ACCORD Hospice
Position – Charge Nurse (In-Patient Unit)
37.5 hours per week
Salary - Band 6/7 depending on experience/skills
Hours: Monday – Friday, 08:00 – 16:00
Permanent position
ACCORD Hospice in Paisley is seeking a registered nurse to join their In-Patient Unit
team in a Band 6 / 7 Charge Nurse Role. This position is suitable for an experienced
Sister or Charge Nurse or as a development role for someone wanting to move into
their first Band 6 / 7 management / leadership position.
We are a forward thinking, inclusive registered Charity with an eight (8) bed InPatient Unit, as well as Day Hospice and Community CNS Service, providing care
and support to palliative patients and their families in their own homes and within
ACCORD Hospice.
Our In-Patient Unit staff provide high quality palliative nursing care to patients and
develop appropriate programmes of individualised care. The successful candidate will
have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of palliative care and
contribute to the future development of this Consultant-Led Unit.
Essential
Current NMC registration as a registered
adult/general nurse
Palliative Care experience
Management/Leadership experience
Desirable
Hospice Experience
Post Grad Diploma/Masters in
Palliative Care
Experience with ‘Crosscare’
Electronic Patient Record system
Degree in Palliative/Cancer Care
Multi-Professional Team-working
Understanding of Hospice Care
Understanding of current National Palliative Care
agenda
Knowledge & experience of Palliative Care pain &
symptom management
Wide range of clinical skills – assessment,
planning, evaluation, holistic care
Well-developed IT skills
Good awareness of quality improvement processes
and practice development
Knowledge/experience regarding the components
set out in the attached job description
Apply online via the NHS SHOW site (using the ACCORD application form) or the
ACCORD Hospice website http://www.accordhospice.org.uk/vacancies
Closing date for completed applications: Friday 29th January
If you apply and do not hear anything by 5pm on Wednesday 3rd February then
please assume you have not been shortlisted.
ACCORD HOSPICE
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE
CHARGE NURSE – IN PATIENT UNIT
Job Identification
Job Title:
Responsible to:
Department:
Last Update:
Charge Nurse In-Patient Unit
Clinical Services Manager
Hospice In-Patient Unit
May 2015
Job Purpose and Dimensions
To assess patients, plan and implement care, provide advice and maintain associated records.
Carry out clinical nursing procedures.
Manage staff, including undertaking appraisals, supporting professional and personal
development plans, complete duty rotas and participate in recruitment and selection.
Responsible for ensuring cost effective use of supplies and drugs.
Provide on-call support for nursing advice as part of senior nurse’s rota.
Take on deputising duties in the absence of the Chief Executive and / or Clinical Services
Manager
Dimension
ACCORD Hospice – Consultant led unit
8 In-Patient beds, 15 Day Therapy Unit places.
6 Community Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialists.
Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Lymphoedema Services.
Patient & Family Support Service (social, spiritual and bereavement support).
Education Facilitator.
Patient Transport Service (paid and voluntary).
Organisational Position
Chief Executive
Clinical Services Manager
Charge Nurse (this post) / Community CNS
Senior Staff Nurse
Staff Nurse
Nursing Auxiliary
Volunteers
Communications and Relationships
Provide complex or sensitive condition related information to patients and their families
requiring empathy and reassurance.
Provide and receive complex and highly sensitive condition related information to/from other
healthcare professionals and other agencies (external and internal).
Communicate and liaise with the patient, relatives and the multidisciplinary team in the
provision of care.
Provide palliative care advice by telephone out of hours.
Communicate effectively verbally and in writing with all members of the multidisciplinary
team.
Occasionally deal with verbally abusive patients and/or families.
Knowledge, Training & Experience to do the Job
Highly developed specialist knowledge across a range of work procedures and practices,
supplemented by a Degree, Diploma and/or Masters studies in Cancer or Palliative Care
Nursing Studies and relevant practical experience.
Relevant short courses applicable to post to support ongoing professional and managerial
development.
