COPD Nurse Specialist

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

·       To assist the Team Leader to meet the commissioned targets whilst ensuring optimum care for patient.

·       Assessing and managing patients within the hospital to provide early supported/ supported discharge.

·       To visit new patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COPD by a nurse trained in ARTP qualification in interpretation of Spirometry to introduce them to the service, provide education and optimise treatment with support from the band 7 specialist nurse.

·       If diagnosis is unclear this must be passed to the specialist nurse to assess and review

·       Providing a full problem orientated medical assessment to provide follow up visits for patients with a treatment plan experiencing a worsening of symptoms with a diagnosis of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), liaising with the Band 7 COPD nurse Specialist for support and changes to the treatment plan.

·       Developing skill to prescribe appropriately with competencies as a non-medical prescriber to optimise  patient treatment as per national and local guidelines.

·       Provide education to your patient regarding their disease to assist them to develop self-management skills at home, to prevent hospital admission, in line with national and local guidelines.

·       Perform assessments of patient nursing and social needs in line with service policies. Plan, implement and evaluate evidence-based care delivery according to changing health care needs.

·       Make clinical decisions to prevent hospital admissions at home and recognising Chronic and acute oxygen needs to maintain patient safety.

·       Support hypoxic patient at home who refuse hospital admission, communicating with the GP and monitors signs of deterioration; encouraging hospital admission to always maintain patient safety and supported by the band 7 specialist nurse.

·       Identify appropriate resources for individual patient needs, referring to appropriate service to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and any further deterioration.

·       Identify patient who are at risk of admission and monitor patient at home to reduce 30-day readmissions.

·       Support the trust advancing quality and CQUIN targets.

·       Identify patient suitable for early supported discharge and facilitate discharges at home adhering to service inclusion and exclusion criteria.

·       Develop advanced clinical skills in assessment and/or treatment of respiratory care and obtain MSc certificate in Clinical examination and diagnostics.

·       Involve patients, carers and relatives in the planning and delivery of care.

·       To undertake arterial and capillary blood gas sampling in hospital and community settings in accordance with team & trust guidelines and protocols.

To develop skills in prescribing oxygen and register as a part B Home oxygen ordering Form (HOOF) across primary and secondary care for long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) Ambulatory oxygen therapy (AOT) and short burst oxygen therapy (SBOT) oxygen therapy.

·       Providing support and the delivery of palliative care oxygen prescribing across primary care

·       Adhere to trust and service policies and standard operating procedures.

·       Impart specialist knowledge, advice and support to colleagues, patients, carers, and relatives across primary and secondary care.

·       Use the expertise and knowledge of professional colleagues acknowledging the boundaries of different roles.

·       Establish and maintain continuing relationships with patients, carers and relatives which are essential to providing effective long-term care.

·       Provide sensitive, complex information to patients, carers, relatives and professionals across health and social services.

·       To facilitate outreach clinic sessions working alongside the hospital consultant as required.

·       Develop skills in advance communication and breaking bad news, identifying patient entering end stage COPD, recommend patient for the gold standard framework, referring to Nurse specialist for palliation and refer to the palliative care services.

·       Attend national training programme to obtain qualifications as a non-medical prescriber adhering to nation and local policies.

·       Develop qualifications as an advanced practitioner working towards

·       Nurse practitioner qualification

·       Develop skills in the interpretation of spirometry and pulmonary function tests to ATRP standards.

·       Identify pathology testing needs for individual patients, obtain samples, interpret results, and ensure appropriate follow up.

·       Obtain qualifications in mentorship and provide support to student who are on short placements within the service.

·       Support the service manager in the day-to-day delivery of the service.

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

·       Maintain Professional Registration

·       To be aware and adhere to NMC guidelines for the Administration of Medicines Act 1992 and misuse of Drugs Act 1991.

·       Adhere to lone working policy.

·       To work within trust guidelines and national guidance education, use and distribution of drugs under patient group directives within the service, attending education and use of patient group directives.

·       Attend national training programme to obtain qualifications and                                                                               practice as a non-medical prescriber, adhering to national and local policies.

·       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 be aware of the confidential aspects of the post. Breaches of confidentiality will result in disciplinary action that may involve dismissal. The post holder should also be aware that, regardless of any action taken by the employing authority, breaches of confidentiality could result in civil action for damages.

