Technical Instructor for Stroke and Neuro (in-patient and community)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

SECTION 1- MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Responsible for communicating effectively with all multi-disciplinary team members and for giving/receive information to relevant staff. This includes written and verbal communication
• To deal with and take responsibility for enquiries from patients, relatives, general public and staff, both in person and by telephone.
• To complete verbal or written reports on patients progress both to appropriate therapy staff and to other multi-disciplinary team members.
• Organise and plan own day to day workload, in order to meet the job role. 
• Make appropriate referrals to other internal and external agencies as directed by the Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist.
• Ensure safe and effective use of equipment, resources and consumables.
• Order equipment for patient care.
• To ensure that equipment is fit for purpose and to report any defects to qualified staff.
• To attend departmental staff meetings, in-service training and mandatory training sessions.
• To keep accurate patient records in accordance with Trust and departmental standards and policies.
• Comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act, Access to Health Records Act and legislation in relation to confidential data. 
• To take part in team audits.
• Ensure safety of self, colleagues and patients.
• To take part in the PDR process as an attendee.
• To be aware of infection control procedures when exposed to bodily fluids, MRSA, COVID and other contaminants constantly ensuring protection of self and patient.
• To undertake any other duties as may be required within the capacity of the role at the direction of service leads 

SECTION 2- KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

• To demonstrate a good understanding of a range of neurological conditions (including stroke), and the common problems that this client group may experience
• To carry out physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, psychology and nursing programmes as assessed for and planned by the appropriate therapist/nurse.  
• To be able to work without direct supervision and be responsible for assessing patient progress and reporting back to the appropriate therapist.  This may be in the hospital (SRU) or in the patient’s home, clinic or similar.
• To carry out discharge assessments as appropriate.
• To provide support to the therapist during individual treatment sessions or in a group therapy setting (ward based or in the community.
• To demonstrate competent and confident handling of patients.
• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own caseload of patients allocated by the various therapists.
• Knowledge of a range of equipment and be skilled to assess for and requisition as required. To be competent to teach safe use as indicated.
• Check and maintain equipment once issued and adjust where appropriate.
• To demonstrate good communication skills to enable you to negotiate with and encourage clients to co-operate in their therapy programme.  This may include non-verbal communication.
• To demonstrate empathy whilst communicating information of a sensitive nature.
• To demonstrate effective communication skills when dealing with patients, relatives, carers, team staff and external agencies. 
• Ability to keep accurate documentation according to Trust and departmental policies.

SECTION 3- EFFORT AND ENVIRONMENT 

PHYSICAL EFFORT   

Use of manual handling equipment weekly in line with trust policies, procedures and department guidelines. 

Therapeutic handling and transferring patients and equipment daily on the ward and in the community.    

The post-holder will be expected to travel between different work locations frequently throughout the day.    

MENTAL EFFORT   

The post-holder will be expected to concentrate during treatment sessions and ensure good communication with patients who have impaired understanding and communication difficulties e.g. impaired speech and hearing.  Some patients will also not speak English as a first language, and use of an interpreter may be necessary.  

EMOTIONAL EFFORT    

The post-holder will be regularly treating people of all ages with a terminal illness or chronic degenerative conditions.  They will be dealing with people in their own homes, some with poor family/social support.  Patients may be depressed, withdrawn or aggressive.  

WORKING CONDITIONS 

The post-holder will be working in many environments over which they have no control.  These will include environments where exposure to body fluids (blood, faeces, urine, vomit, and sputum), infestations, smoke and animals will occur. Spaces to work in are often confined, with variable temperatures, noise levels, ventilation and less than ideal work surfaces.  There is a risk of exposure of physical/verbal aggression from parties, their families and the general public.