Clinical Nurse Specialist Perinatal Palliative Care, COAST

• Helping families to navigate complex decisions and co-ordinate care across hospital and

• Working collaboratively with neonatal intensive care units, maternity services, paediatric teams, hospices and primary care.
• Supporting advanced care planning, facilitating smooth transfers between services and supporting the delivery of compassionate care and support wherever it is needed.
• Acting as a specialist neonatal nursing resource for symptom and palliative care, monitoring and evaluating the effects of prescribed treatments.

• Providing professional and clinical leadership in the provision of symptom and palliative care across care settings for BCYP under the care of COAST palliative care team.
• To work in partnership with CTH In house and Community teams and the wider MDT, demonstrating excellent communication to ensure high quality seamless care for Children and Young people.
• Acting as an expert clinical resource for symptom and palliative care for BCYPs, their families and health care professionals across care settings. These settings will include hospice, hospital, home, school and GPs.
• Providing support to BCYPs and their families where required through community visits to hospital, home or hospice along with relevant healthcare professionals.
• Maintaining an awareness of the diverse nature of the COAST catchment area in order to provide child/family centred care.
• Demonstrating a high degree of professional autonomy, using clinical judgement to provide advice, always referring to the nurse consultant or medical consultants as required. Clinical
• Actively involved with the on-going development of the COAST service, in particular the symptom management service and contributing to development through research, audit and quality improvement.
• Providing clinical support and continuity of care to babies, children and young people with symptom and palliative care needs.
• Taking joint responsibility with the consultant for the development of individual and generic symptom management plans in liaison with the CTH contracted GPs and external nursing / medical providers.
• Supporting and educating families with symptom and palliative care needs in conjunction with the Consultant in Palliative Medicine, the Symptom Management Team and other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
• Jointly monitoring and evaluating the effects of prescribed treatment, adjusting medication within agreed protocols and in conjunction with the medical team.
• Facilitating the completion of Advance Care Plans including resuscitation plans (when competent), symptom management plans and ambulance directives liaising with all appropriate stakeholders.
• Working in partnership with all members of the MDT, encouraging and promoting effective team working from all disciplines within CTH.
• Work in collaboration with the in-house and community teams, taking the lead as needed, to facilitate hospital discharges for end of life, compassionate extubation, step down care and symptom management to ensure a smooth transition and excellent liaison. Undertake family and professional meetings at referring hospitals as needed.
• Coordinating transition to adult services when appropriate in conjunction with the transition coordinator.
• Providing educational and supportive strategies to meet the needs of the BCYPs with complex symptoms.
• Follow all hospice safeguarding policies and procedures ensuring escalation of safeguarding concerns in a timely manner.
• Acting as a knowledgeable resource for specialist advice and facilitating practice, knowledge and skill in relation to the specific needs of patients and families receiving palliative care and provide appropriate bereavement support.
• Attending relevant outpatient clinics and MDT meetings.
• Contributing to the clinics run by the team at the hospices with the Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Care.
• Ensuring written communication and correspondence is to a high standard and shared with relevant professionals on contacts with CYPs.
• Participate in the community on call provision with progression to the symptom management on call rota (separate arrangement) when fully competent.

Essential

• Specialist experience in neonatal/paediatric palliative care
• Proven experience of teaching
• Significant experience of palliative care, end of life care, symptom management, peri-natal/neonatal or community care
• Proven leadership and management experience
• Demonstrable experience in audit, quality improvement
• Proven experience of effective multi-professional working

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Child)
• First level degree in related topic
• Post graduate qualification in palliative care, childrens community nursing, neonatal or relevant subject
• Evidence of master's level learning
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Physical Assessment course
• Nurse prescriber or willingness to work towards within 12 months of appointment
• Advanced communication course or similar