Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

Job summary
Join Our Dedicated Chemotherapy Team at Whittington NHS Trust. Are you a compassionate and motivated Nursing Associate looking to develop your career in cancer services?

We are seeking an enthusiastic Band 4 Nursing Associate to join our friendly and supportive Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) Unit. This is an exciting one-year opportunity to work within a specialist team of 8 registered nurses, delivering high-quality care to patients undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and supportive treatments.

We welcome applications from Nursing Associate who are passionate about delivering exceptional, patient-centred care.

Our chemotherapy service is based in a purpose-built 13-chair unit, with an additional 2 chairs in Acute Oncology services.

As a Nursing Associate, you will be supporting the chemotherapy nurse in caring for patients undergoing treatment within solid tumour and/or haematology settings. Your role will focus on preparing patients for their SACT treatment such as performing ECGs, phlebotomy and vital sign observations and reporting, collecting chemotherapy drugs, PICC line and Port a Cath dressing and working collaboratively with nurses. We also provide a dedicated phlebotomy area for vulnerable patients.

Above all, we are looking for Nursing Associate with passion and drive, who demonstrate compassion and willingness in supporting our vulnerable oncology patients. You must be committed to maintaining and improving care for patients and their families.

Main duties of the job
We offer support from our part-time Practice Development Nurse (PDN), who will contribute to your professional development and enhance your clinical practice, alongside access to additional training opportunities.

Your role will involve supporting the delivery of the outpatient chemotherapy service by:

• Providing an overview of nursing care for patients undergoing chemotherapy and supportive treatments
• Delivering care in line with Improving Outcomes Guidance for chemotherapy services
• Supporting safe, effective, and patient-centred treatment pathways

You will be expected to deliver a holistic, evidence-based approach to care. A broad knowledge base, alongside strong communication and teamwork skills, is essential to ensure the smooth running of the chemotherapy unit.

You are encouraged to call or arrange an informal visit to meet the team and discuss the role further. Please call on 020 7288 3192

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 description

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Result Areas:

• To provide and monitor safe, person-centred care to a designated group of patients, service users and families under the direction of a Registered Nurse, without direct supervision in line with an agreed plan of care.
• To support the registered nurse and contribute to the on-going assessment and care planning of patients and service users in order to improve and maintain their mental, physical, behavioural health and wellbeing.
• To act in the best interests of patients and service users to promote and prevent ill health and contribute to their integrated care
• To monitor the condition and health needs of patients and service users on a continual basis in partnership with colleagues, families and carers, referring to others for reassessment, when required
• The Nursing Associate will actively contribute to an effective learning environment and support others in their learning
• Nursing Associates will recognise and adhere to the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Conduct for Nurses, Midwives and Nursing Associates and work within their scope of practice following the professional standards of practice and behaviours for nurses, midwives and nursing associates and the standards of proficiency.

Please see attached job description for further role responsibilities.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nursing Associate on the NMC register
• GCSE Grade A-C in Maths & English or skills level 2 Maths & English or equivalent
• Nursing Associate foundation degree qualification

Skills & Abilities
Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally, and using nonverbal communication with patients/relatives, carers and all members of the multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to undertake Phlebotomy and record Electrocardiogram (ECG)s

Knowledge & Expertise
Essential

• Understands and acts in line with NMC professional standards for practice contained within The Code
• Experience of working in teams under appropriate supervision as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to recognise when to seek advice and escalate to the appropriate professional for expert help and advice

PERSONAL QUALITIES
Essential

• Must demonstrate behaviours consistent with organisations values

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.