Job summary
To provide high-quality nursing care and participate in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation using evidence-based specialist palliative nursing care for in patients whilst under the care of the team. To act in accordance with the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) code of professional conduct and Southern Hospice Group policies and procedures. To work with the multi-disciplinary team and other hospice services to provide holistic care

Main duties of the job
To provide high-quality nursing care and participate in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation using evidence-based specialist palliative nursing care for in patients whilst under the care of the team. To act in accordance with the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) code of professional conduct and Southern Hospice Group policies and procedures. To work with the multi-disciplinary team and other hospice services to provide holistic care
To work a rotational shift pattern to cover a varied rota of long day and night shifts, providing 24/7 provision for the inpatient unit.

About us
Southern Hospice Group is the largest group of hospices in Sussex and one of the largest in the UK. We are committed to providing exceptional and compassionate care to adults, children and their families across Sussex. Bringing our teams and resources together as one organisation means we can focus on new and exciting visions and plans for our people and patients and provide even greater opportunities for our workforce.

Job responsibilities

• Act as a Key Worker to allocated patients, co-ordinating their care alongside the multi-professional team, from admission to discharge.
• Discuss and establish patients objectives for coming into the hospice on and throughout the admission and evaluate as appropriate.
• Ensure the safe administration of medications, adhering to NMC and organisational policies and procedures.
• Recognise and report any errors or omissions in the administration of medications.
• Assess the needs of patients and relatives requiring intervention from other professionals/therapies and refer appropriately.
• Base clinical practice on current research-based evidence.
• Act as a clinical lead as appropriate i.e. infection control, wound care or diabetes.
• Verify when a death has occurred, notifying relatives and carers as appropriate.
• Care for the deceased patient by administering last offices and ensuring the safe and timely removal of the body from the hospice.
• Communicate effectively with patients, carers and the bereaved to establish and maintain trusting relationships.
• Establish and maintain effective communication and working relationships with multi-professional teams within the Hospice and in the community.
• As a key worker, to present patients and contribute to discussion at the multi professional team meeting if working day shift.
• Offer a high level of emotional support to patients and/or carers particularly during admission, breaking of bad news and around time of death.
• Contribute to bereavement care offered to families by facilitating bereavement interviews and assessing risk factors for bereavement, referring to the bereavement service as necessary.
• Provide advice on symptom control/care management to other health care professionals out of hours.
• Sensitively handle out of hours enquires from community patients and carers.
• Take responsibility for the efficient running of the Inpatient Unit in the absence of a Team Leader or Ward Sister.
• Attend the admissions meeting as needed on early shifts and contribute to decision making regarding the number of agreed admissions.
• Allocate staff, taking into account skill mix, to ensure continuity of care for the patients and their relatives.
• Ensure the ward is appropriately staffed to agreed staffing levels in the event of unexpected absence, including the booking, or cancelling of bank staff.
• Facilitate, welcome and sensitively handle feedback including concerns and complaints from patients or relatives and act upon or refer to senior nurses as appropriate.
• Be responsible for the ordering (alongside the Pharmacy team), safe storage and use of pharmaceutical supplies and hazardous substances.
• Be the Fire Warden in absence of the Ward Sister.
• Be aware of the security of the building out of office hours, including the checking of doors and windows prior to the setting of alarms as appropriate.
• Contribute to the development of care provision by participating in standard setting and clinical audit in accordance with the Hospice clinical governance framework.
• Contribute to (Health and Safety) risk assessments as appropriate, ensuring identified actions are completed as a result.
• Inform, advise and teach patients, carers and staff on aspects of the patients condition and care required.
• Develop and maintain own knowledge and skills in palliative care.
• Maintain and extend management knowledge and skills.
• Attend all mandatory training identified as requirement of role.
• Actively contribute to both formal and informal, unit based clinical education as appropriate.
• Contribute to the development of nursing assistants, student nurses and junior staff nurses by ensuring delivery of effective induction programmes and continuing development through appraisal and education.
• Act as a mentor for students.
• Teach clinical and non-clinical staff as part of the educational activities of the Hospice.
• Keep and monitor accurate, timely and relevant patient records.
• Contribute to the written assessment of patients during discharge planning to supply relevant services with necessary information.
• Complete a written assessment of bereavement vulnerability.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Experience of supervising junior staff
• Recent experience of nursing patients with palliative care needs and/or oncology needs

Qualifications
Essential

• A good standard of general education to GCSE level
• RGN or RN Adult Branch registration
• Diploma level qualification or willingness to work towards
• Experience of supporting student nurses on placement

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