Kilbryde Hospice Job Description
Nursing Assistant
1. JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:
Nursing Assistant – Band 2.
Reports to:
Senior Nurse Ward Manager
Accountable to: Chief Executive
2. JOB PURPOSE
As part of the multidisciplinary team, the post holder will carry out personal care duties
for patients in support of and supervised by a registered nurse. The post holder will
also carry out assigned duties to maintain hygiene, order and safety within the ward
environment.
To promote at all times to ethos and mission of Kilbryde Hospice.
3. DIMENSIONS
Kilbryde Hospice provides specialist palliative care services to the people of South
Lanarkshire. It is a specialist resource for those individuals receiving palliative care,
who have particularly complex needs that cannot be fully met in their usual place of
care. We strive to meet physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs providing the
highest standard of patient centred care possible while ensuring choice, dignity,
self-esteem and an enhanced quality of life. As a multidisciplinary team we engage
with family and carers offering them support in coping with the emotional and
practical implication of the patients’ illness.
The Hospice is a Company Limited by guarantee and a registered charity and is
required by separate and differing legislation to meet finance governance and
regulatory requirements.
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4. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION
DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL
SERVICES
WARD
MANAGER
STAFF NURSE
NURSING
ASSISTANT
5. ROLE OF DEPARTMENT
Kilbryde Hospice provides specialist palliative care to people with life limiting illness.
Encompassing human dignity and compassion at all times while respecting the value
of human life.
Kilbryde Hospice provides physical, psychological, social and spiritual support to
patients, their families and carers.
6. MAIN TASKS, DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Patient Care /Communication
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Obtain / maintain good relationships with patients, relatives and colleagues.
Ensure the highest standards of personal appearance are maintained at all
times.
Ensure the highest standard of patient care, hygiene and comfort is
maintained at all times.
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Prepare patients for meals; ensuring they are comfortable, have been given
choice of menu prior to serving meals or drinks.
Where require assist patients with meals and drinks, assisting with feeding
in supportive manner when appropriate.
Be aware of Infection Control and Health and Safety Measures at all times.
When required carry out patient escort duties.
Ensure all relevant information is reported to senior staff timeously.
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Clinical Domestic Duties
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Clinical Bins to be checked /emptied paying close attention to infection
control
Ensuring any equipment used daily is clean and in good working order.
Good housekeeping measures within the kitchen and ward areas at all
times.
Clean up after any spillages / breakages or accidents
Report accidents, concerns for patients safety and identified risks
This list is not exhaustive. The Job Description can be changed at the discretion of
the Clinical Services Manager. Other duties within your capabilities may be
required.
In all activities, the post holder will maintain a trustworthy relationship with
patients, relatives and colleagues, and demonstrate understanding of, and
compliance with, the values and ethos of Kilbryde Hospice.
Professional Development
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Keeping self abreast of current developments in the Hospice attending
relevant training sessions as appropriate.
Ensuring continuation of Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Ensuring “skills learnt” are communicated between members of the
Hospice Team
Ensure attendance at mandatory training
Other
Ethos and Mission of the Hospice
Lead by example and uphold the mission and ethos of Kilbryde Hospice
Health & Safety
All employees must:
▪ Take care of their own safety and others who may be affected by their actions or
omissions
▪ Adhere to Hospice and Departmental Health & Safety Policies and use any
equipment or personal protective equipment provided to ensure safety
▪ Co-operate with their managers to maintain safe systems and safe workplaces
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▪ Report any accident/incidents or ill health, failings in premises equipment or
personal protective equipment through the Hospice reporting system
▪ Not interfere with any equipment provided to ensure Health & Safety
▪ Not attempt to carry out or tasks or repairs beyond their competence
▪ Deal effectively on a day to day basis with the unit’s waste products i.e. foul
linen, blood samples, body fluids as per Hospice/Infection control guidelines
▪ Follow moving and handling guidelines and principles, utilising all aids and
attending yearly updates
▪ The employee must attend and complete the full induction programme and
appropriate mandatory training relevant to job role
Effort & Environment skills
▪ The role entails physical effort to manoeuvre patients and equipment
▪ The role will involve walking and moving around the ward / department and
occasionally to other destinations within the Hospice
▪ The role will involve frequent exposure to and handling of bodily fluids, waste
and unpleasant smells
▪ Exposure to and having to deal with situations that can / are distressing,
difficult or aggressive
▪ Dealing with a variety of professionals, patients, carers and relatives who will
have differing values, needs and requirements
▪ Frequent requirement for concentration/ listening when dealing with patient
related issues e.g. reports, documents and results
Annual Appraisal
All members of Hospice staff receive an annual appraisal by their line manager
with a 6 monthly performance development review. The purpose of the annual
appraisal is to understand how well the job has been performed in the previous
year, assess progress towards the targets made at the previous annual appraisal
and to set targets.