Analytical and Judgemental Skills
Complex facts, analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options.
Skill for managing admissions and discharges within In-Patient Unit.
Assessing and advising patients, relatives and staff in difficult or crisis situations.
Assess and interpret specialist, acute and other patient conditions – planning and/or advising
appropriate action.
Planning and Organisational Skills
Planning of complex activities and judgement of those plans.
Plan and support work of team, staff training and staff rotas and adjust to cover emergencies
by use of overtime, bank or agency staff and when on-call.
Plan the induction and mentoring / preceptorship of new staff and students.
Plan, implement and evaluate change in clinical practice.
Physical Skills
Highly developed physical skill where accuracy is required (syringe pump and drug dose
preparation).
Use mechanical aids for moving and handling (hoist, stand aid, bathing equipment and
wheelchairs).
Use sensory skills (sight, hearing, touch and smell).
Keyboard / computer skills.
Responsibility for Patient / Client Care
Assess, develop, implement and evaluate specialised nursing care programmes.
Give advice to patients, relatives and other health care professionals.
Maintain accurate documentation and ensure confidentiality.
Responsibility for Policy & Service Development Implementation
Implement and propose changes and procedures in own area.
Responsibility for Financial and Physical Resources
Regularly handle patients’ valuables and petty cash.
Handle fundraising donations.
Responsible for maintaining supplies and security of stock/drugs.
Observe personal duty of care in relation to equipment and resources used in course of work.
Responsible for ensuring a safe environment and reporting/actioning areas of concern.
Responsibility for Human Resources
Responsible for the day to day management of a group of staff.
Undertake appraisals and PDP’s.
Involved in the recruitment and selection of staff.
Responsibility for Information Resources
Complete patient written records – daily charts and care plans related to complete patient
care.
Discharge planning documentation.
Use computer to create daily reports and other relevant documentation.
Medicine prescription forms, laboratory results recording, blood transfusion forms.
Responsibility for Research and Development
Undertake evaluations, surveys and audits as necessary, relevant to own work, patient care or
organisational issues.
Participate in internal and external education programmes.
Contribute to Hospice Groups and Clinical Governance Groups agenda and structure.
Freedom to Act
Accountable for own professional actions.
Managed not directly supervised.
Guided by clearly defined occupational and clinical policies and procedures and specified
standards set by NHS QIS (Palliative Care) and Care Commission (general Hospice
Standards).
Physical, Mental and Emotional Effort
Physical
Frequent moderate effort for short periods.
Physical manual handling of patients conscious and unconscious
Transferring/moving patients with mechanical aids.
Use of equipment/aids – beds, hoists, bathing aids and wheelchairs on a daily basis.
Moving oxygen concentrators or cylinders and suction equipment.
Mental Effort
Ability to respond to the frequently changing needs of the unit.
Unpredictable work pattern requiring increased levels of concentration.
Concentration required when checking documentation, patient notes and calculating drug
doses whilst subject to frequent interruptions from patients, relatives and staff.
Increased concentration when preparing and maintaining syringe drivers.
Increased concentration when observing patient behaviour, which may be unpredictable.
Emotional Effort
Deal with distressed, anxious and worried patients and relatives.
Deal with verbal aggression and/or confusion.
Care of the terminally ill.
Deal with the consequences of patients at the end of their life.
Provide palliative care to include symptom control, spiritual, psychological and social care.
Working Conditions
Frequent highly unpleasant working conditions (smells, body fluids and faeces).
Emptying bed pans, urinals and catheter bags several times during a shift.
Exposure to soiled linen.
Exposure to patients with infected illnesses which may/may not require isolation nursing
(MRSA, Clostridium Difficule).
Main Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities
Management / Leadership
To ensure nursing activities within broad policy and objectives of the organisation and ensure
staff adhere to all Hospice policies.
Be responsible for the continuing management of the nursing service over 24hrs with the aim
of ensuring the highest possible standards of care.
Maintain a positive working relationship with the multidisciplinary team.
