Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Stroke Specialist Nurse within the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust Stroke Team.

We are looking for a highly motivated Registered Nurse to join our Specialist Nurse Service. The team provides a 24/7 Specialist Stroke Nurse service based at the Calderdale Royal Hospital. You will need to be a dynamic professional who is passionate about providing high quality care for patients who have experienced a stroke. Your primary role is to attend the Emergency Department and provide rapid initial assessments for patients who are referred to the Stroke Service. The role will also entail working some clinical shifts on the Stroke Floor in a senior role.

We are looking for a recruit with experience in Stroke Care or an Acute area with 2 years post registration.

Main duties of the job

• Responding to emergency calls from ED presenting to the department with Stroke symptoms
• Assessing the patient using the NIHSS assessment
• Delivery of Thrombolysis within the ED resus setting and potential emergency transfer for thrombectomy
• Work closely with the Stroke Consultant
• Triage phone calls from GP's for TIA clinics
• Training and support of junior staff in the post thrombolysis care in the HASU

About us
The Stroke team comprises multiple professionals. We are a welcoming team who prides itself on being inclusive and supportive.

The team actively encourages and professional development of staff, and will support staff in ongoing development.

The successful candidate can expect to join a friendly and supportive team.

We are looking for a candidate who has care and compassion at the core of their practice in line with the Trusts vision and works within the Trusts 4 pillars of care.

Job responsibilities

• To assess, deliver and evaluate nursing care to patients with a suspected Stroke immediately following arrival within the trust.
• To assess deliver and evaluate nursing care to patients referred to the TIA pathway.
• To be a point of initial contact for patients accessing the specialist stroke and TIA service.
• To support other clinical areas to develop systems to ensure people with strokes and TIAs are identified early within the patient pathway and are supported to access appropriate services promptly, including thrombolysis and urgent carotid surgery.
• To identify patients for recruitment into clinical trials supported by the Yorkshire Stroke Research Network
• Contribute to the education and development of other members of the stroke specialist team and other clinical teams as appropriate.
• Raise awareness of the needs of stroke patients with other clinical teams
• Liaise with external agencies in Calderdale and Huddersfield e.g. primary care, YAS and with other clinical colleagues within Calderdale and Huddersfield to develop and promote evidence based quality care.
• To support the development and collection of robust data to inform patient care and service development.
• Respond immediately to calls from YAS / A&E triage when an acute stroke or TIA patient is identified
• In the case of suspected stroke:-
• Confirm the triage diagnosis / identify stroke mimics (15% - 30% cases)
• Identify presence of inclusion / exclusion criteria for hyper-acute interventions e.g. thrombolysis,
• Arrange immediate pathology investigations
• Arrange urgent cranial CT scan
• When appropriate mobilise acute stroke medical team
• Rapidly identify appropriate bed on HASU/ASU
• Provide or coordinate nursing input for interventions e.g. thrombolysis
• Provide 1:1 care / observation as needed
• Have responsibility for transfer from A&E to HASU
• Lead and support the delivery of patient care within the hyper-acute stoke unit.
• Support care delivery within the stoke unit and through to discharge home.
• In the case of suspected TIA
• Confirm triage diagnosis / identify TIA mimics
• Assess using a structured ABCD approach.
• To contribute to stroke specialist nursing care throughout the stroke and TIA pathway.
• To achieve engagement of all providers across the health and social care communities in order to promote a fully integrated stroke pathway.
• To identify patients who might be suitable for inclusion in clinical trials supported by the Yorkshire Stroke Research Network.
• To contribute to the patient discharge planning process.
• To maintain professional registration and up to date skills and knowledge in stroke and TIA nursing care.
• To work within the NMC code of conduct and relevant local, regional and national guidance and policy.
• The post-holder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.

The Trust has a statutory duty to involve patients and public in evaluating and planning services. All staff have a responsibility to listen to the views of patients and to contribute to service improvements based on patient feedback. This post holder will also be expected to contribute to the development and implementation audits and investigations and their action plans to improve patient care.

Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING
Essential

• Level 1 Registered Nurse with NMC
• Significant clinical experience in the assessment of the acutely Ill patent/stroke patient
• Willingness to complete STARS advanced competencies and NIHSS within first month of employment
• ANTT training

Desirable

• Professional Qualification in a relevant speciality
• Stroke training and resources ( STARS ) CORE and advanced competencies
• NIHSS National Institute of Health Stroke Scale
• Care of the Acutely Ill Patient

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE
Essential

• Provide highly developed clinical skills
• The ability to recognise and act on a change in a patients condition
• Knowledge of National and local stroke strategy and stroke assurance framework
• Experience of translating evidence into practice and/or research/audit skills

Desirable

• Critical care experience of Patient Pathways and Case Management
• Experience of supervising and/or managing staff
• Experience of working within a self-managed team
• Experience of managing admission routes to a service.
• Experience of managing change
• Understanding of clinical trials/research trials
• Involvement in the audit cycle
• Involvement in the collection and use of patient feedback
• Proven competence in extended roles such as cannulation, ECG and venepuncture

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)
Essential

• Excellent communication skills
• Experience of team working skills and team group facilitation
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Experience of providing supervision/mentoring of staff using leadership skills that promote independent thinking and action
• Ability to work collaboratively with team colleagues

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