Lead Nurse for Paediatric Critical Care

Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl

Clinical/professional Responsibilities

• To provide clinical leadership and expertise on delivery of holistic paediatric Critical Care, ensuring evidence and research based best practice
• To provide a positive role model for nurses and students, maintaining a strong visible clinical presence within the paediatric unit
• Act as a resource of specialist knowledge and expertise to any area within ASPH that a critical care / young person is nursed
• To provide highly specialised advice in the care of these children and young people.
• To develop standards of care to ensure optimum and appropriate care delivery to children and young people requiring Level 2 PCC
• Work collaboratively with resuscitation team to ensure nursing staff are competent in managing emergency situations
• Ensure documentation is of a high standard that provide continuity of care and is accordance with ASPH and MNC standards of recordkeeping
• To ensure that nursing and support staff, practice direct patient care in accordance with professional codes, promoting high standards of patient care by the provision of relevant policies/ protocols in line with Trust Objectives, clinical guidelines and evidence-based practice
• Ensure the level 1 standards and met and enhanced.
• To lead in the development of the CYP Level 2 Critical Care.
• To assist in the development and review of protocols and guidelines for nursing practice
• To continue to develop services within the department in collaboration with the senior paediatric team.
• Assist in the development and implementation of a competency framework
• Ensure clinical governance processes are in place, including accountability and safety
• To support the implementation of practice changes in response to identified risks
• Work as a team member, ensuring good communication and collaborative working relationships are maintained throughout the division and at Trust level
• Network and establish links with other practice development nurses and Critical Care to benchmark current practice.
• To be responsible for own professional conduct and maintain own professional development.
• Data collection for Paediatric patients within the ICS for critical care patients.

Communication and Engagement  

• Communicates effectively with young people and their families to ensure a clear understanding of the young person’s condition. This will involve providing and receiving complex, highly sensitive information and will require developed persuasive, motivational, empathetic and reassurance skills, including where there will are barriers to understanding.
• Provides up to date education and expert advice for other healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, school staff and others to ensure they are able to support patients from diagnosis, in hospital and the community
• Provides strong clinical leadership to community children’s nursing staff involved in the assessment and care of children and young people.
• Lead in co-coordinating and supporting the discharge planning of children and young people from Ashford and St Peters Hospital to home, local hospitals and community services.
• To contribute to the local resolution, investigation or any informal or formal complaints and carry out follow up action for those that specifically relate to discharge or patient transfers.
• Act as the advocate for the children and young people and to actively apply in depth knowledge of holistic/ socioeconomic and cultural aspects of care specific to patient group, acting as a role model and resource for parents/ carers and all members of the multi professional team. 
• Ensure that there is agreement with the medical staff regarding discharge plans and expected dates of discharge for their patients. 
• To increase patient and family involvement in making decisions about discharge plans to improve the patient’s experience of discharge by creating an expectation of the discharge date and time. 
• Ensure that staff, patients, families and carers are kept fully informed at all stages of the discharge planning process. 
•  Arrange case conferences for individual patients that have complex discharge care needs ensuring documentation is completed. 
• Manage complex cases in liaison with the Ward Sister / Charge Nurse / Matron. 
• Provide assistance to the MDT team when referring children to appropriate therapy teams for rehabilitation as required   
• Develop effective communication links with the child’s local hospitals and children’s community teams to facilitate early discharges.
• Liaise closely with social services departments and other local agencies in particular linking in with key workers for children and families
• To ensure, wherever possible, discharges occur early in the day.
• To identify any delays for investigation or other tasks and escalate to Matron. 
• Chair meetings and case conferences pertaining to discharge planning of children and young people from Ashford and St Peters.
• Review patients on the ward in terms of their EDD and management plans daily with the nurse in charge and repeat if needed when there is a bed shortage. 
• Communicate effectively and co-operate with other departments, clinical teams and regional hospitals and referring/repatriating teams as necessary. 
• Lead on liaising with parents whose children are transferring from Neonates to Paediatrics, meet with parents prior to discharge.
•  Act as a point of contact for parents, able to show parents around and provide information regarding facilities for parents within the children’s hospital with the aim of reducing parental anxiety and enhancing

  Managerial and Leadership Responsibilities

• To assist in setting up a Level 2 critical care as well as training and competencies for nursing staff and healthcare assistants.

• Develop a Level 2 cohort of staff, holding managerial responsibilities, including appraisals.

• Demonstrate leadership skills and be able to prioritise and have effective time management

• As a key member of the management team to work with the Matron, Ward/unit managers and Deputy Sisters to support practice development around critical care. 
• As a senior member of the team, review and influence the development and implementation of policies based on local and national agendas
• Support the Division in operational and strategic management
• Initiate/participate with projects and working groups within paediatric department Effective working relationship with the Matron regarding department issues
• Write and review the Departmental Training Plan and the Clinical/ Nursing Strategy to ensure that both remain relevant and contributory to the Divisional and Trust Plans
• To ensure self and all staff operate within Health and Safety at Work Act and comply with all trust policies and procedures.
• Assist in the identification/purchasing of appropriate equipment, ensuring they are maintained and serviced.
• Maintain accurate teaching records for the nursing team and produce reports to demonstrate compliance and provide assurances the nursing team are skilled to undertake Critical Care.
• Act against inappropriate behaviour with regards to equality and diversity
• Evaluate effectiveness or the role and provide regular reports of progress
• Take a lead role in the audit of nursing care within Critical Care and share learning experiences with other staff and assist in ensuring the identified scope for improvement is realised
• To seek feedback from families and use their experiences to improve the service delivered whilst in Critical Care.
• Support the Matron in providing effective and efficient Critical Care within available resources
• Facilitate clinical governance within the critical care including participating in risk assessment and ensuring untoward incidents are dealt with appropriately and reported in accordance with ASPH policy

 Education and Development

• Facilitate a supportive learning environment for all learners encouraging staff at all levels to deliver critical care within a supportive environment
• Foster a learning environment within the departmental areas, ensuring staff are provided with opportunities to develop and update their clinical expertise in the care of children and young people
• To assess and identify the clinical and educational needs of the nursing staff caring for critical care children and young people by undertaking an annual training, and developmental needs analysis. Introducing educational programmes to meet these needs
• Provide clinical and theoretical support to registered nurses in the clinical setting
• Support multidisciplinary staff development of specific clinical skills within the practice environment
• Assist in the development and review of protocols and guidelines for nursing practice
• Provide and facilitate a rolling teaching programme, both theoretical and practical using evidence-based practice
• Undertake assessment of individuals in practice in accordance with agreed competency framework
• In collaboration with the Matron, promote and demonstrate innovative practice and implement change as required to meet the changing needs of the service
• To develop the nursing team to provide a high standard critical care facilitating them to be able to teach and supervise others.
• Promote MDT scenario training and progress with the resuscitation department the simulation agenda for CYP requiring Level 2 PCC

Clinical Governance

•  In conjunction with the Ward/Unit Manager/Matron and Governance Team participate in the planning and implementation of quality and risk management initiatives and targets, including CNST (Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts), RPST (Risk Pooling Schemes for Trusts) and Controls Assurance requirements.

·