Lead Nurse - Hospital Flow

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KEY DUTIES

Provide professional and clinical leadership and support to the nursing workforce.

Ensure that performance and sickness management issues relating to nurses in practice are dealt with promptly, sensitively, equally and without discrimination in accordance with Trust policy.

Maintain a high profile in supporting and managing staff, dealing with issues promptly and effectively that may impact on service delivery.

Contribute to directorate business planning, reviewing, and agreeing nursing workforce plans.

To ensure that effective emergency planning measures are in place inclusive of effective contingency and business continuity plans.

Maintain an active role in the recruitment and retention of the nursing workforce, continually reviewing and adapting skill mix and staff establishments to meet patient need.

Provide advice and guidance for clinical teams on effective assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care according to changing health care needs, ensuring that patients, relatives / carers are involved in all aspects of care

Initiate and monitor changes and improvements to practice in terms of patient flow, admission, and discharge arrangements according to service plans and objectives.

Provide advice and support for patients, carers, and relatives, by being visible and accessible, acting as the first point of call for information and concerns raised, liaising with other staff, clinical teams, patient services and external agencies as required

Provide advice and guidance on preparation of the clinical environment including the patients home for safe practice, ensuring that the appropriate level of cleanliness is maintained, taking action to address issues and solve problems  

Collect, collate, analyse, and report information, ensuring that accurate patient records/documentation are maintained, taking action to address issues and solve problems

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

 Maintain Professional Registration

Adhere to relevant NMC Code of Practice

Act as a role model by demonstrating leadership and expertise, and by maintaining credibility within the care group, the wider health care community, and external agencies, ensuring a positive image of the Trust is maintained.

Maintain high visibility in the clinical areas and be aware of current issues through undertaking activities such as clinical practice or observations of care. Develop a work programme that enables designated clinical time based on the unit.

 QUALITY

 Patient Safety

Ensure effective measurements are in place to promote a safe environment for patients, carers and staff

Ensure there is a robust system in place to ensure lessons are learnt with subsequent changes in practice when highlighted through incidents, complaints, and claims both trust wide and within the Community Services.

Ensure national guidance is implemented in a timely and appropriate way, i.e. CQC standards, policies and guidelines and systems and processes are in place to prepare for and monitor external assessment, accreditation and regulatory inspections.

Provide patient safety and governance reports for the care group and trust committees, collating key quality indicators to support assurance mechanisms to demonstrate compliance with key standards and to escalate where improvements need to be made.

Ensure all senior nurses participate in monthly nursing audits, ensuring that action plans are implemented within agreed time frames    

Ensure that the Community care Group has systems in place to identify, report and manage risk which involves acting and monitoring work areas in accordance with Health and Safety legislation and guidance from the National Patient Safety Agency.

Undertake Clinical Risk Assessments as appropriate and discuss with the HON and Directorate Manager

To ensure systems are in place for assessing and prioritising the purchasing of medical devices and ensuring staff are appropriately trained in their use. Work with the care group management team in the procurement, implementation, and decontamination of medical equipment. Ensure systems are in place for training and recording competency in the use of new devices.

To ensure that there are high standards of documentation and care planning in all areas of practice. Ensuring there are regular reviews of all documentation, and focused action plans are produced when areas of concern are identified.

Lead and coordinate staffing response to a major incident.

Oversee trials of new equipment and ensure appropriate legislation and safety measures are adhered

Patient Experience

To ensure that there are systems in place to capture and act upon information related to the patient experience

Promote patient centred service delivery by providing visible and accessible senior professional presence to which staff, patients and their carers can turn to for assistance.

Maintaining effective channels to obtain views and concerns of service users and to act as appropriate where in use produce weekly reports derived from Patient Experience Audit.

Ensuring that the patient experience remains the focal point for service improvement within the Directorate.

Establish effective relationships with PALS and the complaints team encouraging the staff in the proactive resolution of concerns. Ensure that actions arising from patient feedback are progressed

Clinical Effectiveness

 Implement strategies to ensure clinical care within the Directorate complies where appropriate with National Standards for care such as are contained in the Essence of Care, Our NHS our Future (Lord Darzi recommendations) and National Service Frameworks

To ensure the implementation of national, local and Trust standards of best practice and quality and monitor performance against these that informs the corporate performance review programme. and is utilised to improve the effectiveness of clinical practice and service delivery

 Support the Involvement and delivery of local and national clinical audits.

 ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Ensure timely submission of data both internally and externally

Ensure accurate and contemporaneous records are kept for all patient care and interventions

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES

Take responsibility for own learning by full participation in appraisal, attending mandatory training, developing own “expert” knowledge and skills, maintaining a professional portfolio inclusive of advanced skills.

Lead on the development of the clinical team ensuring compliance with plans to improve knowledge/clinical practice within the team, acting if plans are not met

In liaison with Practice Education Facilitator ensure all nursing staff complete service specific competencies

LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide leadership on making changes and improvements in quality of care and development of clinical teams, ensuring that plans are implemented by monitoring and reporting on the impact of change   

Provide advice and guidance on plans to encourage patient and public involvement activities in clinical areas, monitoring activity, and making recommendations for improvements

Develop and maintain systems and processes to ensure that work is appropriately prioritised and allocated, and that effective supervision is in place to support staff.

Develop and maintain systems and processes to ensure that staff appraisal is in place for all staff in the service. 

Ensure that recruitment, staff induction and orientation, and mandatory training take place according to Trust policy. 

Support the Directorate by the effective use of resources, e.g. staff, budget, premises, equipment, supplies and materials.

Develop and maintain systems and processes to promote, monitor and maintain a healthy, safe, and secure working environment, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, maintaining accurate documentation, and reporting any concerns.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

In Liaison with Finance department actively seek solutions to improve cost efficiency

To contribute to the development of robust financial management systems. To ensure processes are in place to optimally utilise the Community Care Group resources.

Meeting annual financial targets including Cash Releasing Efficiency Savings.

Ensure business risk evaluation of all service developments.

To be accountable for the cost effective and efficient use of resources, ensuring that all senior staff are trained in resource management strategies.

Monitor agency and temporary staffing usage justifying against vacancies and staff absence (maternity, sickness etc)

Ensure all staff make efficient and effective use of financial and other resources.

RESEARCH & AUDIT

 Take an active role in the co-ordination and development of research and audit programmes within the nursing arena and apply the outcomes to improve patient care and service delivery.

Instigate and implement new innovations within nursing and develop these in collaboration with the nursing staff and team.

 GENERAL DUTIES

 To observe the provisions of and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures.

To actively participate in the annual performance review to identify personal development needs

To attend Trust Statutory and Mandatory training sessions as required and any other training courses relevant to the post.

To fully comply with the relevant sections of the Health and Safety at Work Act.  They must also understand and implement St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Hospitals Trust “Statement of Policy on Health and Safety at Work” and the Trust corporate “Health and Safety Policies and Procedures”.  You are required to follow all applicable rules and procedures relating to Health and Safety at Work and to take all responsible precautions to avoid actions.