Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join our IBD Specialist nursing team in a support nurse position. This post offers new knowledge, skills and experience within the gastroenterology specialty and is an opportunity for personal and professional development.

We are looking to welcome a highly motivated, confident, and enthusiastic nurse who will be an integral part of our IBD nursing service. You will work closely with the Lead IBD Nurse Specialist, IBD CNS team and MDT to support the team in providing excellent, specialised nursing care and support for patients with IBD in inpatient and outpatient clinical settings.

You will be welcomed into our IBD nurse service where we will support you to develop knowledge and skills to assist the Specialist Nurse team in caring for our patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Duties will include patient education, ensuring relevant screening is performed and assisting in setting up advanced therapies for patients.

You will also assist with triaging and advising patients and providing clinical advice and information via the IBD patient advice service and carrying out in-patient education for patients.

The successful applicant should have Gastroenterology or related experience, with excellent communication and IT skills. You should be confident, enthusiastic, self-motivated and with the ability to work under your own initiative, with the support of the IBD Specialist nursing team and the MDT.

Main duties of the job
To provide specialist clinical support, advice and information, to the highest possible standard of evidence-based, patient-centred care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease within North Bristol Trust.

You will be required to participate in nurse-led clinics and the direct-access patient support telephone/email service, multi-disciplinary team meetings and in-patient clinical reviews, supporting and advising patients with inflammatory bowel disease with the support of the lead IBD Nurse, IBD Specialist nurses and Consultant Gastroenterologists.

You will provide education, carry out screening and assist in setting up patients on advanced therapies. You will be required to assist with triaging patients via the IBD advice service and advise patients with support.

You will assist in monitoring clinical results for patients and maintain up to date patient records and ensure completion of necessary clinical admin to support patient care

The post-holder is required to be a source of clinical expertise and professional advice, and act as a specialist resource to the patient, relatives, carers and the multidisciplinary team.

You will participate in departmental audit and research programmes and be actively involved in educating others and disseminating good practice.

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of 2.6 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom.

Chaired by Ingrid Barker and led by Maria Kane as Chief Executive, Bristol NHS Foundation Trust aims to transform the way healthcare is delivered locally with a clear focus on making a difference for what we call our Four Ps:

• Better outcomes for our Patients
• More opportunities for our People
• Fairer more consistent care for our Population
• Best Value for Public Purse

Our vision for five years from now:

• Patients will wait less time to be diagnosed and treated, and they will have the same high-quality experience and outcomes, regardless of who they are or where they live.
• We will meet rising demand by maximising the use of our available resources.
• More care will be delivered nearer to patients, in their homes or the community.
• Digital technologies will have transformed the way we work and the way we deliver care.
• Our people will feel engaged, energised and empowered by their work.
• We will be known as a place where people enjoy working, training and building a career.
• Our volume of globally renowned research and innovation will have grown significantly.
• We will contribute to system financial balance

Job responsibilities

• Assisting with and participating in:
  Clinical
  • Nurse-led clinics for IBD patients in the outpatients department and virtual clinics as required
  • Requesting investigations for monitoring of long-term medications and for surveillance of carcinomas in specific patient group
  • Providing information and advice to patients newly-diagnosed or coming to terms with their chronic disease diagnosis and offer ongoing support to patient and their relatives/care
  • Triaging and advising patients via the IBD advice service.
  • Expediting medical review and requesting investigations as required.
  • Monitoring patients response to medical treatment in relation to their IBD by telephone, at agreed intervals, reducing the need for outpatient follow up. Report and document any adverse events to Lead Nurse, Consultant or GPs and act promptly on their outcomes
  • Sensitively advising patients of results of investigations and the implications of those results
  • Reviewing and assessing patients by telephone at intervals agreed with them
  • Monitoring and recording test results for patients on immunosuppressant therapy, using guidelines and agreed protocols. Analyse and interpret blood test results with support and act on results by informing and advising Lead IBD nurse, Consultant Gastroenterologist, GP and patient
  • Maintain accurate patient records in patient case notes or electronically in computer databases
  • To deliver holistic care and improve patient empowerment by addressing the patients needs in relation to health promotion and education
  
  Management
  • Demonstrate ability to plan and manage own workload effectively and independently, but work well within a team
  • Participate in service evaluation, assist in improving current services, and assist in planning for future service provision for patients with IBD, locally and Trust wide
  • Provide support to other colleagues within the Gastroenterology team
  • Actively participate in regular meetings related to the post
  • Updating documentation for the capture of information and assessment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease
  • Manage own sickness, absence and annual leave effectively to ensure service provision is adequately maintained
  
  Education and Professional Development
  • The post holder must keep up to date with professional and clinical developments in IBD nursing and maintain own professional development and clinical competence
  • Develop specialist skills e.g. patient assessment, IBD disease education, biologic screening and medication
  • Undertake personal development to meet identified needs.
  
  Research and Audit
  • Participate in audit and research projects in own area
  • Assist in collecting data to demonstrate outcomes from nurse led initiatives
  • Assist in implementing change identified at clinical audit and assist in evaluating clinical and patient outcomes
  
  Service Development
  • Participate in audit and research projects in own area
  • Assist in collecting data to demonstrate outcomes from nurse led initiatives
  • Assist in implementing change identified at clinical audit and assist in evaluating clinical and patient outcomes

Person Specification
Education, training and Qualifications

• Essential
  • Registered Nurse with current live NMC registration
  • Degree or Diploma in health-related field
• Desirable
  • Teaching and assessing qualification

Work Experience

• Essential
  • Evidence of maintenance of clinical competence
• Desirable
  • Minimum 1 year post registration experience in gastroenterology/related health care setting
  • Current experience or keen interest in IBD and gastroenterology

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Essential
  • Advanced communication skills, verbal & written, to include report writing and record keeping.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with patients and multidisciplinary team
  • Ability to work as part of a team and capable of working autonomously as the role requires.
  • Ability to organise and manage own workload
  • Time management/Basic problem-solving skills
  • Excellent computer/IT skills and expectation to develop these in line with the needs of the service
  • Sound knowledge of the guidelines set out in the NMC code of professional conduct and current Nursing Issues

Personal Qualities/Special Circumstances

• Essential
  • Flexibility/ punctuality
  • Able to work within a diverse community of patients and health care professionals.
  • Ability to work independently

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.

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.