led ward rounds, if necessary.
• Assist in the preparation of CNS bone marrow biopsy clinic, including scheduling appointments and gathering/organizing equipment for the bone marrow biopsy clinic.
• Act as an advocate and facilitator for patients; linking with CNSs to resolve any issues.
  Ensure accurate documentation of patient care in accordance with hospital policies and standards.

Professional/Clinical Leadership

• To act as a role model to colleagues, and be an effective resource to patients, carers and colleagues.
• Support clinical developments and projects to promote excellence in patient care.
• Attend and participate in CNS away days and strategy meetings.
• Assist and participate in the organisation of the lymphoma nurse study day and any patient education meetings, as appropriate.
• Recognise personal limitations and work within parameters of job description, or as guided by CNS.  Seek help appropriately.

 Education and Development

• To participate in annual appraisal and accept personal responsibility for growth and development within the role.
• Ensure compliance with Trust essential training.
• Attend educational meetings and conferences, appropriate to the role, in order to keep up-dated with current best practice.
• Together with other professional colleagues, develop information and resources for patients and their carers.
• Alongside CNS team, assist in development of lymphoma link nurse role in relevant departments within the Trust.

Research and Audit

• Assist CNS and ACPs in audit and evaluation of service delivery and help identify areas for improvement and change, including lymphoma patient satisfaction survey.