Band 5 Staff Nurse -Surgical Ward

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY:
 The post holder will be expected to liaise appropriately with all key members of the multi-disciplinary team and service users related to the speciality.
 To be responsible for all aspects of patient care including the assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of direct patient care with supervision from senior staff.
 To support the Charge Nurse/Senior Sister to monitor the safety and quality of care for patients.
 In the absence of the Junior Sister/Charge Nurse to be responsible for the day-to-day management of the ward.
 To manage a group of Nursing Assistants and assign delegated tasks and responsibility as appropriate.
 To ensure the compliance of mandatory training and appraisal requirements for delegated Nursing Assistants.
 To ensure a positive focussed service incorporating patients’ feedback to maintain and improve patient care.
 To act as an effective role model promoting excellence through practice.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Royal Free World Class Values
The post holder will offer World Class Care to service users, staff, colleagues, clients and patients alike so that everyone at the Royal Free can feel Confident because they are always in safe hands
1. CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
 Maintain a professional behaviour at all times and promote a positive image of
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust at all times, in line with World Class Care values

 To be responsible for the unsupervised assessment of patient care needs and the
development, implementation and evaluation of plans of care, ensuring high
standards of evidence based care.
 To undertake all nursing procedures in accordance with Trust policies and ensure
that these procedures and policies are understood and adhered to by all staff, within
own management responsibility.
 To contribute to the development of evidence based guidelines/policies relating to
speciality.
 To ensure accurate and comprehensive nursing records are maintained using appropriate written and electronic documentation.
 To collect data and provide essential information in a timely and accurate manner
when requested for e.g. audits or monitoring CQC standards.
 To measure patient acuity and/or dependency to inform evidence-based decision
making on staffing and workforce.
 To monitor and record planned vs actual staffing levels and escalate issues when
necessary.
 To be responsible for ensuring effective mechanisms are in place so that all clinical
and non-clinical incidents, including serious incidents are properly reported,
investigated and changes made to avoid recurrence.
 To establish effective working relations with all members of the multi-disciplinary
team to promote good communication and a multi-disciplinary approach to patient
care.
 To supervise unqualified staff, to ensure that they have the knowledge, skills and
resources to carry out delegated aspects of care.
2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PATIENTS
 To ensure high standards of care are given to all patients, monitoring this through
spot checks and clinical quality indicators outcome measures.
 Contribute to patient and relative feedback by undertaking daily clinical rounds with
the aim of providing excellent standards of care.
 To collaborate in the assessment of patient care needs and the development,
implementation and evaluation of plans of care, ensuring high standards of evidence
based care.
 To ensure communication with patients and significant others is established,
ensuring empathy and reassurance regarding, assessment, care and treatment.
 Be accountable at all times for ensuring that safeguards are in place for patients, in
particular those adults or children at risk.

To facilitate early discharge planning being carried out to enable appropriate arrangements to be in place for patients leaving hospital or transferring in order to achieve a safe and timely discharge from hospital.
 To ensure that all patients are cared for in a clean and well-maintained clinical area, ensuring that all staff are aware that they are directly responsible for cleanliness standards when in charge and escalating issues when necessary.
3. RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
 Ensure that all staff act in accordance with Trust policies such as Infection Prevention and Control, Confidentiality, Health & Safety and Equal Opportunities.
 Assist with the development of, and implementation of, local and trust wide policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols.
 To be aware of the research process and current trends.
 In collaboration with the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse, audit agreed clinical guidelines of practice, policies and benchmarks within area of clinical responsibility.
 Resolve any concerns about levels of care or incidents involving patients escalating to the Matron/Senior Sister and reporting via the Trust’s incident reporting system.
 Contribute to discussions and plans regarding service improvements and initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES
 Takes an active role in the ward environment needs, being alert to possible sources of cross-infection, maintaining safe and clear walkways and bed areas, ensure fire exits remain clear and equipment and supplies are stored correctly.
 To be responsible for ensuring confidentiality and safekeeping of patient records.
 Accountable for efficient and economical use of ward supplies.
5. RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEADING AND MANAGING
 Take an active role in the induction and orientation of new Nursing Assistants.
 Demonstrates effective time management and prioritisation of workload.
 Demonstrates good leadership skills and ensure that communication is effective between the patient, relatives and members of the multidisciplinary team.
 In the absence of the junior sister take charge of the ward
 To develop skills to be able to investigate accidents, incidents and complaints, implementing corrective actions where necessary and in consultation. To liaise with the Senior Matron and Complaints and Clinical Risk Management Teams appropriately.
 Have an awareness of cost implications and assist in the management of resources within the clinical area e.g. equipment, supplies.
 To contribute to the planning and organising of service improvements.
6. RESPONSIBILITY  FOR INFORMATION RESOURCES
 To be responsible for ensuring confidentiality and safekeeping of patient records.
 To ensure that there is effective communication systems in place to allow staff to keep abreast of developments in the organisation including unit meetings.
7. RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 To be aware of the research process and current trends.
 In collaboration with the Matron, and clinical lead, audit agreed clinical guidelines of practice, policies and benchmarks within area of clinical responsibility.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Infection Control
Infection control is everyone’s responsibility. All staff, both clinical and non clinical, are required to adhere to the Trust’s Infection Prevention and Control policies and procedures and The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections and make every effort to maintain high standards of infection control at all times thereby reducing the risk of Healthcare Associated infections.

It is the duty of every member of staff to take personal responsibility for the prevention and control of infection, as laid down in the Trust’s polices and procedures which reflect the statutory requirements of the Hygiene Code.
 To work in close collaboration with the Infection Control Team.
 To ensure that monitoring of clinical practice is undertaken at the agreed frequency.
 To ensure that the ward environments are cleaned and maintained to the highest standards; ensuring that shortfalls are rectified, or escalate as necessary.
 To ensure that all relevant monitoring data and issues are provided to the Directorate’s Governance structures.
 To ensure that all staff are released to attend infection control-related educational sessions and staff with specialist roles, e.g. link practitioners, are released to undertake their duties.

Health and Safety at Work
The post holder is required to:
 Take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself/herself and other persons who may be affected by their actions or omissions at work.
 Co-operate with the employer in ensuring that all statutory and other requirements are complied with.

Confidentiality & Data Protection
The post holder has a responsibility to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and maintain confidentiality of staff, patients and Trust business.
If you are required to process information, you should do so in a fair and lawful way, ensuring accuracy is maintained. You should hold information only for the specific registered purpose and not use or disclose it in any way incompatible with such a purpose.
You should disclose information only to authorised persons or organisations as instructed. Breaches of confidentiality in relation to information will result in disciplinary action, which may include dismissal. Employees are expected to comply with all Trust policies and procedures and to work in accordance of the Data Protection Act 1998. For those posts where there is management or supervision of other staff it is the responsibility of that employee to ensure that their staff receive appropriate training (e.g. HISS induction, organising refresher sessions for staff when necessary.)