Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. Clinical Responsibilities/Key Responsibilities

As an autonomous practitioner using advanced skills and expert knowledge undertakes assessment of physical, psychological and emotional needs of children/ young people with oncology conditions, instigating therapeutic treatments based on best available evidence to improve health outcomes.

Manage and meet the caseload needs effectively. Including skills for analysing of data and interpreting results to enable the implementation of appropriate actions for care and treatment e.g blood results for maintenance chemotherapy within protocol guidelines.

To be a member of the, actively participate in, and work within the Clinical Nurse Specialist  (CNS) team and the wider oncology MDT team.

To support the child/ young person and their family through diagnosis, active treatment, end of treatment and follow up care needs including palliative support, respecting their cognitive, developmental and ethnic needs. Through providing expert information, advice and support. 

To support a flexible holistic care package including physical, psychological, spiritual, social, financial and emotional needs. 

Provide skilled professional evidence-based practice evaluation, teaching and support of professional and voluntary sector colleagues.

Serve as a resource supporting the Paediatric oncology nursing team at local and regional level.

To be flexible to meet the needs of the service, be adaptable to change for service improvement as directed by the line manager and to deputize in the absence of the Lead Paediatric Oncology/ Haematology Clinical Nurse Specialist. 

To follow and comply with all trust policies and guidelines e.g administer medication and treatment within Procedure for the Ordering, Prescribing and Administration of Medicines guidelines, infection control etc. 

Identify, manage and refer appropriately, any one requiring safeguarding assessment following trust policies.

2. Professional Development, Education and Training

To support the child/ Young person and their family educating and advising on the management of their condition using up to date information and resources. 

Facilitate education and training for nursing, health care professionals, education and voluntary sector individuals when required.

Organise and develop health care education packages tailored to the needs of individual children, young people and their families/ carers. Support with advice and information for settings such as primary care services, nurseries, schools and respite facilities to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to care for individuals while in the settings care. 

3. Planning and Organisation

To work independently providing care to patients in the community, visiting a variety of settings.

To effectively manage own time to complete allocated tasks.

4. Research and Development 

Contribute to ensuring policies and guidelines are consistent with National and International standards and current research, facilitating changes in practice which improve clinical outcomes and meet the needs of individuals and carers.

Work in a manner that promotes any audits or research taking place within the clinical area, the trust or wider regional cancer south west network   

5. Communications and Working Relationships

Have excellent communication skills to act as an autonomous practitioner within the Trust, providing a local link to the wider networks for the specialty e.g, regional centers, Primary care trusts, community teams and the voluntary sector. 

To provide and receive complex and highly sensitive information, including communicating sensitive, complex condition related information to patients and relatives offering empathy and reassurance. 

Use a variety of methods to effectively communicate key information to the local team essential patient updates, as well as Closely liaise with CNS’s, consultants at PCT to coordinate patient care, treatment and investigations by sharing of information via electronic prescribing system phone calls, text messages and e-mails.

Maintain accurate and contemporaneous multi professional records e.g to input and retrieve patient information from computer-based systems.

6. Other

Requires the ability to travel around the county in order to provide community visits. 

7. General Working Conditions

 
Working with patients and families who have a life limiting prognosis/ withdrawal of active treatment and communication of distressing news, palliative and bereavement support.

Be able to respond to concerns and questions from a wide range of people who may be anxious and distressed relating to their condition and treatment.

Occasional working with hazardous substances, i.e cytotoxic drugs bodily waste and fluids.

Must be able to work under pressure and flexibly to the demands of the changing patient caseload.