Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Senior Staff Nurse
The closing date is 25 November 2026

Job summary
Senior Staff Nurse (Band 6) Secondment A403

We are looking to appoint a highly motivated, adaptable energetic and enthusiastic individual with a broad knowledge of surgical/emergency nursing to work as Senior Staff Nurse in an ambulatory setting on Surgical SDEC.

A403 are very excited to be recruiting 0.92 WTE Senior Staff Nurse (Band 6) to join our well established team in the Division of Surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) for a Secondment for 6 months over winter.

This would suit an experienced Band 5 Nurse who has interest in management, adaptable skills and natural leadership abilities but may need more clinical support within the A403 team and ward environment.

We are looking for a range of experience and can provide training and development opportunities.

Main duties of the job
The Surgical Same Day Emergency Care unit (SDEC - Ward A403) is a fast-paced and dynamic ambulatory care environment providing a 7-day a week acute assessment service for surgical, trauma, orthopaedic, ENT, and maxillo-facial patients referred urgently via GPs, clinic following operations, or admitted via the emergency department.

The Senior Staff Nurse (Band 6) is responsible for providing expert clinical practice, coordinating ambulatory patient pathways, and managing the nursing team on Ward A403. The role involves telephone triage of acute surgical and trauma patients referred by GPs to facilitate rapid assessment and treatment without requiring an overnight stay. The post holder acts as a clinical leader and role model, actively supporting the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse, driving evidence-based practice, overseeing clinical governance, and championing high standards of patient safety, experience, and effectiveness.

Please come and talk to us to find out more information and whether this role and environment would be for you!

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 £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year pa, pro rata
Contract: Secondment
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 387-S0077-GB
Job location: Bristol Royal Infirmary, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, BS2 8HW, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Within this role you will influence progress and maintain high standards whilst developing clinical, managerial and leadership skills in this challenging environment where no two days are the same.

Experience within the surgical speciality or a similar unit environment is vital to enable you to settle into the role quickly and become a valuable senior member of the team. You will be supported in this role by the Senior Nursing team.

As a B6 senior staff nurse you will:

• Be proactive and show initiative, demonstrating excellent leadership and clinical skills to assess, investigate and treat patients
• Act as a leader and role model, adopting a flexible approach in a role managing clinical and managerial responsibilities
• Work as Surgical SDEC coordinator and coordinate the care of patients, accepting referrals and managing the nursing team
• Excellent communication skills are therefore essential
• Experience of acute assessment or triage is desirable
• Actively engage in research and development opportunities for the service
• Knowledge regarding governance and its importance in promoting and maintaining safe and quality driven environment for patients, visitors and staff
• Take immediate action and inform sister where performance, conduct or attendance falls short of the expected standards
• Work in partnership with the management team to act as a united front and professional role model to the team
• Assist with and participate in, the recruitment, retention and professional development of staff

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person Specification
Aptitudes (Essential): Supportive, Respectful, Collaborative, Innovative

Education and Qualifications

• Essential: RGN 1st Level with current NMC Registration
• Essential: Relevant accredited post registration qualification at level 3
• Essential: Qualification in Teaching, assessing and Mentoring
• Desirable: Willingness to work towards Masters level academic study

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Essential: Appropriate post-registration nursing experience, with substantial background in surgical, emergency, or ambulatory assessment nursing
• Essential: Proven leadership and management experience within an acute or ward environment
• Essential: Recent acute assessment or telephone triage experience
• Essential: Experience as a preceptor, mentor, or practice assessor
• Essential: Experience of undertaking audit, research, or quality improvement projects
• Essential: Excellent organisation, prioritisation, and management skills to handle a fast-paced ambulatory caseload
• Essential: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to manage difficult situations and influence team members
• Essential: Ability to work effectively under pressure and problem-solve dynamically
• Essential: Proven ability to lead a team, act as a role model, and delegate safely
• Essential: Flexibility and adaptability to meet the changing needs of an ambulatory emergency service
• Essential: Competency in complex clinical activities, including intravenous (IV) medication administration
• Desirable: Awareness of current national changes in nursing, healthcare, and the NHS
• Desirable: Evidence of commitment to research based practice or evidence of Quality improvement work undertaken

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. 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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Bristol Royal Infirmary, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, BS2 8HW, United Kingdom
Contact: Olivia Crossing, Supervisory Sister, olivia.crossing@uhbw.nhs.uk, 01173421593