JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB DETAILS
Job Title:
Assistant practitioner (Technical Cardiology)
Grade:
Band 4
Salary Scale:
£17,316 - £20,818
Hours of Work:
37.5
Directorate/Department: Medical Directorate
Cardiology Technical Services
Base:
Ysbyty Gwynedd
ORGANISATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
Accountable to:
Chief and Senior Chief - Clinical Technologist
(Cardiology Technical Services)
Responsible for:
Day to day supervision of ATOs
JOB PURPOSE
Assist the clinical technologists in performing and recording various
Cardiology investigations provided by the department for an effective and
efficient Cardiology service. Supporting the delivery of quality healthcare to
patients within North West Wales NHS Trust.
Provide an inpatient and outpatient service for all wards / units and peripheral
hospitals within the trust.
Responsible for the day-to-day supervision of and ATOs
Assist with training to departmental staff and external organisations.
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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Perform routine and urgent electrocardiograms on adult and paediatric
patients within North West Wales NHS Trust, so as to provide a quality
inpatient and outpatient ECG service.
2. Prepare equipment for periods of ambulatory monitoring, both ECG
and blood pressure. Attach equipment and advise patients, giving clear
and concise instructions so as to optimise recording, assist with
reporting in conjunction with clinical technologists
3. Identify possible contra-indications to various types of Cardiology
investigation.
4. Receive and assist patients and/or carers to prepare for Cardiology
investigations.
5. Obtain additional information that will assist with planning and
preparing of Cardiology investigations.
6. Support patients and/or carers during investigative Cardiology
procedures.
7. Provide technical supervision of cardiovascular investigations “stress
testing” (as a 2nd operator) which are designed to compromise cardiac
function and have potentially hazardous / life threatening outcomes i.e.
cardiac arrest (1st operator senior clinical physiologist)
8. Take an active role in the resuscitation of patients suffering from
ischaemic episodes / cardiac arrest, resulting from clinical
examinations designed to provoke cardiac ischemia.
9. Advise patients and/or carers/medical team following completion of
investigative Cardiology procedures.
10. Play an active role in the interrogation and follow-up of pacemakers –
as a 2nd operator. (1st operator senior clinical physiologist)
11. Responsible for the setting up, downloading and interrogation of loop
recorders. – As a second operator (1st operator senior clinical
physiologist)
12. Responsible for updating all loop recorder information on new patients
and maintaining an up to date database.
13. Responsible for inputting data on the British Pacing and
Electrophysiology Group database and producing appointments for
permanent pacemaker and Internal Cardio defibrillator follow up checks.
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14. Provide advice to healthcare colleagues on existing or developing
protocols relating to Cardiology investigations. Including adverse
incidents and legal/regulatory proceedings.
15. Provide advice and information on the use of the Department’s services
to healthcare colleagues, patients and carers and external stakeholders.
16. Maintain awareness of developments within Cardiology ensuring
personal knowledge and skills are consistently developed in order to
maintain currency of competency.
17. Record all modalities of Cardiology measurements to agreed
performance standards.
18. Assess and maintain equipment and devices for safe use during
Cardiology investigations.
19. Communicate technical equipment-related information to healthcare
colleagues, patients, carers and suppliers.
20. Calibrate as required, and verify equipment prior to clinical use.
21. Handle and store equipment and consumables within accepted and
safe limits.
22. Maintain stock control and requisitions for delegated non-pay budget.
23. Contribute to the research, training and development programmes
within the Cardiology service.
24. Responsible for the electrocardiogram training of nurses and
healthcare assistants working within North West Wales NHS Trust.
25. When required participate in clinical audit and clinical governance
programmes both departmental and Trust wide.
26. Responsible for relaying information to the department regarding
mandatory fire lectures in accordance with trust policy.
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GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Competence
You are responsible for limiting your actions to those that you feel competent
to undertake. If you have any doubts about your competence during the
course of your duties you should immediately speak to your line manager /
supervisor.
Registered Health Professional
All employees of the Trust who are required to register with a professional
body, to enable them to practice within their profession, are required to
comply with their code of conduct and requirements of their professional
registration.
Supervision
Where the appropriate professional organisation details a requirement in
relation to supervision, it is the responsibility of the post holder to ensure
compliance with this requirement. If you are in any doubt about the existence
of such a requirement speak to your manager.
Risk Management
It is a standard element of the role and responsibility of all staff of the trust that
they fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their
actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of
appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards.
Records Management
As an employee of the North West Wales NHS Trust, you are legally
responsible for all records that you gather, create or use as part of your work
within the Trust (including patient health, financial, personal and
administrative), whether paper based or on computer. All such records are
considered public records, and you have a legal duty of confidence to service
users (even after an employee has left the Trust). You should contact your
manager if you have any doubts as to the correct management of records with
which you work.
Health and Safety Requirements
All employees of the Trust have a statutory duty of care for their own personal
safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
Employees are required to co-operate with management to enable the Trust
to meet its own legal duties and to report any hazardous situations or
defective equipment.
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Flexibility Statement
The contents of this job description represents an outline of the post only and
is therefore not a precise catalogue of duties and responsibilities. The Job
Description is therefore intended to be flexible and is subject to review and
amendment in the light of changing circumstances, following consultation with
the post holder.
Confidentiality
All employees of the Trust are required to maintain the confidentiality of
members of the public and members of staff in accordance with Trust policies.
Date Prepared:
Prepared By:
Date Reviewed:
Reviewed By:
Agreed By:
Date:
Employee’s Name and Signature:
Agreed By:
Date:
Manager’s Name and Signature:
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NORTH WEST WALES NHS TRUST
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The person specification should set out the qualifications, experience, skills,
knowledge, personal attributes, other requirements that a post holder requires to
perform the job to a satisfactory level.
Job Title
: Assistant Technical Practitioner - Cardiology
ESSENTIAL
Band 4
DESIRABLE
4 GCSE or equivalent – one of which
should be a science.
A levels or equivalent
qualifications
METHOD OF
ASSESSMENT
Application form
Certificates
QUALIFICATIONS
Clinical physiology foundation degree to be
obtained in post
ILS
EXPERIENCE
Previous experience of working in a
cardiology department
SKILLS
Ability to communicate with staff at all
levels
Ability to work as a member of a team
IT/Keyboard skills
KNOWLEDGE
Evidence of professional development
PERSONAL
QUALITIES
(Demonstrable)
OTHER
RELEVANT
REQUIREMENTS
Previous experience of
assisting in technician led
exercise tests and/or
pacemaker clinics
Application form
References
Application form
ECDL
References
Knowledge of Microsoft
Word/Office IT packages
Pacemaker databases
Ability to prioritise work.
Ability to create good working
relationships.
Professional approach, friendly, confident
and motivated.
Ability to communicate
through the medium of
Welsh.
Ability to work with
vulnerable patients and
their carers.
Ability to travel to other hospitals / sites
within the Trust.
Valid full UK driving licence
Application form
References
Application form
References
Application form
Prepared By:
Liana Hobart
Reviewed By:
Agreed By (Manager):
Clive Fisk
Date Agreed:
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