Ward Manager - Surgical Ward 6

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary:

• To be responsible for the day-to-day management of the nursing service.
• Ensuring the nursing care delivered is of the highest quality.
• Appropriate and effective utilization of human and physical resources.
• The demonstration of effective leadership and motivation of staff.
• To be an effective role model.

Particular emphasis is put at Kings on the need to ensure that all staff recognise their responsibility to deliver services in a high quality, courteous, patient focused manner maintaining patient confidentiality at all times.

Main duties and responsibilities:

1. Clinical Practice

• To have advanced holistic patient assessment skills (ie: history taking and physical examination skills) so that clinical decision-making leads to prompt and appropriate action in the best interests of the patient’s wellbeing.
• Good verbal and written communication skills so that professional advice or care guidance and instructions are well understood by patients, their relatives and/or carers, and members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Ensures continuity of patient care through effective staff deployment.
• Ensures good discharge planning so that individual patient’s needs are met with an appropriate plan of action and involving the multi-professional team as required.
• Regularly checks patient care documentation to see that all aspects of care have been considered, individual patients’ needs identified and that an appropriate care plan exists in relation to meeting the identified needs.
• To work in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, and Trust Policies and Procedures.
• Communicates effectively with patients, their relatives and carers, colleagues and students.
• Works effectively as part of the multi-professional, inter-disciplinary team.
• Works clinical shifts on the ward and facilitates staff education during shifts work.
• Is clinically and professionally up-to-date with current trends and developments in the clinical specialty.
• Functions as an effective role model in the clinical setting in demonstrating the application of breadth and depth of nursing knowledge and skills, and in advising and supporting members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Helps facilitate the professional development of other nurses.
• To facilitate the cascade of information ensuring awareness of Fare Group, Trust and NHS initiatives, supporting staff discussion and responding to feedback.
• To ensure compliance with the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy, supporting the delivery of the Trusts Race Equality Scheme and the Trust's duty to positively promote race equality and equality of opportunity for disabled people ensuring services are responsive to the needs of equality groups.
• To have full knowledge of the Trust Major Incident Plan and your role within it.

2. Education and Research

• Works collaboratively with the Practice Development Nurse so that staff receive appropriate education and staff development. 
• Manages the ward/department’s allocated education and staff training budget (PTDs and PTDs Elsewhere) in accordance with the Trust’s corporate need and the Care Group’s business objectives.
• Ensures the development and provision of a good quality clinical learning environment that supports pre-registration nursing students and continuing professional development.
• Participates in trust approved research studies, keeping the Assistant Director of Nursing (Education and Research) informed of the progress of these if the fieldwork is being undertaken within the ward/department.

3. Management

• Facilitates and supports nurses in working collaboratively with all other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Adopts an appropriate management style in accordance with changing circumstances
• Deploys nursing staff and physical resources appropriately. Reviews the duty rota, and negotiates skill mix levels ensuring that they most appropriately meet service needs.
• Works with the Human Resources Manager on the resolution of complex HR issues.
• Keeps the Matron/Head of Nursing informed of any untoward incidents and complaints.
• Discusses with the Matron and Head of Nursing any plans in relation to service development, service improvement, and the resolution of any on-going problems.
• Undertakes certain grades of nursing staff’s annual appraisal and to ensure they have a Personal Development Plan, and to assist with the appraisal of other staff in liaison with the Matron and Head of Nursing.

• Provides effective leadership and acts as a positive role model. Delegates appropriately, and encourages staff to develop and advance their skills.
• Communicates well with staff, holding regular ward meetings.
• Plays an active role in the recruitment and retention of staff.
• Ensures safe storage of the patients’ records at ward/departmental level so that confidentiality is maintained.

·         Participates in benchmark and quality audits, and observations of care.

·         Ensures that staff receive feedback on the results of audits, and that where necessary action is taken to improve standards.

·         Manages the allocated ward budget effectively, maximizing the use of resources and reducing any wastage in accordance with Trust and Care Group objectives.

• Acts up, and also across suitable roles, as required by management for service need, or as part of an agreed personal development plan.
• Is pro-active in the management of change and can support staff through times of change.
• Investigates complaints and adverse incidents as required by Matron and the Head of Nursing, Taking appropriate action in dealing with any situations that could result in the need for a disciplinary procedure.
• Ensures Health and Safety regulations are complied with.
• Ensures that staff are aware of the Trust Policy on Adverse Incident reporting and that the Adverse Incident Forms are completed correctly.
• Ensure that staff are aware of the Trust’s policies and procedures and the need to comply with these.

4. Personal Professional Development

• Has an annual appraisal and produces agreed performance objectives and a Personal Development Plan.
• Is an active member of the Ward Managers Forum.
• Reflects on own practice and keeps a personal learning portfolio.
• Works in accordance with the Trust’s documented standards on nursing skills and required competences.
• Works towards achieving and then maintaining the Trust’s Level 1 Competency in oral drug administration. Undertakes the university-accredited intravenous drug administration training programme and achieves and maintains the associated practical competences
• Undertakes other in-house training as required.

Generic Statements

• The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and well being and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
• To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
• To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
• To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.
• This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.

Infection Control Statement

• The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role.
• These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.

WARD MANAGER SELECTION CRITERIA AND METHODS