Act as a change agent to promote innovation and high standards of practice.
Plan the staff duty rotas to meet the requirements of the unit.
Monitor and appraise the performance of staff and agree Professional Development Plans
(PDP’s).
Ensure all equipment is maintained in a satisfactory condition that complies with Health and
Safety guidance.
Participate in developing policy/service objectives.
Enhance development of the service within the In-Patient Unit.
To maintain an accurate record system and compile reports and statistics as required.
To set a standard of care to a specialist palliative care level.
Facilitate regular meetings to encourage communication.
Participate in Clinical Governance Groups.
Maintain confidentiality at all times.
Comply and adhere to all Hospice policies and procedures.
Participate in In-service training as required.
Attend mandatory training.
Clinical
Demonstrate clinical excellence and high standards of nursing practice to other staff.
Be responsible for monitoring and supervising nursing practice.
Ensure care given is assessed, planned, implemented and evaluated and appropriately
documented.
Be responsible for the safe administration and storage of drugs in accordance with the
standards set by the NMC.
Research / Audit
To assist in research and audit related to the management and improvement of palliative care.
Encourage and support audit to monitor standards of care.
Education
Provide educational programmes and support for other health professional colleagues.
To participate in the orientation of new staff and mentorship where required.
Participate in in-service training and the training of students.
To represent the Hospice and give talks/lectures to visitors and organisations.
Update and maintain specialist knowledge and be skilled in the management of specialist
palliative care.
Receive and provide clinical supervision.
Maintain a record of education, training and professional development in a
personal/professional profile to meet the requirements of continuing registration with the
NMC.
Job Description Agreement:
Job Holder’s Signature:
Head of Department Signature:
ACCORD Hospice
CONFIDENTIAL APPLICATION FORM
APF 02
Position
Applied For:
Please type or write in CAPITAL LETTERS and black text or ink
1. PERSONAL
SURNAME
FIRST NAME(S)
TITLE (Dr/Mr/Ms
etc)
PERMANENT
ADDRESS
POSTCODE
WORK
TELEPHONE
MOBILE
TELEPHONE
HOME
TELEPHONE
EMAIL
ADDRESS
UK NATIONAL
INSURANCE NO.
DO YOU HAVE A VALID/ FULL
UK DRIVING LICENCE?
If you are successful in your application would you require a work permit
to work in the UK?
If YES, please provide details with your application
YES
NO
YES
NO
2. EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
PLACE OF STUDY
SUBJECT / QUALIFICATION
RESULT / GRADE
DATE OBTAINED
(mm/yyyy)
DURATION
DATE COMPLETED
(mm/yyyy)
3. TRAINING COURSES ATTENDED
(additional training/skills relevant to the post)
TRAINING
PROVIDER
COURSE TITLE/ SUBJECT
4. REGISTRATION TO PRACTISE
(e.g. GMC, NMC, HPC for posts where there is a requirement to be registered with a governing
body)
GOVERNING BODY
REGISTRATION TYPE/
STATUS
REGISTRATION/
PIN NUMBER
EXPIRY/
RENEWAL DATE
Do you currently have a “licence to practise” from a licensing or
regulatory body in the UK?
YES
NO
5. MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL BODY OR ASSOCIATION
PROFESSIONAL
BODY
MEMBERSHIP GRADE
MEMBERSHIP
NUMBER/ STATUS
DATE OF ENTRY
6. PRESENT OR MOST RECENT EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYER NAME &
ADDRESS
JOB TITLE
START
DATE
(mm/yyyy)
END DATE
(if
applicable)
WEEKLY
HOURS
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
SALARY/
GRADE
NOTICE
PERIOD
REASON FOR LEAVING/
SEEKING CHANGE
7. PREVIOUS/OTHER EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
(Please start with most recent employment. Continue on separate sheet if necessary)
COMPANY/
ORGANISATION
POST HELD AND
RESPONSIBILITIES/ DUTIES
DATE
FROM
DATE
TO
REASON FOR
LEAVING
8. SUPPORTING STATEMENT
Please provide your reasons for applying for this position and additional information that shows how you match
the person specification. For example, details of your achievements, relevant skills, knowledge, experience,
voluntary activities, positions of responsibility, as well as research, publications, clinical care, clinical audit (if
applicable), awards and language skills. If you believe you have the necessary experience and skills – make
sure you tell us! You may in addition attach a CV.
Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary
9. REFERENCES
Please give the details of two referees who have consented to be approached and are qualified to comment on
your ability and experience (one should be your current or most recent employer).
1st Referee
2nd Referee
Name
Position
Organisation
Address
Postcode
Telephone
Email
Please note that references will only be taken up for preferred candidate following interview
10. REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS ACT 1974 (EXCEPTIONS ORDER 1975)
Because of the nature of the work for which you are applying, this post is exempt from the provisions of Section
4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applicants are, therefore, not
entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are "spent" under the provisions of
the Act i.e. all convictions must be declared. In the event of employment, any failure to disclose such
convictions could result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Hospice. Any information given will be
completely confidential and will be considered only in relation to an application for a position to which the Order
applies.
Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence, been bound over or
cautioned or are currently the subject of proceedings which might lead to
YES
NO
a conviction, an order binding you over or a caution, in the UK or any
other country?
If YES, please provide details with your application
11. DECLARATION *Please read carefully before signing this declaration.
I understand that any appointment offered is subject to health clearance, confirmation of qualifications and
professional registration, enhanced Disclosure Scotland (criminal records) check, and references, all of which
must be deemed satisfactory by the Hospice. I hereby authorise you to carry out checks on all and any of my
qualifications and/or registration from any establishment or employer and I give my consent to ACCORD Hospice
processing the data supplied in this application form for the purpose of recruitment and selection.
I declare that the information I have given in support of my application is, to the best of my
knowledge and belief, true and complete. I understand that if it is subsequently discovered that any
statement is false or misleading, or that I have withheld relevant information, my application may be
disqualified or if I have already been appointed, I may be dismissed without notice. This applies
equally to any medical questionnaire/forms I may complete.
SIGNED
DATE
Thank You
Please return your completed and signed application form with any other attachments to:
Yvonne Aitchison
HR Officer
ACCORD Hospice
Morton Avenue
PAISLEY
PA2 7BW
www.accordhospice.org.uk
Charity No: SC 013862
email: yvonne.aitchison@accord.org.uk
Date application received (for office use only)
All information provided will be treated confidentially in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and will be
used for employment purposes. Information provided may be kept on an electronic or manual recording system.
Date reviewed : June 2015
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING
We want to ensure our positions are open to all. The only way we can ensure there is
equal opportunity is to monitor the applications we receive and compare the profile of
people who apply with those appointed. The information you provide is confidential and is
not used in the selection process.
A. What is your gender?
Female
Male
B. What is your age?
I am ____ years old and my date of birth is __ / __ / ____
C. Do you have a physical or mental health condition or disability that:


has a substantial effect on your ability to carry out day to day activities
has lasted or is expected to last 12 months or more
Yes

No
Prefer not to answer
if you answered yes, please tick if it is any of the following:
Learning disability
Longstanding illness
Physical impairment
Sensory impairment
Mental Health Condition
Other (please describe):

if yes please describe any particular arrangements you would need for work location:
D. What is your ethnic group?
Choose one section from 1 – 6 then tick a box to indicate your cultural background (describe if
appropriate please)
1: White
Scottish
Irish
2: Mixed
Any mixed background
Other British
Other
3: Asian; Asian Scottish; Asian British
Pakistani
Indian
Chinese
Bangladeshi
Other
4: Black; Black Scottish; Black British
Caribbean
African
Other
5. Other ethnic background
Any other background
6. Prefer not to answer
E. Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation?
Bisexual
Gay Man
Heterosexual
Lesbian/Gay Woman
Other
Prefer not to answer
Thank you