JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:
Team:
Group:
Reports to:
Hours:
Level:
Location:
Lead Nurse
Care
In-house Care Team
Head of Care
Full time
Band 7
Shooting Star House, Hampton
Scope of the Role
Jointly in conjunction with partner Lead Nurse
 Be a professional role model, leading and coordinating the in-house hospice team to provide safe, high
quality care to children, young people and their families
 Take continuing responsibility and accountability for the 24-hour management and organisation of the
in-hospice care. This involves managing a wide range of complex and sometimes conflicting priorities
 Provide specialist nursing advice organisational wide to support and facilitate high quality,
individualised care to children / young people and families in collaboration with the multi professional
team
 Take overall responsibility for standards of cleanliness within the clinical area.
 Recruit and retain a skilled workforce
 Facilitate the development of all staff within the team
 Provide an innovative and progressive attitude to the continual improvement of child/young person care
through research and evidence based practice
 To undertake delegated responsibility for the hospice in the absence of the Head of Care
Key Working relationships
 Other Lead nurse
 Head of Care
 Team Leaders – organisation wide
 Director of Care
 Symptom Management Team
 Hospice @ Home
 Named Nurse for Safeguarding adults and children
 Practice Education and Quality Team
 Care Team
 Family Support and Therapy Team
 Paediatric Consultants
 GPs
 Multidisciplinary Teams
 Facilities Team
 Student Nurses
 Children, Young People, their Families and Visitors
Main duties and responsibilities
CLINICAL:
 To be a highly competent, knowledgeable and visible practitioner ensuring the provision of excellent,
evidence based nursing care for the children, young people and their families at all times
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Ensure that each child/young person is assessed, and that their care is planned, implemented and
evaluated in negotiation with the family and that this is accurately documented and up to date
Liaise with clinical, non-clinical and facilities staff in order to maintain a safe, friendly and welcoming
environment for the children/ young people, families, visitors and staff
To act as an advocate for the child / young person and family ensuring the provision of appropriate
information and support services
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Ensure effective communication between all members of the multidisciplinary team, parents, relatives,
visitors and external agencies
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In conjunction with the Head of Care, develop and monitor clinical and non clinical performance standards,
taking action as required
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To meet regularly with the Head of Care, Infection Control Team and Housekeeping Team to ensure
cleanliness and infection control standards are maintained within the clinical area taking appropriate action
where these standards are not maintained and escalate to Head of Care where necessary
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To develop and maintain clinical skills and knowledge necessary to provide holistic, evidence based nursing
care. This includes completion of the Shooting Star Chase care competencies Ensure that all appropriate
staff are competent in the administration of medication
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Ensure that all staff are aware of the uses, safety precautions, handling, cleaning and maintenance of
equipment in the hospice
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Develop and review policies and standards for the safe use of equipment and any new equipment introduced
to the hospice
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Participate in the on-call rota.
MANAGERIAL:
 To be responsible for the leadership and operational management of the hospice informing the Head of Care
of anything that threatens to affect the safety of the environment or to compromise the care of the children /
young people
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To manage and maximise the use of nursing resources within the agreed budget, including the efficient use
of bank and agency staff, authorisation of bank / agency time sheets as appropriate and working closely
with the Head of Care
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To ensure safe levels of nursing care at all times
Ensure effective management and use of beds
Manage nursing recruitment and foster an environment which enhances the retention of staff
To manage sickness / absence and lead on disciplinary activities in liaison with HR business partners
To manage the appraisal process and ensure that all staff have the opportunity to review their performance
plan and develop a meaningful professional development plan
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Provide professional advice and support to staff in the hospice
Ensure that all staff have access to clinical supervision
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To ensure that all staff know where to access Shooting Star Chase policies and clinical procedure guidelines
and that staff adhere to these at all times
Maintain systems for the effective investigation and management of complaints and clinical incidents within
the hospice, ensuring that lessons learned are shared with the team
To ensure compliance with the Health and Social Care Act regulations 2010 by ensuring that all staff adhere
to the Care Quality Commission standards at all times
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To ensure all staff are aware of The Mental Capacity Act, 2005, and Deprivation of Liberty (DOLS) safeguards
and to ensure Mental Capacity Assessments and DOLS applications are undertaken appropriately
