Palliative Care Nurse

Clinical/Professional Constantly practices autonomously by assessing and effectively prioritising referrals to the service in order to deliver patient focused appropriate care in the context of a whole service approach. Provide a specialist and holistic palliative care assessment of patients and their carers needs following referral, which realistically minimises physical symptoms and the social, financial, emotional and spiritual implications of the disease process. In negotiation with the patient, their carers, and the wider multidisciplinary team, formulate a plan of care using specialist knowledge and skills dependent on the level of specialist intervention required. Provides specialist care and advice for patients and carers, and assists the multidisciplinary team in delivering and evaluating the interventions/ plan of care, reviewing and amending this care as appropriate with support from the CNS Frequently acts as a primary resource for site-specific specialist nurses, nursing/medical teams and the multidisciplinary team. Acts as a key-worker in co-ordinating care across different professionals and agencies. Facilitates and assists with complex discharge planning to home, hospice or other facility. Frequently elicit and analyse complex patient/carer/ family reaction, needs, dynamics occurring throughout the patient/carers journey. Frequently initiates and participates in highly sensitive and complex communication issues with patients, carers, nursing/medical teams; including pre-bereavement support, advice and imparting life changing news, e.g. a terminal illness. Uses a palliative care database that includes patient registration, clinical details and interventions that are shared with the community palliative care team, the consultant in Palliative Medicine, the Hospices and the inpatient palliative care unit. Education Effectively utilises informal education opportunities with patients, carers and professionals. Educates patients and their carers in the understanding of their illness, treatments and provides other sources of information, help and support. Research and Audit Develops and participates in appropriate nursing and medical research. Regular audit of issues relevant to current service provision, reviewing and amending practice as a result. To be involved in clinical effectiveness issues, particularly the introduction of patient pathways e.g. working with the End of Life team Personal and Professional Responsibilities Maintains a programme of personal and professional development by attending in-service training and utilising relevant educational opportunities. e.g, courses, conferences, seminars. Functions effectively as a specialist practitioner in line with the recommendations of the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Department of Health and operates as a member of the Palliative Care Team and wider multidisciplinary teams. Uses clinical supervision to maintain and improve practice. To be alert to ones own psychological health needs with reference to working in palliative care and the needs of others and to be able to receive and offer support when needed. Maintain high professional standards of care and professional expertise.

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