Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Neonatal Team Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

If you are ambitious, confident, self-motivated and compassionate, looking to develop your career in neonatal nursing and make a difference, this post offers you the opportunity to play a key role as part of the Neonatal Services.

There has never been a more exciting time to join our neonatal team as we expand our neonatal service. The New Neonatal Unit has opened since November 2025.

The post holder will need to have a good team building skills and be able to demonstrate how they motivate and support students. He/she will be required to work flexibly as a member of the neonatal team to ensure standards are being maintained, evaluated and where necessary improved.

Join us and make a real difference in a hospital that values innovation, collaboration, and compassion.

Main duties of the job
The purpose of this role within Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is to support learners in practice and adhere to the quality standards set by the NMC and Health education England to ensure effective practice placements requirements are met.

The post holder will work alongside our approved education institution providers. They have a central role in supporting the students and monitoring their achievement whilst on placement to ensure the development of a suitable professional and future employee of the organisation, support with recruitment and transition process from student nurse to staff nurse through the Paediatric preceptorship programme and organising robust rotation programmes for newly qualified staff.

The post holder will promote effective learning within clinical settings among all students and staff by providing individualised support and guidance to enhance knowledge, skills and behaviours through working alongside individuals on a 1:1 basis on the clinical area.

To encourage units capacity and capability to develop and empower the future workforce.

About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job

Job responsibilities

• To promote effective learning within clinical settings among all students and staff by providing individualised support and guidance to enhance knowledge, skills and behaviours through working alongside individuals on a 1:1 basis on the clinical area
• Demonstrate excellent clinical skills and knowledge as guided by the specialism of the clinical area and own scope of practice/expertise
• Work closely and act as a resource/advisor to other members of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that effective, high-quality care is given to achieve planned goals
• Using clinical expertise give skilled, evidence-based care to support both patients and relatives/carers
• Review the requirements of patient care, participating in the formation of standards.
• To maintain a visible professional presence where all staff and learners can turn for advice, assistance and support
• Assist Senior Sisters and Charge Nurses in the monitoring and improvement of compliance with mandatory and other required training
• Act as a role model always adhering to policies and expert practice. Create an environment in which evidence-based nursing practice is fostered, implemented and evaluated
• Maintain own clinical competence by undertaking clinical duties on a regular basis thus ensuring that support can be provided to clinical areas in response to changing capacity/staffing challenges across the organisation
• Ensure that skills taught are evidence based/best practice and in line with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines
• Continue to develop professional skills, including coaching, mentoring, project planning and problem solving
• Update a live Practice Supervisor/Assessor Register.
• Monitor Practice Supervisor/Assessor capacity throughout NICU, report and act on changes.
• Support the succession of Practice Supervisor/Assessors in relation to future student capacity by supporting the ongoing professional development of trust staff.
• Teach and evaluate the programme of annual assessor update to ensure practice assessors are kept up dated on any changes to curricula or professional standards.
• Work in collaboration with HEI colleagues to develop Practice Supervisors and Practice Assessors
• Support the Practice Assessor capacity across NICU and report findings to the Lead Nurse of NICU and Head Nurse for Practice Development and Education.
• Provide support to practice assessors in complex assessor/ student situations and signpost to Placement Coordinator for escalation if appropriate to HEIs.
• Represent Trust at HEI placement meetings in the absence of the Placement Coordinator and provide reports of these to Head Nurse for Practice Development and PDN.
• Support the Placement Coordinator and HEI Colleagues to provide preparation programmes for practice supervisors and practice assessors when changes to curriculum or assessment will impact on their role.
• Proactively identify and take action when students are experiencing problems in the clinical areas.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Current registration as a registered Nurse (Paediatric or Adult Nursing ) on the NMC register
• Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor training
• Completion of Qualified in Specialty Training with evidence of consolidation
• NLS in date

Experience
Essential

• Evidence of professional development
• Experience of research based nursing practice
• Post-qualification clinical experience at a band 6 level in a NICU
• Evidence of recent CPD

Desirable

• Supporting with education and the delivery of study days
• Autonomous Management of own time
• Recognised Teaching or Education qualification

Knowledge
Essential

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Knowledge of clinical governance
• Ability to prioritise workload
• Understanding of management responsibilities
• Experience of delivering clinical skills training.
• Experience of staff management / supervision.
• Knowledge of national and local education drivers.

Desirable

• Management and Leadership training/course
• Knowledge and Understanding of Training Needs Analysis processes
• Experience of facilitating change
• Experience of developing and implementing education programmes
• Experience of report writing

Skills
Essential

• IT competent
• Team focussed
• Reliable, Adaptable, Dependable & Punctual

Desirable

• Ability to prioritise and manage competing agendas.
• Evidence of ability to work as a proficient Practitioner.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with staff at all levels, patients and the public.
• Effective time management.
• Understanding of clinical governance.
• Ability to develop competency profiles.
• Working understanding of undergraduate and postgraduate education pathways.
• Working understanding of the National Preceptorship framework.
• Working understanding of Apprenticeships.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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