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Undertake audits of service delivery and implement findings to improve care of children / young people
To work closely with other team leaders in Shooting Star Chase to cross cover and represent them as
appropriate in their absence
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To work closely with Head of Care and represent them in their absence
To participate in the care service business planning and strategy development of Shooting Star Chase
Act as an ambassador for Shooting Star Chase
To undertake relevant Shooting Star Chase wide projects in agreement with the Head of Care
Participate in events or publications that promote Shooting Star Chase and children’s palliative care
EDUCATIONAL:
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To foster an environment conducive to learning, enquiry, and research
To identify the training and development needs of care staff / students in the hospice and participate in the
planning, implementation and evaluation of education programmes in conjunction with the Practice
Education Team
Support the Practice Education Team with planning, implementation and evaluation of training and
education programmes
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Ensure the provision of a validated supportive and challenging environment for student nurses in training,
ensuring that all student nurses have an allocated mentor
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Ensure that all new staff, student nurses and temporary staff receive an appropriate induction to the hospice
To be a resource for students and junior colleagues, facilitating the development of junior staff
To contribute to the production of clinical procedure guidelines
Initiate and participate in audit and research studies relating to nursing and multidisciplinary care,
presenting findings through presentations and writing for publication
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Maintain own professional development and mandatory training
Participate in inter–agency working groups on the access to and development of paediatric palliative care,
both locally and nationally as agreed by the Head of Care
PROFESSIONAL;
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To maintain confidentiality surrounding the child / young person and their family at all times
To ensure that all care is documented and that all relevant documentation is completed accurately and
within agreed timescales using Shooting Star Chase approved documentation in line with NMC, CQC and
Shooting Star Chase standards
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To demonstrate a professional approach to work, and act in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional
Conduct at all times
To meet PREP requirements. To identify own learning needs and ensure own professional development is
maintained by keeping up to date with practice developments
To undertake further training and academic qualification as relevant to the role and service requirements
Person Specification
Requirements
1. Education/
Qualifications/
Training
Criteria
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2. Skills / Abilities
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NMC Registered Nurse (Child) (or
registered nurse
Evidence of ongoing professional
development within the clinical
speciality
Possession of a relevant honours degree
or in the process of obtaining
Leadership or management training
Palliative care module
Assessing and mentoring qualification
NVQ D32/33 Assessors Course
Excellent paediatric clinical skills
Excellent managerial, leadership and
organisational skills
Excellent verbal and written
communication skills
Excellent teaching, training and
preceptorship skills
Able to motivate and develop a team of
staff
Able to problem solve and initiate
change
Ability to work across professional team
and organisational boundaries
Ability to delegate and prioritise
Interviewing skills
Appraisal skills
Administration of IV drugs
Computer literate
Ability to recognise stress in oneself and
others and to manage it effectively
Essential /
Desirable
E
How
Assessed?
AF
E
D
AF
D
AF
D
E
A/F
AF
D
AF
E
E
IV
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
E
E
E
E
IV
IV
IV
AF
IV
Person Specification
Requirements
3. Experience
Criteria
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4. Knowledge
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Experience of working in children’s
hospice
4 year post reg. experience
Demonstrable experience of taking
charge of a department and deputising
for line manager
Experience of leading and managing a
team of nurses
Previous experience of research and
audit
Previous experience of change
management and problem solving
Experience of handling clinical incidents
and complaints
Thorough knowledge of paediatric
palliative care
Understanding of professional and
current issues in children’s nursing
Understanding of audit and research
methodologies
Understanding of resource
management, health and safety, clinical
risk and quality issues
Handling safeguarding issues
Handling clinical incidents and
complaints
Awareness of equality and diversity
The Kennedy Report and the Laming
report, The Francis report
Clinical governance
Understanding of non medical
prescribing
Essential /
Desirable
D
E
How
Assessed?
AF
AF/IV
E
AF/IV
D
AF/IV
E
IV
E
IV
D
IV
E
IV
D
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
AF/IV
D
IV
Person Specification
Requirements
5. Other requirements
Criteria
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Key:
AF = Application Form
I = Interview
T = Test
Ability to initiate, manage and sustain
change
A flexible approach to work
Effective time management
Evidence of fulfilling PREP
Ability to work as part of a
multidisciplinary team
Ability to deal with conflict situations
Demonstrate a caring and
compassionate attitude
Essential /
Desirable
E
How
Assessed?
IV
E
E
E
E
IV
IV
IV
IV
E
IV
E
IV