Junior Sister / Charge Nurse

You will

Deliver expert, compassionate and person-centred nursing care.

Support patients, families and carers throughout their rehabilitation journey.

Lead and coordinate the nursing team to ensure safe, effective and responsive care.

Act as a visible and approachable leader within the ward.

Support staff development through supervision, appraisal and coaching.

Complete Individual Performance Reviews (IPRs).

Manage and maintain the ward eRoster.

Lead on incident reporting, learning and risk management.

Support the day-to-day operational management of the ward.

Act as a key worker for patients, promoting continuity of care.

Work collaboratively with the wider multidisciplinary team.

Attend and contribute to weekly ward rounds, daily handovers, MDT meetings and goal-planning meetings.

Participate in the site coordinator rota

We are looking for a nurse who

Is a Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.

Has post-registration experience within inpatient services.

Has experience in rehabilitation or complex care nursing.

Demonstrates strong leadership skills and the ability to motivate and develop others.

Is passionate about helping patients achieve meaningful rehabilitation outcomes.

Has excellent communication and organisational skills.

Thrives within a multidisciplinary team environment.

Is committed to delivering the highest standards of patient care.

4. SCOPE AND RANGE

Utilise general and specialist nursing skills including: assessment, administering medications (including IVs), conducting health education, tracheostomy care and weaning, bowel care, recognising signs/symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia, collar care and providing support to patients and their families throughout the rehabilitation process to ensure a high-quality standard of nursing care is provided at all times.

Collaborate closely with the multidisciplinary team, including Doctors, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Psychologists, Dietitians and other healthcare professionals, to ensure holistic and coordinated care for patients.

Effectively lead and contribute towards the continuing development of professional nursing practice in the team.

Enhance team development through education, clinical governance and management of resources, ensuring effective communication within the inter- professional/interagency team, patients, carers and relatives.

Undertake evidence-based audit and research projects to further own and team clinical practice. May lead the implementation of specific changes to practice or contribute to service protocols/policy changes.

To carry out on call Site Coordinator shifts (weekdays and weekends), including providing support for medical and clinical emergencies and liaison with on call doctor. This role also includes responding to non-clinical matters on site e.g. out of hours fire alarms across site, trespassers on site etc.

Be an active participant in the inter-professional working of the MDT and input into the complete patient pathway, including acting as a Keyworker ensuring goals are met.

Support the ward manager to ensure the clinical area has appropriate establishment and skill mix and that the duty rotas meet the needs of the clinical area over the 24hr period using the principles of internal rotation of all grades of staff.

5. MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent, document appropriately and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.

To comply with local confidentiality policies, child protection and vulnerable adult procedures.

Provide professional nursing leadership within the team and support the Ward Manager in managing the team; ensuring safe and effective staffing levels and provision of resources to ensure continuous service delivery and enhance nursing practice.

In the absence of the Ward Manager actively manage admissions/discharges, including the assessment of patients on the waiting list, updating waiting lists including the receiving and making referrals and monitoring of discharge plans.

Ensure that evidence-based standards of care are maintained, monitored and continuously reviewed in line with the national guidelines, and national and organisational policies.

Support patient care through provision of excellent clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning skills, practical clinical nursing skills and act as an expert resource assisting in teaching knowledge and clinical skills for other health care professionals.

Responsible for co-ordination of transfers of patients to other health care providers ensuring appropriate escort and documentation.

Ensure timely and appropriate care is given to patients and delivered by the relevant Health Care professional.

Lead ward meetings in absence of Ward manager and contribute to unit /designated meetings and feedback to staff.

Ensure that robust induction programmes are in place and monitor competency completion within the team.

To support the Ward Manager in maintaining robust approaches to managing sickness, absence, line management, appraisals, mandatory training, standards and staff performance using LWSW policies and guidance.

5.1 Responsibility for People Management

Supervise, educate and assess performance of students and junior staff, in order to provide expert advice and clinical support whilst promoting the effective and efficient delivery of a high-quality service. This will include the use of formal appraisal, line management, practice supervision and use of related documentation.

Develop the learning environment to promote lifelong learning and staff development.

Be an active member for the in-service training programme by the attendance and delivering of presentations/training sessions at staff meetings, tutorials, training sessions in-house and by attending external/organising courses and practising reflective practice.

To assist in the recruitment of relevant grades of staff as required.

To support the Ward Manager in ensuring that all staff undertake and maintain mandatory and essential training in accordance with LWSW policy and clinical requirements. This includes booking staff onto training sessions.

Identify areas of practice/role development and enable and support staff to initiate change.

In conjunction with workforce development groups implement student/staff induction programme and information packs.

Take responsibility for your own personal and professional development, maintain competence, knowledge and skills commensurate with the role.

5.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources

Support the Ward Manager in the creation and management of eroster to ensure best utilisation of agreed workforce levels, while maintaining the appropriate skill mix for the ward.

The post holder will have no direct responsibility for finances; however, they will adhere to the relevant trust policies on financial issues.

The post holder will use Livewell Southwest resources responsibly ensuring that resources are utilised effectively to meet changing service needs.

Track stock levels and ensure the supply levels are sufficient to meet the demands of the service

5.3 Responsibility for administration

To maintain an up-to-date record of all patient contacts, MDT care plans, goals, assessments and reports whilst ensuring confidentiality at all times in line with professional and LSW policies and procedures.

To report accidents, incidents or complaints following LSW procedures and policies and to comply with the most recent Health and Safety at Work Act.

To support Patient Safety Incident Investigations, after action reviews, case reviews and incidents, providing feedback as required to staff, patients and relatives.

To be responsible for overseeing and monitoring of nursing equipment and ensuring maintenance and repair.

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.

We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Knowledge

Additional Requirements

Qualifications

Specific skills

Experience