Job summary
- Main area
- Renal
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 216-LT-DD8116112
- Employer
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Derriford Hospital
- Town
- Plymouth
- Salary
- £39,959 - £48,117 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 24/08/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Specialist Nurse
NHS AfC: Band 6
Job overview
Are you an experienced, motivated passionate nurse focused on improving patient outcomes and driving meaningful change across UHP.
As our AKI Specialist Nurse—you’ll help transform how AKI is recognised, managed & prevented, working alongside the AKI Lead, you’ll have the opportunity to influence clinical practice, support frontline teams, develop education, contribute to quality improvement, and help shape services that make a tangible difference to patients every day.
Do you thrive on collaboration and innovation, enjoy empowering colleagues?
You are:
- curious, proactive and driven to improve care
- confident working across the MDT
- want to develop specialist expertise while leading service improvement.
Every day is different, one day you may be reviewing patients with complex AKI, the next delivering teaching, analysing quality improvement data, or working alongside teams to improve recognition and management of deteriorating kidney function.
This is an opportunity to become part of a developing service where your ideas, enthusiasm and clinical expertise will genuinely influence the future direction of AKI care.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
To assist the team lead in the continuing development of the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) service to ensure the delivery of compassionate person-centred care and evidence based clinical practice.
To develop and sustain working partnerships with patients, individual groups, communities and agencies.
Facilitate the planning and delivery of care programmes to address clinical and patient needs and develop/improve the service.
Actively facilitate the coordinating care throughout the patient’s pathway, whilst under the care of the MDT, from diagnosis through treatment and follow up care.
To provide tailored education and written information for patients, relatives and hospital staff covering AKI, its treatment, and follow up.
Be actively involved in quality improvement, research & clinical audit within the clinical area of AKI/Renal.
Undertake nurse led AKI clinics on site and at peripheral hospitals
Undertake AKI Teaching for clinicians on site and at peripheral hospitals.
Management of the AKI Service in the absence of the Band 7, ensure cross cover is provided for the patient caseload when colleagues are on leave.
The AKI Nurse specialist will be based in the acute hospital.
The post holder will fulfil all tasks and work as part of a team. To meet the needs of the service, the post holder may be required to work in other areas as appropriate as directed by the line manager.
Working for our organisation
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
- Professional accountability for all aspects of own work, including the management of patients in your care
- To ensure all AKI patients have their AKI diagnoses included in their plan of care and discharge summary to ensure appropriate coding can be completed.
- Communicate the plan of care with team responsible for the patients care, and review as appropriate, escalating care or clinical need where required, within the MDT and wider Trust.
- To receive direct in-patient referrals within the acute trust, and to plan and organise day to day service provision for patients on the AKI Pathway.
- Contribute to educating and supporting the AKI champions within the acute trust.
- Coordinate the teaching and support plan for the AKI Service.
- To support the development of specialist nurse led care where appropriate in line with National Guidance.
- To work with the service lead to develop and provide a co-ordinated specialist service for patients with an AKI (and their carers) and to have direct clinical involvement in complex care in both the inpatient and outpatient setting.
- To recognise ethical dilemmas relating to care and act as the patient/relative’s advocate when required.
For further information please see attached job description
Person specification
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Essential criteria
- • Excellent written and verbal skills, exemplary record keeping • Communicate empathetically and articulately with Patients, Relatives / Carers when discussing/explaining clinical conditions and potentially distressing / sensitive information such as breaking bad news. Offer reassurance and encouragement in highly emotive situations • Presentation skills to small and large groups • Proven ability to apply knowledge and skills to a broad range of clinically and professionally challenging situations
Desirable criteria
- • Demonstrable experience in a leadership capacity • Communication / Counselling Skills Training • Proven knowledge of renal replacement therapies
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- • NMC Registration • Post reg. specialist qualification or equivalent where appropriate
Desirable criteria
- • Demonstrable experience of managing service development • Non-medical prescriber or willing to undertake • Renal Course • Proven Leadership course or equivalent • Proven Teaching/Mentorship or equivalent
APTITUDE & ABILITIES
Essential criteria
- • Change management • Patient/user involvement & advocacy • Practice/service development within AKI • Accurate data input, collection, analysis, audit and evaluation • Able to work effectively under pressure across competing priorities • Good organisational skills - prioritise workload, work independently, flexible adapting plan as appropriate to the needs of the service • Proven ability to utilise research and develop a research aware culture • Effective influencing skills: in general, and with senior health care professionals • Attention to detail • Punctual and good time management
Desirable criteria
- • Standard keyboard skills and knowledge of a number of software packages such Excel, Word, PowerPoint, PAS, e-rostering etc.
DISPOSITION / ATTITUDE / MOTIVATION
Essential criteria
- • Act as a role model and lead by example • Working in line with the Trust values • Proven ability to work autonomously within a busy environment • Leadership and team building skills, good collaborative working • Proactive, takes own initiative • Proven ability to motivate others and manage change • Critical thinking and strong analytical skills
OTHER FACTORS
Essential criteria
- • Flexible approach to work Some ‘out of hours’ working to meet the needs of the service • Proven ability to travel between sites
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Eve ClaireVue
- Job title
- AKI Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01752437902
- Additional information
Due to the active nature of the role, I mostly will be on the wards, and unable to take calls, there is however a voicemail on my direct line and I am happy to call back to discuss the role further. Alternatively my manager Jen McDermott can be contacted on 01752 431700.
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