General & Corporate Duties
Records Management / Data Protection
As an employee of the Hospice, you have a legal responsibility for the protection
of all records (including patient health, financial, personal and administrative) that
you use input into or use as part of your work with the Hospice. The records may
be paper, electronic, or audio, or x-ray images. You must consult your manager if
you have any doubt as to the correct management of the records with which you
work.
All employees are personally responsible for the quality of data entered by
themselves, or on their behalf, on the Hospice data records (paper records) and
must ensure that such data is entered accurately to Hospice data standards, in a
timely manner to ensure high standards of data quality in accordance with the
Hospice Data Quality and Clinical Record Keeping Polices.
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To ensure data is handled in a secure manner protecting the confidentiality of any
personal data held in meeting the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998,
Caldicott recommendations and other relevant legislation and guidance are
applicable and should be adhered to.
Confidentiality and Information Security
As a Hospice employee you are required to regard as strictly confidential, and not
disclose to any person, other than a person authorised by Kilbryde Hospice, at
any time during your employment with the Hospice any information acquired by
yourself in relation to any patient including the identity of any patient or the
medical condition or the treatment received by any patient. Any information
acquired about the patient’s relatives and circumstances will be similarly
respected and will be confidential. Any breach of confidentiality by yourself may
lead to disciplinary action being taken against you. This duty lasts indefinitely and
will continue after you leave the Hospice employment. All employees must
maintain confidentiality and abide by the Data Protection Act.
Infection Control
All staff are expected to adhere to current infection control policy and procedures
as appropriate to their role and responsibilities in their work setting.
The post holder will develop clear plans and objectives with key performance
objectives agreeing improvement targets and ensuring delivery through leading or
taking action when performance is satisfactory.
Use the Hospice’s performance reporting tools, as required, to monitor and report
progress against key targets and work streams. Provide timely concise updates of
action to ensure delivery.
Equal Opportunities
The Hospice provides a range of services and employment opportunities for a
diverse population. As a Hospice employee you are expected to treat all
patients/relatives and work colleagues with dignity and respect irrespective of their
sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, age or religion.
The Hospice may make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to the post/work place in order
to facilitate the employment of individuals with a disability. These adjustments will
be in line with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Disclosure of Criminal Background
Kilbryde Hospice is required to check with Disclosure Scotland the possible
criminal background of staff and volunteers who apply to work with vulnerable
patients. If it is a requirement of the post that such a check be undertaken,
successful applicants will be asked to complete and sign a PVG form giving
permission for the check to take place.
Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an applicant from working with
the Hospice. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances
and background of offences. Please note applicants refusing to sign the form will
not be progressed further.
Any other duties within the framework of the post
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All employees will take responsibility for their own personal development.
The post holder may be required to undertake any other duties and
responsibilities which are deemed appropriate to the grade. Where the duties and
responsibilities may change in the light of experience and developments within the
service the job description will be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder.
Safeguarding the Welfare of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
All employees are expected to adhere to the Hospice’s Policies and Procedures in
relation to Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults and to undertake the
appropriate level of mandatory training in this area.
Working with Volunteers
Volunteers are a vital resource to the Hospice and it is the responsibility of all staff
to treat them with respect and value their contribution appropriately. If a volunteer
is assigned to assist you at any time you will retain responsibility for the
requirements of the job in terms of accuracy, efficiency and standards of
completion. You should also ensure good communication and be aware of your
responsibility towards the volunteer in terms of Health & Safety.
Smoking Policy
Kilbryde Hospice operates a No Smoking Policy for staff within the grounds of
Hairmyres Hospital and the Kilbryde Hospice buildings
Standards of Business Conduct – Declaration of interest
All Hospice employees should be impartial and honest in the conduct of their
official duties and should not abuse their official position for personal gain or
advantage.
Employees must not engage in outside employment which may conflict with their
official Hospice work or be detrimental to it. It is, therefore, Hospice Policy that
employees will not be permitted to undertake business activities or other work
where Hospice considers that this is incompatible with its interests without seeking
prior written authorisation from the relevant manager/Director, who will be
responsible for judging whether a conflict has arisen.
