Senior Community Nurse

Job responsibilities

Purpose

Responsible for the delivery of care and for managing service provision in accordance with national and local priorities, organisation policies, procedures and guidelines and in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Principal duties to include:

Responsibility for a defined caseload of patients

Is the named District Nurse for designated GP practices and attends all GSF and MDT meetings

Undertakes full nursing assessments of patients, including those with multiple pathology and complex health and social needs

Responsible for agreeing the patients care plan, liaising with others and adapting the care and treatment delivered according to need and patient choice

Responsible for the monitoring of medication regimes, assessing effects and advising patients on the safe storage and disposal of drugs

Responsible for the correct use of aids and equipment supplied for patients and carers and for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained including equipment loaned to patients

Recognises own limitations in the provision of clinical care and urgency of patients needs, referring to other health care professionals accordingly and is accountable for his/her own actions often without direct supervision

Maintains accurate and legible patient records in line with professional and organisational requirements this includes contemporary paper records and electronic patient record system

Accountable for making autonomous clinical decisions in planning and prioritising patient care for District Nurse caseload including referrals to other agencies and the admission / discharge from the service

Responsible for recognising the needs of the service, identifying risk and making rapid autonomous decisions, escalating to the Team Lead and Clinical Lead as required

Triaging within the District Nurse Referral Centre and promoting and embedding technology within the work place

Operational line manager for District Nursing team (Band 5 RNs / Band 4 APs / Band 3 HCAs)

Effectively communicates with others involved in patient care at all times including weekends / out of hours, through the use of mobile phone, emails and fax to enable a timely response to patients needs.

Maintains strong working relationships and communicates effectively with GPs, practice nurses, social services, acute / community hospital colleagues, borough council staff and the local voluntary sector

Responsible for completing all own mandatory training and for ensuring this is completed for all team members

Participates in own annual appraisal and undertakes continuing professional development, clinical supervision and peer review for self in order to maintain and develop knowledge and skills.

Supervising and appraising team members through annual appraisals, mid-year reviews and peer reviews within team

Responsible for receiving and facilitating clinical supervision and undertaking peer reviews within the team

Responsible for teaching, supervising and mentoring other members of the team and pre-registration students

Undertakes formal student assessments and participates in the maintenance of an effective learning environment

Participates in clinical audit and the implementation of changes to ways of working / clinical practice as a result of findings, recommendations and action plans

Actively participates in and contributes to meetings and working groups that inform the organisation and the nursing service / profession

Actively involved in the development and implementation of community nursing service developments and initiatives and acts as a role model for all 6Cs

Acts as a link nurse for defined area e.g. tissue viability, end of life, diabetes

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years post reg experience
• Broad range of clinical skills relevant to District Nursing
• Ability to Undertake full assessments of patients, including those with multiple pathology and complex health and social needs
• Mentoring / teaching / assessing experience
• Evidence of professional development
• Demonstrable evidence of service improvement / implementing local change
• Good knowledge of health and safety / risk management
• Clinical audit and why this is important
• Understanding of health care policy and how these impacts on District Nursing
• Computer literate and able to use Word, emails etc

Desirable

• Experience of staff management and appraisal
• Willingness to develop an area of specialist nursing
• Specialist knowledge of the role

Other

Essential

• Current driving licence and access to a car during the working day
• Flexible, Reliable, forward thinking and innovative
• Ability to work under pressure
• Committed to and passionate about District Nursing

Qualifications

Essential

• Current 1st level registration (Registered Nurse)
• Degree in relevant health care (or working towards)
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development post registration
• Relevant specialist courses
• Clinical Assessor and Supervisor
• Clinical Supervisor

Desirable

• Educated to Degree / Master level
• Physical Assessment Module
• Nurse prescriber (DN V100)

Communication

Essential

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Good presentation skills e.g., teaching, cascading information
• Facilitating teams e.g., through daily handover and clinical supervision groups

Skills

Essential

• Planning / Organisational Skills
• Leadership skills
• Interpersonal skills both verbal and written
• IT skills and timely data entry
• Autonomous and team worker
• Ability to prioritise
• Presentation skills
• Ability to assess, deliver, evaluate and benchmark quality care ...