Job summary
We are looking for a compassionate, motivated and enthusiastic Paediatric Staff Nurse to join our friendly and supportive Paediatric Unit. This is an exciting opportunity to provide high-quality, family-centred care to children and young people with a range of clinical needs, from low dependency through to higher dependency care.

You will be responsible for assessing, planning, delivering and evaluating individualised care, safely administering medicines, recognising and responding to clinical deterioration, and ensuring that children and their families receive safe, effective and compassionate care at every stage of their hospital journey.

You will work closely with experienced senior nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team, with the opportunity to develop your clinical knowledge, skills and confidence through a structured preceptorship (for newly qualified nurses) and ongoing professional development.

We are looking for a nurse who is committed to delivering excellent paediatric care, works well as part of a team, communicates effectively with children and families, and is willing to develop and expand their clinical skills.

In return, we offer a supportive environment where you will be encouraged to learn, develop and progress your paediatric nursing career while making a meaningful difference to children, young people and their families.

Main duties of the job
As a Paediatric Staff Nurse, you will provide safe, compassionate and evidence-based care to children and young people across a range of clinical needs and dependency levels. You will work closely with children, families and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure care is individualised, effective and delivered to a high standard.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Undertake comprehensive assessments of children and young people, identifying their individual physical, emotional, developmental and social needs, and develop, implement and evaluate appropriate care plans.
• Deliver high-quality care to children requiring low dependency care independently within your level of competence and provide care to children with higher dependency needs under the supervision and direction of the nurse in charge.
• Communicate effectively and compassionately with children and young people, adapting your communication to their age, developmental needs and individual circumstances.

We are looking for candidates who are caring, adaptable, team-focused and committed to delivering an excellent experience for children and their families. You should be able to work effectively in a busy paediatric environment, demonstrate good clinical judgement and be willing to develop your knowledge and skills across the paediatric service.

About us
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.

Job responsibilities
Post summary
To maintain high standard of nursing care for all service users at all times.
Teaching and supervision of students.
To work effectively with all members of the multidisciplinary team.
The assessment of child/young peoples and family care needs, the development, implementation and evaluation of care.
To take charge of CAU in the absence of the person who has continuing responsibility
To assist in the creation of a welcoming, caring and safe environment for children/young people and families

Main duties
Clinical duties:

• To set, monitor and maintain the highest standards of nursing care for children according to their dependency.
• To assess, develop, implement and evaluate individual nursing care needs, supervising the programs of care given by junior staff. This should be evidence based.
• To actively support and promote the involvement of parents and carers in the management evaluation of care, by working together in partnership.
• To act in a consultative capacity on paediatric matters when required.
• To establish and maintain effective communication within the MDT in order to provide optimum child/family care.
• To establish and maintain effective communication with the parents and relatives of the children to ensure that they have every assistance and support to enable them to cope with their childs needs.
• To provide support and counselling for children, young people and their parents and nursing staff as appropriate.
• To act as an effective role model to junior staff and students.
• To demonstrate knowledge of clinical governance.
• To be competent in IV drugs and blood products administration.
• To undertake training and provide advanced assessment skills as required: e.g. pre-assessment for booked procedure like food challenge.
• To work according to Patient Group Directions (PGD) in the administration of medications e.g. paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Salbutamol and Hepatitis B vaccines.
• To undertake training and provide specific care as required, e.g. blood transfusion, venepuncture, cannulation, food/medicine challenges and chemotherapy administration.
• To have an awareness of safeguarding issues and the ability to take appropriate action.

Management:

• To take charge/deputies in the absence of the Sister as required.
• Demonstrate ability to prioritise according to patients and service need.
• To assist in the development of paediatric nursing policies, protocols and guidelines ensuring that they are implemented, followed and evaluated.
• To attend unit meeting and provide appropriate input.
• To be able to liaise with the Senior Sister and Matron for paediatric services of any activity in the clinical area which effects paediatric care.
• To assist in monitoring and ensuring economical levels and usage of supplies on the unit are maintained.
• Exercise professional accountability in line with the NMC code of Professional conduct.
• Ensure that all agreed trust and Directorate policies, procedures and standards implemented within the unit are adhered to and maintained.
• Be a committed member of the paediatric unit and be willing to rotate the different paediatric units (i.e. Ifor, PACU) as necessary.
• Report accidents/incidents and complaints to the Senior Sister/ Matron, and document as per unit policy, e.g. Datix.

Teaching

• To promote and achieve an environment conducive to learning for all staff.
• To act as mentor for students and preceptor to junior staff, including completion of necessary paperwork and annual staff appraisal.
• To assist in the education and practical training of all learners, utilising every opportunity for clinical teaching.
• To co-operate with the education of staff to provide uniformity of teaching and promotion of professional standards.
• To utilise, participate and monitor programmes of unit based teaching in conjunction with the Practice Development Nurse.
• To assist in assessing and meeting the learning needs of members of the unit team.
• To take full responsibility for personal development.

Research

• To promote a critical and analytical approach to the delivery of child orientated care.
• To initiate and participate in paediatric nursing audit/research.
• To ensure members of the unit team are aware of current research and its implications to nursing care.
• To assist in introducing and applying research findings along with the other members of the unit team to enhance the efficiency of nursing practice.
• Maintain an awareness of clinical and professional developments of paediatric nursing.
• Attend relevant study periods as nominated, providing feedback to the unit team.

This job description is a guide to the key functions of this post and is not intended to be exhaustive.

Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential

• NMC Registered Children's Nurse (RN level 1- children)
• Evidence of recent training

Desirable

• Additional clinical courses

Skills and abilities
Essential

• Excellent written communication
• Ability to prioritise and organise own workload
• Ability to recognise and manage stress in self
• Ability to plan, implement and evaluate care

Desirable

• Understands responsibilities of a preceptor role

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Experience in total patient nursing care for children and adolescents
• Experience and understanding of multidisciplinary approach and team working
• Principles of medical and surgical nursing care
• Principles of family centred care
• Clear understanding of policies relating to child safeguarding
• Commitment to 6Cs (care, compassion, competence, communication, courage, and commitment) and how they underpin all nursing practice

Personal qualities
Essential

• Committed to own professional development
• Demonstrates a commitment to upholding the trust values

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).

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).

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

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).