Senior Nurse Band 6

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide comprehensive care packages for Service Users from referral to admission into respite.

To assist in the management of the care team comprising of Qualified Nurses, Health Care Assistants and Support staff.

To deputise for the Manager in all aspects of the job role, during their absence.

To contribute to the provision of an on-call rota for the respite services in the Trust.

Oversee the role of the named nurse and keyworker system to identified service users ensuring comprehensive person-centred care plans are in place.

Ensure that dignity, choice, respect, independence and the rights of the people with learning disabilities and / or mental health difficulties are     always maintained

Always ensure the safety of service users whilst at the same time promoting positive risk taking

Ensure service users are central to and involved in all aspects of their care.

Monitor and review care packages and make appropriate changes

Manage staff in line with Trust policies and procedures

Support the nurse in charge in the delegation of duties

Ensure continued personal development of self and staff team.

Work in partnership with other agencies and organisations

Have an awareness of national and local policy and the implications for service delivery

Participate in the monitoring and maintenance of standards in accordance with Trust and Shirley House policies and procedures, and Nursing professional standards

Be conversant with various legal requirements as laid down by the Mental health act/Mental Capacity Act ensuring practice is within a legal framework

Inform the Unit manager of professional concerns and promote professional evidenced based practice at all times

Communication

Forms effective working relationships with other professionals, specialists and specialist departments within the Trust and with outside agencies.

Promptly report all complaints, near misses, untoward occurrences or situations affecting the care provided to the clients to the Manager /Matron/ Operations manager.

Appropriately share information with staff of other departments and disciplines.

Help establish and maintain good communication within Shirley House, ensuring continuity of information over the twenty-four hour period

Attend/Lead team meetings as part of front-line communication making an active contribution and functioning within a team environment.

To make maximum use at all times of verbal and non-verbal communication techniques, at the prescribed manner level and pace, to create the optimum communication environment.         

Analytical and Judgemental Skills / Freedom to Act

Work with minimal supervision. Will be required to deal with a wide

range of situations requiring decisions or judgments in relation to risk assessment, care pathways and staff management on a day-to-day basis

Support the Nurse In charge in prioritising competing demands and the workload of Qualified nurses and Health Care staff across the service.

Ensure all judgements / decisions made are in the best interest of the service user or service and are in line with local and Trust wide policies and in line with the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Code of Professional Conduct

Ensure all complaints, incidents, untoward occurrences or situations affecting the care provided to the service user are reported to the Manager at the earliest opportunity.

Act as an investigating officer about care complaints, staff performance issues when requested to do so and in line with Trust policy

Planning and Organisational skills

Support the named nurse in the to Co-ordination of complex care packages

whilst developing and managing staff to provide creative and innovative care packages meeting a variety of mental and physical health needs

utilising other AHP professionals.

Act as shift leader when delegated to do so by the Manager, prioritising competing demands and the workload of other staff across the service.

Physical Skills

The post holder must be proficient in the use of Microsoft office packages.

Ability to undertake BILD accredited MAPA (Management of actual and possible aggression) training that will equip you with the skills to work alongside service users who present with challenging behaviour.

Ability to drive and have access to own methods of transportation in order to travel to other Trust sites and anywhere else in the remit of this role.

Responsibility for Patients / Clients

Ensure the service user is supported and encouraged to actively participate in their daily activities, development of care plans, service user groups, outings, etc.

Ensure that the appropriate referrals are made to meet the individual needs of service users.   

Maintain professional links with members of agencies outside the Trust to ensure care plans for service users are in line with up to date clinical and professional procedures and robust.

Ensure the safe storage and administration of service user’s medications and the booking, storing and management of medication complies with Trusts Medicines management policy.