JOB TITLE
:
Senior Nurse
LOCATION
:
Adult nursing team St Elizabeth’s
Health Agency
RESPONSIBLE TO
:
Assistant Clinical Services Manager
ACCOUNTABLE TO
:
Clinical Services Manager
Job Summary
 To work closely with the assistant clinical services manager on the day
to day management of the adult nursing service.
 To have line management responsibility for nurses within the adult
nursing team, providing effective leadership, guidance and support
 To act as a role model and specialist practitioner in supporting adults
with complex needs.
 To facilitate individual, team and service development based on
evidenced based practice and clinical guidance.
 To maintain high standards of individual and team communication and
professionalism in conjunction with internal, external agencies and
stake holders.
 To encourage reflective practice by all nursing staff and support staff.
 To maintain effective practice in the adherence of safeguarding policies
and procedures.
 Responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children,
vulnerable adults and young people.
Main Duties and responsibilities
Clinical
 To provide specialist clinical advice and support to service users and
act as a resource to other professionals involved in that service user’s
care.
 Recognise the need to refer to other professionals and act on this
need.
 To be highly competent, knowledgeable and visible practitioner within
the speciality setting ensuring the provision of high quality, evidence
based nursing care for the service users.
 Ensure that each service user, in respect of their complex needs is
assessed, care planned and evaluated in negotiation with other
members of the multidisciplinary team and that this process is clearly
documented.
 Ensure effective communication between all members of the
multidisciplinary team both internally and externally and with relatives.
 Respect the service users capacity and right to participate in decisions
about their care and be able to advise them on complex matters.
1
Develop and maintain clinical skills and knowledge necessary to provide
clinically effective, holistic, evidence based nursing care. This includes the





expanded role and responsibilities of the nurse, within the Scope of
Professional Practice. Ensure any new role is developed following
appropriate training.
To be a fully competent practitioner registered with the NMC.
To be fully aware of the health and safety needs of individuals.
Develop and review policies, procedures and standards as appropriate
to the speciality.
Provide individual and group clinical supervision to the adult nursing
team.
Senior Nurse role specific components/ additions






To act as clinical expert in the specific area of specialism, providing
plans, advice and in house training as required.
To assess, plan and implement care for service users requiring
specialist nurse input promoting nurse led services for these service
users.
To ensure all service users have appropriate reviews, care plans and
guidelines, and risk assessments appropriate to their needs.
To promote an integrated services across the home and college
working closely with the home management team and college leads.
To coordinate input from others involved in care provision to provide a
seamless service of health and care.
To promote and deliver nurse led clinics for specialist areas.
Managerial responsibility








To actively contribute to all aspects of service development.
As appropriate, manage the appraisal process for directly line
managed staff, ensuring that all staff have the opportunity to review
their performance and develop a meaningful professional development
plan.
To provide professional advice and support to all staff within the
nursing team.
To support and develop the skills to facilitate all staff with regard to
clinical supervision.
Ensure all staff know where to access St Elizabeth’s Centre policies
and clinical procedure guidelines and that staff adhere to these at all
times.
To actively participate in the benchmarking process of care within the
nursing team.
Initiate and develop audits of service delivery and implement findings to
improve nursing care.
As a Specialist Nurse ensure that the management of complex
conditions for all service users is in line with evidence based practice.
2



Work closely with the Assistant Clinical Service Manager and provide
cover as appropriate in their absence.
To undertake relevant projects in agreement with the Assistant Clinical
Service Manager and Health Agency development plan.
Act as an ambassador for the service, Centre and health agency both
within and outside St Elizabeth’s centre.
Educational
 To foster environments conducive to the centre ethos, inquiry and
research and support the training and development needs of nursing
staff and care staff teams.
 Support the training department in the planning, implementation,
delivery and evaluation of education for staff as appropriate to area of
speciality.
 Contribute to the provision of a validated area of learning for student
nurses in training, ensuring all learners have an allocated mentor.
 Participate as required in the orientation to the team for all new staff
and temporary staff.
 Contribute to the identification of independence needs and
development of multi professional staff.
 Provide support and training to other professionals to deliver specialist
programmes to individual service users.
 Participate in national events in order to further develop knowledge and
share best practice.
 To actively contribute to the development, production and evaluation
local/ national clinical procedure/practice guidelines.
 Maintain own professional development and mandatory training
identifying personal learning needs in relation to specialist area of
practice.
 Develop and evaluate teaching packages for service users
empowering them to manage their clinical needs as appropriate to the
individual requirement.
Research and audit
 Initiate and participate in audit and research studies relating to nursing
and multidisciplinary care, within the specialist area of practice. Present
findings through presentations and written for publication.
 Actively promote research and evidence based care.
 Develop and evaluate tools to audit practice within specialist area of
practice.
 Keep up to date with the emerging thinking/findings from other
specialist centres.
Professional
 Demonstrate a professional approach to work and act in accordance
with NMC Code of Professional Conduct at all times.
 To have knowledge of and adhere to St Elizabeth’s Centre policy and
professional standards. Ensure that other team members do likewise.
 Maintain confidentiality surrounding the service user at all times.
3