·       All employees must fully comply with the relevant sections of the Health and Safety at Work. 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.

·       All staff will be treated with respect by management, colleagues, patients, and visitors and equally staff will treat management, colleagues, patients and visitors with the same level of respect. Staff will be supported to challenge any discriminatory behaviour that may be based on differences in race, disability, language, culture, religion, sexuality, age, gender, or employment status.

·       Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has a ‘No Smoking’ Policy and smoking is not permitted in Trust buildings or vehicles.

·       All employees are individually responsible for the prevention and control of infection within their own area. The employee must attend Infection Control Induction training and mandatory Infection control training. The employee must follow all, Trust policies, procedures and guidelines relating to Infection Control.

·       To adhere to relevant Code of Practice of Professional body (if appropriate)

·       The duties contained in this job description are not intended to be exhaustive. The tasks and responsibilities of this post are likely to evolve in line with the Trust’s continued organisational development.

·       The post holder must be flexible in the duties performed and it is expected that similar duties, not specifically listed above, will be carried out as required and may be cross site. Any such variation will be agreed in advance between the post holder and their manager as part of the continuing process of management review and development.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

·       To support the delivery of a rapid response team

·       Ensure appropriate affective service delivery.

·       Ensure all rapid response referrals are dealt with within two hours.

·       Ensure all oxygen appointments are reviewed within 10 days of referral.

·       Ensure that all rapid response activity is recorded accurately to support accurate reporting to CCG.

·       Maintain, clear, concise. Legible and contemporaneous patient records at all times in line with Trust policy and The Standard for Recording Keeping (NMC April 1993)

·       Ensure that all standard operating procedures are adhered to.

·       Maintain an accurate service database and filing systems.

·       Ensure that all KPI are adhered to.

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES

·       To act as a resource, providing education and training across primary and secondary care regarding the administration & delivery of oxygen and management of COPD

·       To raise awareness of respiratory issues by teaching and providing education across the organisation.

·       Provide education and development for others within a multi-disciplinary framework.

·       To facilitate and appropriate learning/practice environment for students across primary and secondary care, facilities education on the role of the COPD nurse within local universities.

·       Demonstrate critical thinking and reflective skills to ensure own professional development in line with PREP.

·       Attend annual appraisal to identify and agree training and development needs as part of a Personal Development Plan.

·       Attend all statutory/mandatory training sessions, identifying when training is required and discussing with line manager.

LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

·       Exercise judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical practice, across all aspect of the role within primary and secondary care and the delivery of oxygen clinics.

·       Assist in the evaluation of service delivery, identify areas of improvement and initiate changes.

·       Ensure effective and efficient use of physical and financial resources within the service.

·       To support the development and role of assistant practitioner and junior staff across the services

·       Facilitate Assistant practitioner line management and appraisal management under the supervision of the team leader.

·       To identify and allocate assistant practitioners and junior staff works load each shift.

·       Participate fully in Clinical Supervision sessions arranged by the Team Leader and Clinical Supervisor.

·       Work collaboratively with the professional agencies to ensure patient needs are met and especially in relation to on-going care and informed discharge with self-management skills.

·       Establish and maintain effective communication with patient, cares/relatives, and multi-disciplinary teams.

·       Exercise judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care.

·       Assist in the evaluation of service delivery, identify areas of improvement and initiate change.

·       Support the Service Manager/ Team Leader to evaluate and improve service provision.

·       Ensure effective and efficient use of physical and financial resources within the service.

·       Monitor health, safety and security of self and others to promote best practice.

·       Ensure effective delivery of multi-disciplinary weekly team meetings.

·       Coordinate with the Trust Practice education facilitator (PEF) to ensure delivery of appropriate student mentorship.

RESEARCH & AUDIT

• Continually monitor standards of care and participate in the improvement of care through benchmarking/audit/research.
• Promote patient and public involvement activities in specialist area leading to service improvement.
• Maintain, clear, concise. Legible and contemporaneous patient records at all times in line with Trust policy and The Standard for Recording Keeping (NMC April 1993)
• Participate fully in Clinical Supervision sessions arranged by the Team Leader and Clinical Supervisor.
• To provide an equitable service.
• Understand the processes involved in evidence-based care and have knowledge of where to obtain evidence.
• Support the development and delivery of annual patient satisfaction survey to monitor patient satisfaction across the service.