Employees must ensure that they are not placed in a position which risks or
appears to risk conflict between their interests and their Hospice duties and to
declare any relevant interests either on starting work or on acquisition of the
interest.
7a. EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY
• Computer hardware
• Monitor and printer
• Moving & Handling equipment, kitchen equipment, all clinical equipment.
7b. SYSTEMS
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▪ Maintain documentation as required of role
▪ Maintain CPD log and record of training undertaken
8. ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK
Assignment
▪ Work is assigned to this post by the senior colleague.
▪ The work is reviewed by the senior nurse
▪ The post holder works within the team to determine priorities and
ensures work is completed within the overall timescales to meet the needs of
patient, the organisation and compliance with external regulatory bodies
Review
▪ For a defined period the post-holder will be mentored by a colleague/ more
senior member of staff and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
▪ Annual appraisal is carried out by the Ward Manager or their representative.
9. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
▪ Professionally, within the remit of the role, the post-holder would be expected to
make decisions on a daily basis, acting on information, using knowledge/skills
and experience, and taking into account guidance from professional expertise,
Specialist Guidelines/Protocols and Hospice Policies and Procedures
▪ Uses flexible and innovative approach to problem solving and decision making
in order to prioritise own workload, within the team
10. MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB
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▪ Maintain and continually developing knowledge.
▪ Achieve and maintaining a balance between patient support and professional
responsibilities within the allotted timeframe.
▪ Recognise the post-holders role and boundaries within the wider
multidisciplinary team.
▪ The post holder needs to recognise emotionally and mentally demanding
aspects of the job, whilst at the same time taking care to safeguard own health
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and safety.
▪ Recognising and supporting patients/ families experiencing challenging life
events
11. COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Internal
▪ Clinical Services Manager
▪ Departmental managers
▪ Staff
▪ Volunteers
▪ Patients and relatives
External
▪ At all times promote the ethos and mission of Kilbryde Hospice
▪ Participate in regular team meetings
12. PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMAND OF
THE JOB
Physical
▪ Be flexible with working practises within the ward environment
▪ Use of computers and other IT equipment
▪ Manual Handling issues
Mental
▪ Concentration required when communicating with patients/ families/ colleagues.
▪ Analytical demands when working with complex issues
▪ Managing workload priorities and time constraints to meet the demands of a
multi-faceted service
▪ Concentration required when collating, analysing and reporting information
Emotional
▪ Working with highly distressed individuals and difficult situations
▪ Requirement to concetrate and able to focus entirely on the work in
hand
▪ Responding to issues of an ethically and/or existentially challenging
nature
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Environmental
▪ Hospice environment – adapting to needs
▪ May have occasional exposure to verbal aggression
13. KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB
Skills and Competences
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Experience in care of patients
Partnership Working
Personal Development
Well developed communication skills
Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
Excellent people skills
Culture awareness and sensitivity
Self motivated
Confident and decisive
Time Management Skills
14. JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT
A separate job description will need to be signed off by each jobholder to whom
the job description applies.
The job description is a general outline of the above post and it is not exhaustive.
This job description is subject to periodic review with the post holder. Duties may
change in line with the service changes and of the post holders own personal
development.
I agree that this is an accurate reflection of the duties involved in my current role
in Kilbryde Hospice.
Job Holder’s Signature _________________________ Date ________________
Head of Department’s Signature___________________ Date ________________
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Nursing Assistant
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Attributes
Education/
Qualifications
Experience
Knowledge
Skills/Abilities
Essential
Desirable
In absence of SVQ
qualification must be
willing to undertake or
working towards
appropriate SVQ
qualification
SVQ II in health and
social care
Experience of working
within a care giving
environment
Experience of
working within a
palliative care
environment
Be willing to
undertake continued
professional
development
Knowledge and skills in
order to achieve an
organised ward as part of
a team delivering
effective patient care
within a busy Hospice
environment
Communication skills
Be able to develop
therapeutic relationships
with patients, carers and
multidisciplinary team
Ability to work as part of a
multi-disciplinary team
Ability to carry out
assigned patient care and
tasks effectively within a
busy environment.
Other
Method of
Assessment
Application Form
and Certificates
Ability to work a variety of
shifts/internal rotation
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Application Form,
Interview and
References
Application Form,
Interview and
References
Application Form,
Interview and
References