Senior Health Care Support Worker (SHCSW) - Theatre

Communications

• Maintain accurate and timely records.

• Develop positive relationships with patients, families, and carers.

• Communicate effectively with patients, relatives, and healthcare practitioners.

• Welcome and orientate patients and visitors to the department.

• Undertake administrative tasks

• Use communication tools (verbal/ nonverbal) to gain informed consent with patients where there will often be barriers to effective communication e.g., recovering from an anesthetic, loss of hearing, altered perception, expressive and receptive dysphasia, pain, fear etc.

• Report information concerning the patients to other members of the team,  in a timely manner.

• Ask for, listen, and value the views of patients and their relatives/carers on their experience, including complaints, and discuss this with the team.

• Communicate effectively with dignity and respect to all patients, relatives and others considering potential barriers to understanding.

• Recognise and report any situations, behaviours or errors that could result in poor care outcomes.

• Maintain effective working relationships with colleagues

• Attend departmental meetings as required.

• Welcome and orientate new staff, patients, and visitors to the department.

Responsibility for Patient Care

• Be responsible for participating and assisting in the delivery of delegated care to patients according to their individual needs with specific concern for their religious, cultural, and personal preference.

• Use a range of techniques for infection prevention and control including waste management, hand washing, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and specialist theatre processes.

• Assist patients with toileting. Understanding of catheter care. Measure and record body waste/fluid balance accurately including within theatre procedures.

• Assist in preparing relevant documentation and ensure identity name bands are in place on admission, understanding the importance of allergy status.

• Undertake clerical duties as directed by the Theatre Practitioner.

• Ensure patients nutritional needs are met through assisting in the preparation of patients prior to meals and beverages, meal delivery, providing help and assistance in feeding/drinking as necessary. Have an understanding of the restrictions of food and drink, for example Nil By Mouth and when applicators are in situ in Brachytherapy.

• Appropriately record and monitor dietary intake of patients, informing relevant staff of progress and/or any difficulties relating to dietary/fluid intake.

• Assist patients in their mobility requirements, help move and position appropriately to maximise their physical comfort, utilising equipment as directed by the multi professional team.

• Prepare individual patients and the environment to ensure effective movement and/or handling procedures including the unconscious patient, taking in to consideration the need for patient positioning within the theatre environment.

• Assist in the care of patient’s skin integrity escalating concerns to the Theatre Practitioner a timely manner, recording and maintaining relevant documentation.

• Demonstrate a good understanding of consent and ensure appropriate consent is obtained prior to the undertaking of care procedures.

• Demonstrate a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act / Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and apply the principles to everyday practice seeking advice / guidance from the Theatre Practitioner as required.

• Report any changes to the patient’s condition to a Theatre Practitioner or anesthetic staff

• At the delegation of the Theatre Practitioner, transfer the patient from one care area to another, i.e. to a ward.

• Chaperone the patient as required ensuring appropriate support.

• Ensure that all religious and cultural wishes, obligations are adhered with.

• When necessary, initiate and assist with basic cardio-pulmonary resuscitation procedures.

• Perform additional clinical skills as directed by the Theatre Practitioner (that have been agreed within the Trust competency framework) where trained and competent to do so and within the scope of the role and specialty.

•       Urine testing / urine analysis

•       ECG recording,

•       Catheter care/Catheter specimen Urine (CSU)/Removal

•       Simple wound care/Swabbing

•       Management of radiotherapy reactions/Radiotherapy  (RTOG)

•       Measurement and application of Anti-embolic stockings (AES)

•       Routine IPC swabs

•       Theatre specialist equipment cleaning including instrumentation

•       Setting up equipment for clinical procedures

•       Height and weight recording

•       Venipuncture

•       Cannulation

•       Line care ( Picc/Hickman/Portocath)

• Undertake Patient’s vital signs and report findings. Record findings in patient’s records in real time. 

including: -

•       Temperature

•       Blood Pressure

•       Pulse rate

•       Respiration rate

•       Oxygen Saturation

•       NEWS2

• At the request of the Theatre Practitioner, perform and record blood glucose levels utilising Trust point of care blood glucose monitoring equipment – reporting results to the Registered Healthcare Professional on duty.

