Clinical Nurse Specialist in Diabetes and Coronary Risk Prevention

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main tasks and Responsibilities 

Clinical Leadership

1.  In association with other members of the multi-professional team, provide up to date information to patients about Diabetes and coronary risk prevention and assist / advise staff already involved in their care.

2. Actively identify diabetic patients being cared for at Harefield Hospital, and accept referrals from medical, nursing and therapy colleagues regarding diabetic inpatients. This should include

-Acting as a point of contact for Pre-Assessment Clinics, working to pre-empt diabetes related complications of their impending procedure

-Facilitate daily contact with the clinical areas to identify newly- diagnosed and newly admitted patients with Diabetes.

-Oversee the management of Diabetic patients, assessing and interpreting specialist nursing needs and making treatment/care recommendations to colleagues from all disciplines, including adjustment of insulin and oral hypoglycaemic agents.

3. Act as a role model in expert practice of Diabetes facilitating and supporting the delivery of effective patient care.

4. Assist other nursing staff in developing appropriate plans of care for individual patients or client groups with Diabetes.

5. Identify and promote areas for practice development, including guidelines and procedures to support the delivery of care. Ensure that nursing care is evidence based.

6. Liaise with members of the multi professional team to provide holistic care with the aim of achieving an effective primary-secondary and tertiary care interface:

• multi professional meetings and case conferences. Co-ordinate the discharge planning of patients with diabetes, liaising with service providers within the community to provide continuity of care for patients in their transition from secondary to primary care.
• Work collaboratively with PCT-based Diabetic Nurse Specialists, ensuring patients referred for follow-up care as needed.
• Liaise with case managers for specified patients.

7. Document consultations and practice to incorporate both audit and the monitoring and evaluation of standards of care.

8. Liaise with company representatives to keep abreast of current products, advising the multi professional team on choice and use of specialist products.

9. Facilitate and participate in Trust wide groups that require specialist input.

10. Counsel patient and carers regarding conditions, treatments and methods of symptom relief.

11. Work with other nursing colleagues to ensure the Trust’s Strategy for Nursing is implemented within care areas.

12. Provide appropriate and consistent professional advice to other senior members of the care team, acting as a point of contact in times of difficulty and when support is required.

13. Adhere to strict compliance with Trust Infection, prevention and control policies and procedures and ensure junior staff and learners are aware of their responsibility, observe staff practice and advise/educate as necessary. Participate if appropriate in regular audits of clinical areas.

14. Chair meetings and run projects in relation to Diabetes as requested and deliver on target within time-scales.

Managerial

1.Act in an expert advisory capacity to departmental colleagues and other members of the multidisciplinary team.

2.Challenge individuals and the team’s practice/performance in a way that will improve quality of care.

3. Act as a clinical supervisor, coach and mentor to other nursing colleagues.

4. Actively promote the consultative role as a resource for the development of nursing and patient care across the Trust, in particular at Harefield and at national and professional forums, conferences, groups and meetings.

5. Lead in the provision of patient centred care, recognising the essential contributions which are made by other professional groups.

6. Work in partnership with multi professional colleagues.

7. Participate in the development of collaborative clinics/services.

8. Participate in the development of multi-professional guidelines/policies for patient care.

9. Engage with relatives and patients in preventing formal complaints arising, in order to agree local resolution.

Education

1. Identify gaps in current knowledge base of junior staff and disseminate specialist knowledge to others in order to improve patient care through the following interventions:

-Provide effective teaching to individual patients and their families/carers.

-Teach and develop knowledge and skills of other staff through formal and informal training programmes, organised on a continuum.

-Contribute to the development of educational materials and the development of practical skills as required by the Trust.

-Assist in the establishment of a staff development culture within the organisation, participating in induction and mandatory training as appropriate.

-Be prepared to question practice and use audit and /or research to underpin and implement change supported by relevant evidenced based practice.

Research and Audit

1. Initiate the measurement and evaluation of clinical care and that of the team through the use of Evidence Based Practice project audit and outcome measures, including but not limited to:

Co-ordinate data collection to demonstrate clinical effectiveness of the Diabetic service, benchmarking against recommendations of NSF for Diabetes, the NHS Plan and NICE guidelines.  

2   Facilitate processes for the development of practice incorporating the views and experiences of the patient and other members of the multi professional team.

3    Liaise with the Matrons, Practice Education team, ward sister and  other specialist nurse educational support on providing specific learning objectives and a team education programme.

4. Keep up to date with, interpret and critically evaluate current literature in Diabetes and coronary risk prevention. Communicate research findings to nurses throughout the Trust by relating them to clinical problems.

5. Undertake research in line with research skills and knowledge with a view to presentation and publication.

6. In partnership with other members of specialist team, lead in the development of protocols and guidelines within the Trust for the care of patients with Diabetes.

7.Participate in local/national meetings/networks.

Communication

1. Communicate tasks and activities to a range of team members   ensuring that staff has the appropriate support to take on projects. Ensure that all outcomes are evaluated.

2. Maintain and promote effective communication with ward teams and all members of the multi professional team.

3. Promote the corporate image of the Trust to all individuals, groups and organisations both within the Trust and to the community at large.

    People management

 1. To provide effective orientation of staff, including welcome to the     department and early objective setting and follow-up.   

 2. To support senior nursing staff with the Management of sickness         absence policy with issues that relate to sickness and absence, poor performance, harassment, disciplinary and grievance issues.

3. To actively support the implementing of flexible working practice, in line with Improving Working Lives Standards and Trust Change  Management Policy.

4. Participate in the Trusts appraisal and personal development plan schemes by meeting with the manager at least annually.

Service development

 1. In conjunction with the Hospital management team participate in The Trust Business Planning cycle, identifying areas of service  development.

2 To involve staff in the developments and business of the trust.  Actively encourage and promote, supporting where possible within the constraints of service delivery, staff membership of Trust wide initiatives/committees, professional organisations/forums and/or relevant Trade Unions.

Resource management

1. To manage the efficient and effective use of supplies, provisions and equipment within the designated budget.

2. To act as a role model to others by adopting a flexible approach.

3. To support the recruitment, retention and selection of staff.

4   To provide fundamental care for patients in times of organisational challenge, an on occasion be required to work clinically in a non-specialist capacity. As a senior nurse the post holder is expected to be supportive of such matters.

Policy development

1. Plan and lead projects relating to local policy development.

2. To be actively involved in the development of Trust policies and procedures at ward level and reinforce their use.

3. To actively promote a healthy lifestyle for patients and staff appreciating   National guidance. 

Information management

1 Plan, lead and delegate local audit and research as required, ensure  findings are disseminated appropriately, and recommendations are implemented.

2. Maintain data quality standards for Patient Administration systems in the future.

3. Undertake training for electronic information systems in place & under development.

4. To have an active email account and use this as one of the methods of disseminating information to ward team.

Other duties

This job description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the post and is not exhaustive.  It will be subject to regular review and amendment as necessary in consultation with the post holder.