Junior Charge Nurse - Beckenham Beacon Sexual Health Unit

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

People Management /Performance

•  Lead, coach and manage the performance of the team in line with good people management practices. Ensuring excellence is recognised and under performance is addressed.
• Participate in regular performance appraisal meetings and ensure each member of the team has a clear set of objectives and development plans.
• Ensure the team is compliant with all statutory, mandatory training together with any professional training requirements, ensuring they are up to date and fully compliant.
• Manage team absences including sickness in line with Trust policy ensuring the appropriate return to work meetings occur, e-roster is updated and productivity is at keep to the highest possible level.
• Identify and fill any vacancies that arise within the team in line with the Trust’s recruitment policy and process.
• Identify talent and support the internal talent management process in order attract and retain and succession plan for your people.
• Review skills mix at regular intervals in order to identify any potential opportunities to maximise resource utilisation / allocation, ensuring job descriptions are kept up to date.
• Ensure overall wellbeing of the team is maintained. Continuously support in improving the morale of the team and implementing a culture of zero-tolerance for bullying and harassment.

Clinical Responsibilities

• To be accountable for his/her own practice and utilise available opportunities to sustain and improve knowledge and professional competence.
• To provide intermediate level, autonomous nursing care to patients with sexual health and contraceptive needs – to include diagnosis and treatment of STI’s and related conditions.
• To lead the band five nursing and S-HCA teams by actively managing and participating in patient care ensuring standards are met and maintained. There will be an expected minimum of 70% clinical practice within the role.
• To utilise specialist knowledge and skills and undertake procedures and practices such as cryotherapy, microscopy, speculum examination, proctoscopy, contraceptive implant insertion and removal, and specialist follow up clinics.
• To obtain a detailed and comprehensive patient history in a systematic manner, including physical, emotional, psychological and environmental factors and a comprehensive sexual history.
• To undertake relevant physical examination and investigations for an undiagnosed patient group.
• To develop and implement a management plan for each patient referring as necessary internally and externally to the department as required.
• To request and interpret tests as required within departmental guidelines.
• To supply and administer medicines in accordance with Patient Group directions or as an Independent Prescriber if appropriate.
• To have knowledge of and adhere to local and national guidelines, policies and procedures specific to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults.
• To monitor the effectiveness of care and treatment through follow up as required (including partner notification) according to departmental guidelines.
• To maintain accurate clinical records in accordance with NMC, Trust and medico-legal requirements. To ensure that these standards are met and maintained within the nursing team.
• To ensure that all clinical and patient care is conducted in line with professional (NMC) and trust behaviour standards.
• To act as a patient advocate when appropriate, ensuring respect for patient confidentiality, privacy and cultural/ethnic background. To ensure that these standards are met with dignity and maintained within the nursing team.
• In conjunction with the Matron, Nurse practitioners and Senior Sister/Charge Nurse to support and participate in the development of nurse led services as appropriate.
• To be a credible and approachable role model for junior staff and students – providing clinical support and guidance as required.
• To engage in local and national forums to develop practice and raise the profile of the service and Trust.

Governance / Quality Control

• To ensure care is delivered in accordance with requirements and recommendations of approved local and national clinical guidelines.
• To ensure all service users have a positive patient experience and to utilise patient experience data to support improvements in quality of care.
• To facilitate high quality, cost effective care through the use of audit, benchmarking and other quality initiatives as determined by the Trust
• To attend and participate in multi professional meetings and represent the CSHC nursing team and Senior Charge Nurse as required.
• To be fully aware of the targets and health agendas set by the government, Trust and Service – and be involved in the implementation of the required actions to meet these targets.
• To identify and monitor any risk to patient or staff safety taking appropriate management action. To support the risk management process through the In-Phase system.
• To be actively involved in nursing clinical audit (including PGD’s) and research to support, maintain and develop expected standards of care.
• To utilise and disseminate research findings in the delivery of specialist patient care.
• To participate in the development and implementation of assessment and mentorship processes for new staff to ensure quality standards are met.

Education

• To contribute to an assessment of own educational needs, developing and agreeing a professional development plan with the line manager.
• To keep up to date with clinical and nursing developments as required to meet the NMC revalidation standards.
• To maintain links with affiliated educational organisations and ensure that there is an appropriate learning environment for students and trainees.
• In conjunction with senior nurses be involved in the ongoing programme of education and clinical development for nurses and S-HCA’s.
• To support the training and mentorship of staff, students and trainees within the department.

To teach on relevant courses in affiliated university nursing departments and external courses as required.