Registered Nursing Associate - Willow Unit

Clinical

• Assess patients with straightforward requirements based on predetermined department protocols.
• Prepare for, carry out and monitor assessments and treatments in specified clinical areas, and discharge in line with predetermined department protocols.
• Apply competency-based treatment techniques/care to patients with specific conditions under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
• Modify and progress intervention / treatment using own clinical reasoning, notifying a qualified practitioner accordingly.
• Prepare for and develop individual/group activities to meet defined intervention needs.
• Monitor patients and promptly alert a qualified practitioner when there are unexpected changes.
• Demonstrate problem solving, and contribute to the solution, working with colleagues.
• Make basic judgements on patients response to prescribed treatment, and report findings to a qualified practitioner.
• Plan and prioritise own visits to delegated patients and ensure these are documented in electronic ledgers.
• Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit, and that SystmOne inputting is completed on a daily basis.
• Where there are barriers to understanding, such as hearing impairment, mental capacity impairment and other difficulties in comprehension, explanations require adjustments in order to gain understanding, consent and concordance.
• Be required to use tact and persuasive skills in order to gain the patients co-operation in their treatment/care/management plan.
• Liaise with GPs, Social Services, inpatient teams, other allied health care professionals and the voluntary sector to ensure identified needs are met and care co-ordinated appropriately.
• To participate in multi-disciplinary/multi-agency meetings as appropriate, e.g. Gold Standard Framework.
• Communicate with patients/carers by exchanging factual information, reassurance, tact and empathy.
• Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with colleagues, patients, carers and other health care professionals.
• Demonstrate dexterity and coordination when undertaking treatment of patients where accuracy is important, e.g. taking blood sugars, venepuncture, supervising transfers and passive exercises.
• Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following appropriate training, and that it is maintained appropriately.
• Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.
• Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a qualified practitioner.
• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of consent and gain consent as appropriate following department policy.
• Share responsibility for maintaining store cupboards, pool cars, cleaning specialist equipment and general housekeeping tasks.
• Share responsibility for indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.
• Will be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products on a daily basis, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
• Demonstrate basic IT and standard keyboard skills.

Clinical Nursing Competencies

• Develop and maintain key competencies in order to support planned and unplanned care teams within own scope of practice.
• Achieve competency in key skills including but not limited to, wound care, medication administration, continence management, palliative care skills and holistic assessments.

Professional

• To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at and participation in staff meetings, training sessions, courses and reflective practice.
• To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee, maintaining a dynamic personal development plan.
• To demonstrate an awareness of clinical governance and risk management and apply to work situations.
• To provide peer support to other carers.
• To develop competencies to enhance practice and ability to meet needs of patients and the service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nursing associate on the NMC register
• Nursing Associate Foundation Degree qualification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working Community Health care setting (including primary care)

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

• Ability to work effectively as a team player under appropriate supervision, and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Insight into how to evaluate own strengths and development needs, seeking advice where appropriate
• Understanding of the scope of the role of the Nursing Associate in context of the team and the organisation, and how the role may contribute to service development
• Evidence of time management skills and ability to prioritise
• Intermediate IT skills
• Ability to deal with nonroutine and unpredictable nature of the workload and individual patient contact
• Ability to move between sites working across health and social care as required by the needs of the service
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Ability to take part in reflective practice and clinical supervision activities
• Knowledge of when to seek advice and refer to a registered care professional
• Understanding of the importance of the promotion of health and wellbeing (Making Every Contact Count)

Communication

Essential

• Ability to communicate with members of the public and health and care providers.
• Able to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language
• Courteous, respectful and helpful at all times

Personal and People Development

Essential

• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults.

Personal Atributes

Essential

• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults

Desirable

• Knowledge of lone working.

Other

Essential

• Ability to work a variety of shift patterns
• For Community Posts only Must hold full and valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle