THE WHITTINGTON HOSPITAL NHS TRUST
WOMEN’S AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES
PAEDIATRIC DEPARTMENT
JOB TITLE:
(PACU)
Senior Sister Paediatric Ambulatory Care Unit
GRADE:
G
ANNUAL LEAVE:
27 days per annum plus 8 Bank Holiday (less
than 5 years)
29 days per annum plus 8 Bank Holidays
(more than 5 but less than 10 years NHS
Service)
33 days per annum plus 8 Bank Holidays
(more than 10 years NHS Service)
HOURS:
37.5
SUPERANNUATION:
6 % of salary (optional)
RESPONSIBLE TO:
Service Manager - Paediatrics
RESPONSIBLE FOR:
All Nursing staff qualified and HCA. Play
Specialist Team.
_______________________________________________________________________
JOB SUMMARY
The post holder has overall responsibility for the management of the paediatric
ambulatory care unit. This consists of an eight bay day assessment unit and the
paediatric out patient clinic. The post holder will have direct line management
responsibility for the nursing team & play specialist staff. The post holder will
liaise closely with medical staff, the multi professional team and nursing
colleagues to provide a holistic service responsive to the needs of children and
their families.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
All members of the paediatric nursing and medical teams, the wider multiprofessional team, including social workers, child protection advisor, Liaison HV,
Allied Health Professionals, play specialists and teachers and the women’s
health team. Main out patient department, and emergency department. Nursing
and medical and management colleagues within the Whittington Trust, Human
Resources department, IM&T, facilities, Middlesex University and Audit and
Development department.
1
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
1.1
To work according to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and to carry
continuing responsibility for:
-
The assessment of care and health education needs for children and their
families.
-
The implementation and evaluation of nursing care for children within
PACU
1.2
To present and act at all times in a professional manner, and ensure that
all staff working within the Directorate do likewise.
1.3
To maintain clinical competencies, to keep abreast of current trends and
to take responsibility for own professional development.
1.4
To ensure and facilitate effective communication, within the Paediatric
Directorate.
1.5
To supervise clinical practice, in conjunction with the Lecturer Practitioner
to identify development needs of staff and to participate in continuous inservice training for all grades of staff.
1.6
To work in conjunction with other lead nurses, lecturer practitioner and the
Service Manager to develop and implement nursing practices, promoting
research and evidence based practice.
2.
MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1
To ensure the service reflects the philosophy of paediatric ambulatory
care for children and their families, with consideration of local and national
recommendations/individual/ethnic/cultural/social and religious needs.
2.2
To ensure robust standards and frameworks are in place, in line with
current recommendations, to ensure children receive high quality family
centred care at all times.
2.3
To provide clinical leadership for paediatric nursing staff
2.3
Have direct line management responsibility for staff and services within
the designated area, ensuring that professional standards/safe levels of
care are maintained and to deploy staff as appropriate.
To develop, promote and facilitate the implementation of the Whittington
Hospital NHS Trust Nursing and Midwifery strategy.
2.4
2.5
To initiate, develop and implement plans/strategies for improvement of
paediatric services in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary teams.
2.6
To promote close collaboration and cohesive working relationships within
the paediatric team, through effective communication channels and a
harmonious working environment.
2.7
To advice the Service Manager and Service Director on the appropriate
level of skill mix and resources required for the designated areas.
2.8
To take delegated responsibility for the budget, ensuring effective
utilisation of resources.
2.9
To participate in the recruitment, selection and induction process for staff.
2.10
To monitor staff performance, implementing corrective action when
required. Undertake appraisal for staff within area of responsibility; agree
staff and service objectives and development plans.
2.11
To keep accurate records of staff attendance and monitor, taking
supportive action where necessary using Bradford Scores.
2.12
To identify and implement necessary changes to meet the needs of
children and their families and the service.
2.13
To develop nurse led services and enhance the role of the paediatric
nurse in PACU.
2.14
Participate in and initiate audit, quality initiatives and projects as required
to develop the overall children’s service.
2.15
Ensure risk management strategies are implemented within area of
responsibility and that staff understand and enact the incident reporting
procedures.
2.16
Be proactive in implementing action/learning plans to reduce potential
risks or recurrence of adverse incidents.
2.17
Be proactive in minimising complaints within the department seeking to
provide local resolution wherever possible. Undertake investigations for
formal complaints and prepare response for Service Manager or Service
Director. Provide feedback to staff on complaints and develop strategies
to prevent recurrence.
2.18
Ensure staff are familiar with national, professional and local quality issues
relevant to the delivery of services.
3
CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1
Maintain professional accountability at all times, including the planning,
delivery and evaluation of care.
3.2
To be a clinical role model in the field of Ambulatory Paediatrics ensuring
the delivery of high quality standards of patient care.
