PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Leadership/Managerial

Continuing responsibility for the assessment of care needs and setting standards by:

·         Providing and delivering a high standard of specialist nursing care by initiating and co-coordinating the assessment, planning, and evaluating of individual patients needs based on evidence within home therapies areas, including Home Haemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis including dialysis access.

·         Commencement of haemodialysis, cannulation and termination of dialysis using highly complex specialist dialysis equipment to include problem solving skills

·         Care of the haemodialysis patient with Percutaneous Access to include problem solving skills

·         Interpret any machine alarms and take corrective action

·         Assist in the care of patients undergoing minor surgical interventions recognising problems and initiating action when required

·         Ensuring staff work within national and locally agreed policies and procedures.

·         Compiling, implementation and evaluation of philosophies of care, ensuring support for the patient and his/her family and all staff members.

·         Leading the implementation of policies such as Fundamentals of Care, as per Trust/National guidelines

·         Working closely with the multidisciplinary teams to provide safe and effective home therapies treatment

·         Manage all aspects of recruitment, planning off-duty rotas to make effective use of staff.

Retention of staff, including sickness and absence, appraisals and staff training in line with Trust policies.

·         Development of policies and planning of specialist/new services either as part of the multi-disciplinary clinical/management team, or where appropriate as individual lead.

·         Working closely with the care group management team within the area of responsibility to play an active role in service development and achievement of specialty-based targets.

·         Assist in maintaining and development of protocols and policies for specialist area of care.

·         Be a member of relevant professional association and attend regional/national meetings and conferences.

·         Participates in clinical research and audit and contributes to development of knowledge within field of expertise.

·         Supports and advises junior staff who wish to undertake audit and research.

Clinical

·         Delivery of high standards of clinical care, underpinned by sound evidence-based knowledge and ‘Fundamentals of Care’ principles.

·         Delivery of Infection Control practice as defined by National recommendations and local policies. Teaching staff to understand their responsibilities e.g. environmental cleanliness, maintenance and use of all equipment within clinical setting

·         Ensuring staff understand and implement actions and responsibilities e.g. environmental cleanliness, maintenance and use of all equipment within clinical setting

·         With support from the Lead Nurse, lead the investigation and follow up of all clinical incidents and complaints ensuring that any corrective action is implemented.

·         Acts as a role model for excellence, maintaining own clinical competence and active NMC registration.

·         Providing Specialist Nursing advice to the multidisciplinary team.

·         Providing and delivering a high standard of specialist renal care by initiating and co-coordinating the assessment, planning, implementing and evaluation of patient’s treatment.

·         Providing continuity of care throughout the patient journey, liaising across the organisations.

·         Identifying and interpreting complex patient needs in relation to their disease and proposed treatment.

·         Reporting and documenting all relevant nursing/patient needs, communicating changes with other health care professionals in the multi-disciplinary team with ongoing responsibility for patient care, both verbally & in writing, as they occur.

·         Providing and delivering health information, education & promotion within the clinical area and advise patients, family, and others in a manner which maintains an individual’s privacy & dignity.

·         Communicates highly sensitive and emotive information about patient’s conditions to patients and significant others.

·         Identifies, assesses and meets the educational and training needs of patients and carers.

·         Engage & interact with carers/family encouraging them to be actively involved in patient’s treatment, supporting patient’s choice and independence in relation to haemodialysis treatment.

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Communication

·         Establish and maintain effective communication channels within and outside the department.

·         Leading the establishment of a teamwork philosophy, empowering others to take part in the decision-making process.

·         Actively involved in multidisciplinary meetings and participating in Directorate forums as required.

·         Playing an active role in the integration of Patient and Public Involvement.

·         Effecting change to meet changing patient requirements.

·         Maintain good relationships between all members of staff, thus developing professionalism through the team.

·         Ensure good communication both verbally and via formal documentation with all members of the nursing and multidisciplinary team.

·         Able to communicate effectively in demanding and challenging situations, e.g. end of life issues.

·         Accept responsibility; be aware and able to locate all policies relating to good working practice within the clinical area and able to adhere to both by self and colleagues, and to challenge staff about their location.

·         Ensure carers/family and visitors are aware of policies, standards/guidelines relevant to the patients care or clinical area.

·         Provide specialist knowledge to other areas, when assistance/advice is required.

Education

·         To be responsible for the continuing assessment of performance and the identification of development needs of team members

·         Ensuring that all new members of the team have a designated Mentor and participate in the induction and education of all new members of the team.

·         Assisting to lead programmes to support staff in meeting PREP requirements.

·         Assisting in the education of pre dialysis patients regarding home dialysis as the option to enable patients to continue with their daily work and activities

·         Actively participating in the educational programme of all staff, including students. Close liaison with the Practice Development Department, offering practical and clinical guidance and attending lectures and meetings as required.

·         Constantly updating one's own knowledge, recognising the importance of a critical approach to research and developments in nursing.

·         Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and participate in the induction of locum staff to ward policies and routine

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

·           Patients and carers/families

·           CKD CNS Team

·           Consultant Nephrologists

·           General surgeons

·           Haemodialysis Unit Nursing Teams

·           Lead Nurse Dialysis, CKD and AKI

·           Vascular Access Team

·           Matron - Renal

·           Strategic line manager for renal

·           Transplant CNS Team

·           Education Team for renal

·           Renal Multi-Professional Team