Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

Act as a Senior Nurse role model, leading by example and demonstrating compliance with NMC requirements and Keech values

Main point of contact for inpatient referrals managing all aspects of the process

Management oversight for Adult Services ensuring service needs are met and addressing situations as they arise

Actively participate in referral and multidisciplinary team meetings

Act as a mentor to junior colleagues, providing guidance and support

1. Deputise for/represent the Lead Palliative Care Clinical Nurse

Specialist -Adults, as requested

2. Provide unit management support to the Lead Palliative Care Clinical

Nurse Specialist Adults, and act as a resource for shift leaders and

guide them in their management development.

3. Have management oversight for the service whilst on duty, ensuring

service needs are met safely, initiating actions to address situations

as they arise, and ensuring competent, reasoned judgement to

achieve this.

4. Actively participate in providing robust communication to senior

colleagues after on-call or OOH duties, to ensure smooth transition

and continuity of support.

5. Participate in the appropriate clinical and non-clinical meetings as part

of the wider multidisciplinary team.

6. Actively participate in leading the Keech Hospice referral and

multidisciplinary team meetings, supporting the signposting of

services available, and the on-going care management to achieve

effective and smooth discharge planning.

7. Lead on parallel planning discussions with patients and families as

agreed at MDT meetings.

8. Participate in service development initiatives, leading when

opportunities present.

9. Act as mentor to junior colleagues, undertaking probationary,

planned 1:1, mid-year and annual reviews as delegated.

10. Provide guidance and support to ensure team members work towards

and achieve annual objectives and learning development plans.

11. Proactive management to ensure all staff achieve mandatory training

compliance.

12. Professionally respond to complaints in line with Hospice policy.

13. Undertake investigation into complaints, incidents or accidents as

requested.

14. Act appropriately in the event of any accidents and emergencies and

to report any incidents according to hospice policy.

15. Participate in recruitment and development of staff within Adult

Services.

16. Participate in the support of staff, individual or group, managing

conflict and escalating concerns as needed

17. Create and promote a learning environment by maximising teaching

and learning opportunities for all nursing and care staff.

18. Actively coach and develop junior staff and ensure that competency

programmes become a fundamental part of staff mentoring and

support.

19. Participate in education programmes within and outside the Hospice

as required.

20. Maintain an expert working knowledge of current developments in

specialist palliative care.

21. Maintain own clinical skills competencies to be able to fulfil the

teaching requirements needed for team development and growth.

22. Participate in the hospice audit programme as requested.

23. Initiate and participate in relevant audit and research to promote and

increase the evidence base of palliative care.

24. To be involved in producing, evaluating, and auditing policies,

procedures and standards relating to the role of the non-medical

prescriber within Keech Hospice.

25. Act as a Senior Nurse role model, leading by example and

demonstrating compliance with NMC, organisational and legislative

requirements, and promoting Keech Hospice values.

26. Work collaboratively with the Hospice Senior Clinical Team to ensure

that all patient services are safely and appropriately staffed.

27. Work flexibly with colleagues to ensure continuity of PCCNS cover

during periods of absence.

28. To positively promote the role of the PCCNS at Keech Hospice to

other agencies/disciplines.

29. To mentor the Band F clinical team and junior staff, helping them

develop and maintain clinical skills such as venepuncture,

cannulation, IV therapy, ECGs etc.

Act as the point of contact for inpatient referrals, organising

admission to the inpatient unit as required.

Manage all aspects of the inpatient referral process including

appropriateness, urgency, and level of priority, always

ensuring that new referrals are assessed according to the

patients level of need/phase of illness. Coordinate admissions to the Adult Inpatient Unit (AIPU) to

maximise bed utilisation in close liaison with clinical

managers.

Undertake patient assessment in their own home or place of

care as required.

Where appropriate, initiate an individualised plan of care and

ensure transfer of care responsibility is communicated

effectively.

Maintain appropriate contact with the patient and/or carer

during the period between referral and admission, to ensure

continued support and ability to escalate care needs as

required.

31. To work with the Duty Doctor at weekends, Bank Holidays and during

periods of absence, providing direct patient assessment support and

reviews as delegated

32. Act as a specialist resource for other healthcare professionals,

patients, and carers, liaise directly with referrers, the primary care

teams and others as appropriate to ensure that the patients needs

are met.

33. With the other PCCNSs provide specialist outpatient nurse led

symptom control clinics on a 5-day rota, signposting, and triaging to

the range of different clinical services provided by the hospice and to

other external organisations as required.

34. When duty Outpatient PCCNS, attend the Keech Hospice Outpatient

MDT and participate in the rota to chair the meeting with other senior

MDT colleagues.

35. As weekend/BH Duty PCCNS provide senior clinical support across

Adult Services.

36. Undertake follow up appointments for patients discharged from the

inpatient unit as appropriate.

37. Help support the transition of young adults with life limiting illnesses

from Childrens to Adult Hospice Care.

38. Work in conjunction with the family support service to offer pre and

post bereavement support to families.

Clinical Non-Medical Prescriber (if/once qualification held)

39. With the duty doctor, and within your scope of competence, take

responsibility for the day-to-day management of inpatients, including

initial assessment, planning and daily review, and preparation for

discharge.

40. Participate in the clinical multidisciplinary handover to agree plans of

care and patient allocation, taking the lead in the absence of the duty

doctor.

41. In the absence of a duty doctor, refer to the doctor on call for

guidance and support, escalating concerns to the service lead or

clinical director as required.

42. As a non-medical prescriber, always work within your scope of

knowledge and competence.

43. Close liaison with and support of the clinical team and other members

of the multidisciplinary team to ensure patient care needs are

delivered.

44. Effective communication with the clinical team to ensure that patient

plans of care are achieved and evaluated.

45. Demonstrate advanced communication skills and the ability to

maintain a calm and confident approach on matters relating to

sensitive subjects.

46. Supportive communication with patients and their carers, regarding

their disease and its management.

47. Effective end-of-shift communication with the AIPU Shift Leader and

verbal/written handover for the next PCCNS on duty for inpatient,

outpatient, and community services.

48. Timely, succinct, and accurate entries on to the patients electronic

record.

Keech Hospice provides free specialist palliative and end of life care for people of all ages. We support adults in Bedfordshire. Children and their families in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Milton Keynes. At home, in hospice, or wherever were needed.

As a teaching hospice, our exceptional people, training, and facilities are helping local communities to live and die well.

Qualifications

Desirable: - Teaching qualification; - Management Training

Experience

Desirable: - Service Development; -; - Change Management; -; - Current NMP palliative; - practitioner

Additional Criteria