• Assist in blood product collection from the laboratory as required

• Assist in providing conditions to meet the patient’s need for rest and sleep.

• Actively support and assist in alleviating distress and anxiety of patients or carers, consistent with their personal beliefs and preferences, seeking help and support as required.

• Support patients with dementia/cognitive impairment/delirium, providing Enhanced Supervision where required.

• Under the direction of a Theatre Practitioner record patient’s items of property if required.

• Maintain cleanliness in the work environment in line with Trust Health and Safety policies.

• Prepare and maintain environments for clinical procedures.

• Proactively help patients and carers to take an active role in their care.

• Assist in maintaining and monitoring cleaning standards within the clinical area ensuring fixtures/ fittings and equipment is cleaned in accordance with guidelines.

• Promote standards of health and safety in working practice and the workplace, by being responsible for self and others through identifying risks, undertaking work activities in a safe manner.

• Be competent and participate in emergency contingency procedures for both IRMER requirements and patient care, for example cardiac arrest, transfer of the conscious patient in an emergency, major hemorrhage.

Planning and organising

• Be responsible for planned care and tasks delegated from a Theatre Practitioner.

• Undertake tasks and workload activities whilst ensuring that their practice is guided by standard operating procedures.

• Demonstrate self-directed development to ensure practice is in accordance with established protocols and standard operating procedures.

• Act always in a manner, which illustrates respect for privacy, dignity, and confidentiality.

• Have a responsibility to ensure all information processed for patients and staff is kept confidential.

• Contribute to effective team working.

Responsibilities for Physical and / or Financial Resources

• Exercise personal duty of care in the safe use and storage of equipment.

• Be environmentally aware and prudent in use of resources and energy.

• Assist with the checking and recording of deliveries to the clinical areas

• Ensure stock rotation is undertaken.

• Participate in ensuring the effective and appropriate use of all resources.

• As directed be responsible for ordering equipment to meet the needs of the service.

• Assist in the transfer of materials and equipment as requested.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development and Implementation

• Be familiar and comply with all Trust Policies and Procedures.

• Adhere to Trust Uniform Policy and social media Policy.

Responsibilities for Human Resources and Leadership

• Assist with the induction, and ongoing development of colleagues offering support and guidance.

• Provide support and supervision to colleagues.

• Working with the Theatre practitioner act as a role model providing guidance and support to Trainee’s, junior staff, and work colleagues as required, helping to always ensure the efficient and effective running of the ward/department.

• Contribute to a culture where all staff feel safe to raise their concerns and that speaking up about what these are is a normal part of their routine.

Responsibilities for Teaching and Training

• Demonstrate self-directed development, recognising own limitations, and work within the scope of the role always.

• Provide health promotion advice to patients and relatives/carers, as appropriate.

• Recognises and consistently works within boundaries of the role and acquire skills and knowledge to develop competencies in service area.

• Maintain responsibility for the identification of own continuing educational needs and development and take part in annual appraisal.

• Maintain competence in Statutory and Mandatory, training requirements.

• Attend appropriate training courses and keep up to date.

Responsibilities for data and information resources

• Use IT systems as appropriate.

• Responsible for use of and security of assets within the department including own use and correct use by others e.g., IT equipment

• Have a responsibility to ensure all information processed for patients and staff is kept confidential.

Research, Development and Audit

• Participate in departmental audit activity as required e.g., Department Accreditation

Physical Skills and Effort

• Frequent moderate effort for several short periods/occasional intense effort for several short periods

• Assist with safe transfer and positioning of both conscious and unconscious patients 

• Preparation of equipment to be sent for decontamination/sterilisation

• Promote standards of health and safety in working practice.

• Maintain cleanliness in the work environment.