Job summary
The Senior Sister/Charge Nurse will provide visible and effective clinical leadership within the Emergency Department, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centred care in accordance with the NMC Code (2015), Health and Community Services policies, and national emergency care standards.

They will lead and coordinate clinical operations throughout the department, ensuring timely assessment, treatment, escalation, and flow of patients while maintaining patient safety, dignity, and experience during periods of high demand and operational pressure. The post holder will support the Emergency Department Manager by providing professional and operational leadership to nursing and multidisciplinary teams, promoting a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and evidence-based practice. They will act as an expert clinical role model, supporting staff development, wellbeing, performance management, and succession planning.

For an informal discussion please contact Nicku Reid N.Reid2@health.gov.je or 01534 442264.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will contribute to the achievement of key departmental objectives through effective workforce management, quality improvement initiatives, audit participation, risk management, incident investigation, and implementation of learning outcomes to improve patient care and service delivery. They will foster a positive learning environment by supporting education, mentorship, preceptorship, and clinical supervision of registered and unregistered staff, students, and learners, ensuring the development of a highly skilled and resilient emergency care workforce. The Charge Nurse/Senior Sister is a senior clinical leader within the Emergency Department at Jersey General Hospital, responsible for providing expert clinical care, professional leadership, and operational management to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and patient-centred emergency services.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide professional and clinical leadership to nursing and support staff within the Emergency Department.
• Coordinate day-to-day departmental operations, ensuring safe staffing levels and effective patient flow.
• Ensure timely assessment, treatment, escalation, and discharge of patients in accordance with departmental standards.
• Support the management of patients with complex needs, including paediatric, mental health, gynaecological, medical, surgical, and trauma presentations.
• Promote a culture of safety, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice.
• Lead on patient experience, safeguarding, infection prevention, and risk management initiatives.
• Support recruitment, induction, appraisal, performance management, and professional development of staff.
• Act as a clinical role model and expert resource, supporting staff in the delivery of high standards of emergency care.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and external agencies to ensure seamless patient care and service delivery.
• Deputise for the Emergency Department Matron/Lead Nurse as required.

Person Specification (Summary)

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.
• Significant post-registration experience within Emergency, Acute, Critical Care, or Urgent Care settings.
• Proven leadership and people management skills.
• Demonstrable experience in leading teams, managing change, and delivering service improvements.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and decision-making abilities.
• Commitment to staff development, education, and continuous quality improvement.

Technical Work Based Skills
Advanced knowledge of emergency nursing care, including rapid patient assessment, triage, and management of acutely ill and injured patients. Competence in leading clinical shifts within a busy Emergency Department, ensuring safe patient flow and effective resource allocation. Extensive experience using Electronic Patient Record (EPR) systems for patient documentation, clinical decision-making, and care coordination. Proficient in the use of Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) systems, ensuring safe and effective medicines management. Skilled in patient assessment and escalation using recognised clinical frameworks, including NEWS2, Sepsis Six, and deteriorating patient pathways. Ability to interpret and act upon diagnostic investigations including ECGs, blood results, imaging requests, and point-of-care testing. Knowledge of emergency care pathways, safeguarding processes, Mental Capacity Act principles, and management of patients presenting with mental health crises. Experience in clinical governance activities including audits, incident investigations (Datix), risk management, and quality improvement initiatives. Competent in workforce management, including rota coordination, staffing escalation processes, and effective deployment of resources to meet service demands. Experience supervising and supporting multidisciplinary teams, including Registered Nurses, Healthcare Assistants, Nurse Associates, Medical Staff, Allied Health Professionals, and students. Advanced communication and leadership skills to coordinate care, manage complex situations, and facilitate effective multidisciplinary working. Competent in managing emergency situations including cardiac arrest, trauma, major incidents, and clinical deterioration. Strong understanding of infection prevention and control, health and safety, and emergency department operational policies. Ability to support, mentor, assess, and develop staff through appraisals, clinical supervision, competency assessments, and educational initiatives. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, data analysis, report writing, and preparation of service improvement and governance reports. Experience participating in departmental improvement projects, performance monitoring, and achievement of key emergency care standards and targets.

Essential Experience

• Registered Nurse (Adult) with current NMC registration.
• Minimum 4 years' post-registration (post-qualification) experience, including substantial experience within an Emergency Department (ED), Acute Medicine, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), or other acute unscheduled care setting.
• Demonstrable experience in the assessment, management and coordination of care for acutely ill and injured patients.
• Previous experience taking charge of a shift, coordinating patient flow, and managing clinical priorities in a busy emergency or acute care environment.
• Experience supervising, supporting and developing junior nursing staff, students and multidisciplinary team members.
• Evidence of involvement in quality improvement, patient safety initiatives, and service development within an acute clinical environment.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in a Grade 5(Band 6)/Senior Staff Nurse role within an Emergency Department.
• Emergency nursing qualification (e.g., Emergency Nursing Course, ALS/APLS, Trauma Nursing qualification).
• Experience managing workforce resources, bed capacity, and escalation processes.
• Experience participating in audits, governance activities, and incident investigations.

Essential Qualifications

• First Level Registered Nurse (Adult) with current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
• Degree in Nursing or evidence of study at degree level.
• Professional and clinical knowledge acquired through nurse education and post-registration development to degree level or equivalent.
• Demonstrable evidence of continuing professional development relevant to Emergency Care Nursing.

Desirable Qualifications

• Leadership and management qualification or equivalent experience.
• Advanced Life Support (ALS) certification.
• Recognised Emergency Nursing qualification (ENP, Emergency Care Course, or equivalent).

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).

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

Date posted: 05 November 2026
Pay scheme: Other
Salary: £66,422.64 to £71,038.46 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: K0011-26-4729

Employer: Health and Community Services, Government Of Jersey, Jersey General Hospital, St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, JE1 3QS

Closing date: 30 November 2026

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