Ensure documentation is complete and up to date in line with NMC and
St Elizabeth’s Centre guidelines.
To identify own learning needs and ensure own professional
development is maintained by keeping up to date with practice
developments.
Participate in staff appraisal, staff development and in service training
activities.
Health and Safety
In carrying out these duties the employee is required to take responsible care
to avoid injury or accident, which may be caused by work. These duties must
be performed in accordance with St Elizabeth’s Centres Health and Safety
policy, which is designed to secure safety in working practices in line with
current legislation.
The post holder is expected to carry out the duties within the ethos of the
Daughters of the Cross of Liege and the spirit of St Elizabeth’s Mission
Statement.
This post is classed as having a high degree of contact with children or
vulnerable adults, is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
and is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure.
The duties and responsibilities outlined above do not represent a full list of the
tasks the post holder will be expected to perform. Also it is recognised that
the duties of all posts are subject to change from time to time. Alterations to
duties and responsibilities and performance of similar tasks within the scope
of and at the same level will be expected. The post holder will be consulted
before major changes to duties and responsibilities by Clinical Services
Manager. Reasonable notice will be given before such changes are
implemented.
Signed …………………………………….
Print Name ………………………………..
4
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Post : Senior Nurse
ESSENTIAL/
DESIRABLE
HOW
ASSESSED
On the relevant part of the NMC Register.
Evidence of ongoing, dynamic continuing
professional development within the speciality,
linked to demonstrable clinical competencies.
Assessing and mentoring qualification.
Relevant evidence of post registration further
qualification and specialism.
E
E
AF
AF
E
AF
E
AF
Excellent relevant specialist nursing skills.
Relevant specialist skills and abilities for the
department/speciality acquired through
experience in running specialist nurse led
clinics.
Excellent managerial, leadership and
organizational skills:
Able to motivate and develop a multiprofessional team.
Able to problem solve and initiate change.
Negotiating skills.
Self-discipline and good time management to
support periods of lone working.
Interviewing skills.
Appraisal skills.
Ability to delegate and prioritise.
Excellent verbal and written communication
and listening skills.
Excellent teaching, training and preceptor ship
skills.
Able to work across professional team and
organizational boundaries.
Administering medication under patient group
directives or supplementary prescribing as
appropriate.
Computer literate (word processing,
PowerPoint presentation).
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
E
E
E
IV
IV
IV
IV
E
IV
E
IV
D
IV
E
AF
Experience within relevant clinical
environment, leading and managing a team of
nurses
Experience of taking charge of a department
Previous experience of research and audit.
Previous experience of change management.
Experience of handling clinical incidents and
complaints.
E
AF/IV
E
AF/IV
E
AF/IV
D
AF/IV
CRITERIA
REQUIREMENTS
1
Education/
Qualifications/
Training





2
Skills/Abilities















3
Experience





5

4
Knowledge







5
Other
Requirements









Thorough knowledge relevant to the specialty/
department / field of practice (assessed by the
qualifications that are essential for the post –
these are identified in section 1 above).
Understanding of professional and current
issues in speciality field.
Understanding of audit and research
methodologies.
Understanding of resource management,
health and safety, clinical risk and quality
issues.
Understanding of safeguarding policies and
procedures.
Handling clinical incidents and complaints.
Awareness of equality and diversity.
Is able to articulate a personal philosophy of
nursing & understanding of the role of the
clinical nurse specialist.
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
E
E
E
IV
IV
IV
AF/IV
Ability to initiate, manage and sustain change.
Good attendance record.
A flexible approach to work.
Evidence of fulfilling PREP.
Ability to work as an integral part of the Multidisciplinary team.
Ability to deal with conflict situations.
Car Driver essential, or access to a car
Suitability to work with vulnerable adults
Commitment and understanding of the ethos
of St. Elizabeth’s Centre.
E
E
E
E
E
IV
IV
IV
IV
IV
E
E
E
E
IV
IV
IV
IV
E
IV
E
IV
E
IV
Accountability – Takes responsibility for own actions
and promotes good team working.
Openness – Shares information and good practice
appropriately.
Mutual respect – Treats others with courtesy and
respect at all times.
Codes AF = Application form
IV = Interview
Reasonable adjustments will be considered where applicable under the Equality Act 2010
6