Senior sister/Charge nurse

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

• To provide sound clinical leadership and develop support mechanisms for sharing good practice within the Ward/Department and Trust wide.   

• Monitor the quality of nursing care and action audit information to achieve agreed standards and take the lead on customer care initiatives.

• Takes the lead in ensuring the provision of care is in accordance with the Trust’s Polices & procedures.

• To lead in developing, implementing, evaluating and maintaining a Ward/Departmental ethos and a standard approach to the delivery of excellent nursing care. 

• To act as patient advocate in line with the NHS plan and to actively apply in depth knowledge of holistic/socio-economic and cultural aspects of the care to clients within your specific speciality.

• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate programmes of care, actively seeking evidence based practice which will support clinical outcomes as appropriate.

• Ensure that nursing documentation is maintained to the Trust standard (including electronic records) and implement nursing audit of records to measure and evaluate care planning.

• To be aware of and champion current trends and developments in nursing and in the NHS and be responsible for taking the lead in the continuing professional development of ward/departmental staff and self.

• To lead on the implementation of the Trust’s framework for Clinical Governance and patient safety walkabouts and ensure all staff adhere to the Trust’s core behaviours and the 6C’s within the ward/department.

• In conjunction with the staff develop a mechanism for setting goals and benchmarking standards of care. Develop tools to improve the quality of the service and co-ordinate clinical services across the Ward/Department.

• Have continuing responsibility for the provision of a suitable, clean, uncluttered and safe environment for the physical and psychological well being of staff, patients/clients and their relatives. Identify clinical risks and ensure that appropriate action is taken under the supervision of the modern matron/senior nurse manager, in accordance with the Trust Risk Management policy.

• To take overall responsibility for the clinical area utilising resources effectively and to ensure that safe staffing levels are maintained for their shifts.

• Work in partnership with support staff to ensure that care, treatment and service needs are met, ensuring a standard approach to the delivery of excellent nursing care. 

• To investigate complaints, accident reports and untoward incidents within the ward/ department in line with Trust Policies and procedures and in conjunction with the Directorate Senior Nurse and implement recommendations for action.

• To take the lead in ensuring compliance to Trust policies and procedures amongst the multi-disciplinary team.

• Provide information and support to relatives/carers as appropriate, following consultation with members of the multi-disciplinary team. Leading in assessment, re-assessment and discharge pathways for patients.

• To take a lead role in promoting a healthy lifestyle for patients and staff, in line with national strategy requirements. 

Communication

• Provide support mechanisms for sharing good practice within the ward or department and Trust wide.

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

• Maintain and promote effective communication with ward team and all members of the multi-disciplinary team and other Wards/ Departments, including formal presentation of information relating to your ward/ Department

• To adapt communication skills to meet the needs of patients who may have barriers to understanding e.g. language.

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

• To support the Directorate Senior Nurse/Modern Matron and to deputise for them in their absence.

People management

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

• To ensure appropriate staffing levels and skill mix are in place to reflect the workload and meet the needs of the patient through an effective rostering system.
• To investigate and manage staff issues that relate to sickness and absence, poor performance, conduct, harassment, disciplinary and grievance issues using the relevant Trust policies and in liaison with your senior colleagues and Human Resource advisor and implement recommendations for action

• To work closely with the Practice Educator and/or Facilitator to educate staff and undertake both formal and informal training as required.

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

• Participate in the Trusts appraisal and personal development plan schemes by meeting with the manager annually and to take and perform appraisals on a delegated group of staff and to ensure personal development plans for individuals.

• To ensure that a suitable learning environment is maintained for all grades of staff and implement ward teaching programmes.

• Participate in the Trusts appraisal and personal development plan schemes by meeting with the team leader/appraiser at least annually which includes feedback from a selection of internal trust and team members.  

Service development

• To set annual Ward/Departmental objectives with the line manager and/or clinical services manager, Directorate Senior Nurses ensuring that all staff are aware of them and their implementation.

• In conjunction with the Divisional Management participate in the Trust Business Planning cycle, identifying areas of service development.

• 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

• To recruit, retain and select staff within the budgeted establishment.

• To manage the efficient and effective use of supplies, provisions and equipment of the ward/department within the designated budget. This includes management of the temporary staff and environmental budget.

• In conjunction with the Divisional Management team identify, analyse and discuss cost pressure and financial constraints in a timely manner.

• To act as a role model to others by adopting a flexible approach to personal rostering. 

Policy development

• Lead projects relating to local policy development.

• To be actively involved in the development and implementation of Trust policies and procedures at ward / department level, and reinforce their use.

• To actively promote a healthy lifestyle for patients and staff appreciating national strategy requirements.

Information management

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

• Maintain data quality standards for PAS for ward / department or similar systems in the future.

• Ensure self and team undertake training for electronic information systems in place & under development.

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

• To have an active intranet and email account and adhere to the Trust’s Information Services and Information Governance Policies.

• Role model use of Trust intranet and internet to staff.

Further sections

• To ensure all team members have a real voice in the development of the clinical areas service to patients/customers.

• To maximise the potential of all team members.

• To ensure that all team members have a meaningful appraisal/personal development plan that includes feedback to the individual from a selection of internal customers and team members.

• To provide a safe and attractive working environment for team members within available resources.

• To attend and play a major role in corporate groups as a representative of the directorate and team.

• To represent the Trust at regional and national conferences and on working groups as appropriate.

• To deputise in the absence of the Senior Nurse/Matron. 

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.