Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1       1.   Communication

• Act as an advocate for the patients ensuring the provision of appropriate information and support services and to be actively involved with the education of patients and their families.
• Establish and maintain good communication with the Ward/Department administrative, housekeeping and domestic staff
• Maintain and protect the safety and confidentiality of patients and families.
• To be responsible for ensuring all patients and their relatives/carers are kept fully informed of patients treatment/progress and discharge plans/after care
• Demonstrate appropriate assertiveness and ability to challenge others when the rights of patients and others may be infringed
• Promote interdisciplinary working, with outcomes aimed at the best interests of patients and cohesive service delivery
• Generate and sustain relationships that promote dignity, rights and responsibilities.
• Demonstrate the importance of obtaining, organising and recording accurate information
•       Attend ward meetings, read minutes and memos to keep updated.

2      2. Analytical and Planning

• Plan, assess, implement and evaluate programmes of care for individual patients assisting other staff in this activity if required.
• Promote/develop and maintain a culture within the Ward/Department in collaboration with the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse which challenges and questions practice and promote the quality of thinking amongst practitioners. 
• To contribute to supporting the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse to maintain/improve and develop high standards of patient care, and thereby ensuring that the patients are treated with privacy, dignity and respect
• Support the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse in actively implementing initiatives outlined within the Trust’s local Nursing and Midwifery and Patient Involvement & Experience Strategies
• To assist the Senior Sister in ensuring that nursing practice reflects current clinical developments, evidence based guidance and is based on sound nursing audit and research, identifying opportunities for the promotion and participation in such activities
• Embrace the Essence of Care Framework and actively participate in its implementation locally.                                                                

3.    Clinical Duties

• To practice in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and Trust policies procedures and guidelines
• Maintain personal professional status by ensuring that the requirements laid down by the NMC for periodic registration to maintain personal professional licence are complied with.
• Develop and maintain clinical skills and knowledge necessary to provide holistic, evidence based nursing care.
• Demonstrate competence in the administration of medications used on the unit and to undertake relevant drug administration training to comply with National and Trust guidelines.
• Prioritise and organise own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality
• Ensure the nursing procedures are implemented and maintained in accordance with the policies of the department and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.
• To consistently organise and deliver individualised patient care, ensuring patients physical, social and psychological needs are met
• To communicate effectively and work in partnership with patients, their relatives/carers, nursing colleagues and members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure care is delivered in an accurate and efficient manner
• Support Nurse Led Discharge within area of responsibility and actively participate in discharging/transferring ‘medically fit’ patients to more appropriate settings.  
• To support the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse  in monitoring and sustaining high standards of cleanliness in own clinical area
• To report all accidents, hazards, incidents and complaints in accordance with Trust policies and assist in investigation of them as required .
• To be actively involved in all audits undertaken within Ward/Department
• To act as a role model in relation to embedding the Code of Practice for the Prevention & Control of Healthcare Associated Infections.
• Keep up to date with research and advances in nursing and to implement individualised nursing care.

4. Policy and Service Development

• Actively participate in developmental opportunities
• Work creatively to develop practice and new ways of working in collaboration with Senior Sister/Charge Nurse
• Participate in ward audits, clinical governance programmes and any other research and development as necessary to the role.
• Maintain knowledge of current trends in healthcare and in the profession. To participate as required in patient dependency studies and quality assurance programmes. To assist with nursing research projects as required.
• Attend courses, seminars and conferences as recommended and approved through the Manager, and participate in professional development programmes.

5.    Financial and Physical Resources

• To work with the ward team to look at Cost improvement schemes within the unit
• To ensure that the fabric of the building and equipment are maintained and issues reported in a timely manner
• To Support the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse in managing resources effectively
• Ensure the safe care and custody of patient’s property and valuables in line with the agreed procedure.

6.    Staff Management

• Establish and maintain good communication with the Ward/Department administrative, housekeeping and domestic staff
• Participate in annual appraisal process and contribute to personal performance/development plan
• Participate in a programme of clinical supervision as appropriate
• Assist with the provision of an environment conducive to the education of all staff, supervising other members of the nursing team as appropriate and participate in the induction of new staff.
• As personal competencies are achieved, assist in the monitoring and development of all junior staff, as appropriate, ensuring that all staff work to and achieve an acceptable safe standard and quality of care.
• Undertake the Trust approved programme for supervising and assessing students in practice. Act as a Practice Supervisor and assist in the development of preregistration students on placement in Critical Care Unit.
• Be accountable for own practice and for the delegation of care given to more junior colleagues, support workers and students.
• To contribute to the maintenance of high staff morale and good working relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team
• Keep up to date with changing policies and procedures.

7.    Information Resources

• Undertake relevant training for electronic information systems in place & under development.
• To have an active e-mail account.
• Use resources available to all employees by having access to the hospital intranet and local polices which adheres to evidence based practice.
• Be aware that the hospital library is also available for research and study requirements and support