3.3
Participate in the care of children whilst maintaining own skills.
3.4
To develop and implement nursing/ multi-professional evidence
based/best practice guidelines and policies, for children attending the
PACU.
3.5
To be competent in administering simple chemotherapy for shared care
oncology children (or willing to undertake appropriate training).
3.6
To initiate treatment where appropriate in accordance with the agreed
clinical guidelines and protocols. To administer medication within Patient
Group Directives.
3.7
To order and interpret agreed diagnostic tests according to departmental
protocols and within structured guidelines of the Unit e.g. blood, urine,
stools & skin prick testing.
3.8
Co ordinate the smooth day-to-day running of the Unit.
3.9
Explore and investigate new initiatives for the improvement of service
delivery.
3.10
To establish a partnership approach to involve parents and families as
much possible in the planning and delivery of care, including health
education programmes.
3.11
To work in close collaboration with the Consultant Paediatricians and their
teams, and the wider multi-professional team to provide high quality care
for children and support for families at all times.
3.12
To act as a resource to paediatric/non paediatric nurses working in other
Departments.
3.13
Maintain nursing records in accordance to NMC guidelines.
3.14
Knowledge of computerised systems used in the hospital e.g. PAS, EDIS
& RICHES.
3.15
In dept knowledge and understanding of Child Protection guidelines
Nationally and locally. Acting as a resource to other members of the team
where appropriate.
4.
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
4.1
To support the paediatric lecturer practitioner in providing an effective
learning environment and staff development for students and trained staff.
4.2
To ensure an effective learning environment for staff, learners and parents
acting as facilitator in the supervision and teaching of staff.
4.3
Ensure that staff are educated in new skills and procedures. Appropriately
developed in line with the NMC to meet service needs.
4.4
To fulfil the role of preceptor and mentor to learners and junior staff.
4.5
To ensure that all new staff receive an orientation programme, in
accordance with the Trust’s policy.
4.6
To support the lecturer practitioner in working in partnership with local
higher education institutions to establish and develop relevant education
programmes for pre/post registration students.
4.7
To promote health and well-being to children and their families within the
PACU setting, and utilise opportunities for health education and
promotion.
5.
QUALITY AND AUDIT RESPONSIBILITIES
5.1
To contribute to audit, research and development programmes within the
Directorate in order to promote good practice.
5.2
Set and monitor measurable standards of care and be accountable for
maintaining standards.
5.3
Develop the audit process for monitoring and reviewing the quality of
nursing services provided.
5.4
Implement changes to the service in order to improve quality of care.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
6
Health & Safety Policy
Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to ensure that the agreed safety procedures
are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees and visitors.
7
Security
It is the responsibility of all employees to work within the security policies and
procedures of the Whittington Hospital NHS Trust to protect the patients, staff
and visitors and the property of the Trust. This duty applies to the specific work
area of the individual and the Hospital in general. All staff are required to wear
official identification badges.
8
Data Protection
This post has a confidential aspect. If you are required to obtain, process and /or
use information held on a computer or word processor you should do it ‘in a fair
and lawful way’. You should hold data only for the specific registered purpose
and not use or disclose it in any way incompatible with such a purpose and ought
to disclose data only to authorised persons or organisations as instructed.
Breaches of confidence in relation to data will result in disciplinary action which
may involve dismissal.
9
No Smoking
The Hospital has promoted a No Smoking Policy as part of it’s responsibility for
the provision of health. You will be required to work within the framework of this
policy. Smoking is not permitted in offices.
10
Equal Opportunities
It is the aim of the Trust to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less
favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, race, colour, nationality or ethnic
origins, or is placed at a disadvantage by conditions or requirements which
cannot be shown to be justifiable. To this end the Trust has an Equal
Opportunities Policy and it is for each employee to contribute to its success.
The hospital has a Race Equality Scheme which underpins its duty to promote
race equality. You can request a copy of the scheme from the Human
Resources Department.
11
Confidentiality
You are required to maintain confidentiality of any information concerning
patients which you have access to or may be given in the course of your work, in
accordance with current policy on confidentiality in the Whittington Hospital NHS
Trust.
12
Method of Payment
Payment of salary is made into bank account/building society account by direct
bank system. Details of a bank account or building society account will be
required on the first day at work. There is no facility for any form of payment.
13
Customer Awareness
The Whittington Hospital expects it’s employees to communicate with colleagues,
patients and visitors in a polite and courteous manner at all times.
14
Professional
Meet the requirements of the NMC’s Code of Practice and maintain live
registration. The maintenance of registration with the NMC is a requirement of
this post. Post-holders are expected to comply with the NMC Code of
Professional Conduct and other guidelines issued by the Council governing
professional practice.
This job description is intended as a general guide and is not exhaustive. It
may be reviewed in consultation with the post holder depending on future
requirements and service needs.
February 05