Senior Staff Nurse - Intensive Care, Band 6

• Clinical:
• Lead on assessing planning and implementing high quality care, and evaluating care options for patients in the clinical area, in line with the Trust values and objectives
• Lead on complex clinical care for patients within their area
• Ensure the safe custody, maintenance and administration of medication, in accordance with established Trust policy
• Promote and maintain a safe therapeutic environment for patients, their families and staff, according to national and local Infection Control guidelines, Health & Safety legislation and Trust policies and objectives
• Coordinate discharges and transfers, promoting timely and safe processes for them
• Ensure that patient flow and the management of beds is effective and safe
• Ensure the delivery of high quality end of life care in line with national pathways, e.g. Liverpool Care Pathway, through the provision of holistic palliative and terminal care
• Provide sound evidence based clinical advice as required to staff and patients
• Maintain a good understanding and implementation of clinical escalation procedures as required
• Understand the Trust clinical governance framework, and participate in the promoting and safeguarding of high standards of care, through effective risk management & governance, and adherence to the Trust values
• Ensure that the team promote, ensure and adhere to the Trust safeguarding polices
• Undertake effective multi professionally work with colleagues to deliver care
• Coordinate and manage nurse led clinics where appropriate
• Coordinate specialist functions, including making clinical decisions where appropriate
• Monitor quality of standards of care, in line with CQC requirements and Trust and Divisional objectives
• Deliver and supervise a high quality patient experience
• Work with manager to collect and disseminate data on quality indicators etc, in line with national and Trust objectives
• Maintain a safe working environment, including ensuring equipment is safe, and used in line with Trust policy and values
• Promote and maintain patient safety at all times, including proactively implementing falls prevention
• Lead role in the detection, management and prevention of safeguarding issues
• Have an awareness of current professional and clinical developments within their area of practice and promote this to others

• Manage the day to day staffing arrangements and rotas, to ensure safe levels of practice
• Be a shift coordinator on a regular basis where appropriate
• Ensure staff adhere to Trust protocols of care, eg Infection Control
• Take continuing responsibility for the Ward / Department in absence of manager
• Participate in senior nurse / unit on call rota / bleep holder (some areas, eg paediatrics) as appropriate
• Lead and manage their own clinical team within general clinical areas, and of the total team in the absence of the manager, in line with Trust values
• Develop and maintain effective communication and working relationships with other professional groups, and staff generally within the Division and the Trust
• Contribute to the effective management of the area by ensuring correct levels of staff are in place to deliver and assist with the planning of off duty rotas
• Assist in the delivery of induction / orientation of new staff
• Act as a role model, ensuring staff work to Trust guidelines and values
• Supervise, under the direction of their manager, the work of qualified and unqualified staff and learners
• Provide clinical support and guidance to staff
• Act as a resource for clinical knowledge to staff
• Initiate action on complaints & incident management and responses, and assist in their investigation and resolution
• Participate in recruitment and selection, and develop effective selection and interviewing skills
• Undertake appraisals of staff, following training
• Chair team meetings as required
• Lead on specific projects, as indicated and agreed by manager
• Have a working knowledge of budget arrangements for area, focussing on cost effectiveness and quality, to ensure maximum use of resource
• Understand and manage local change with team members, including the embedding of new projects

• Participate in the education of all learners within their area
• Actively support and assist in preceptor ship and in pre-registration student support, supervision and guidance including mentorship where appropriate
• Identify and respond to learning needs for area
• Develop and deliver or organise local training sessions, mindful of the Trust values
• Facilitate others in the development of informal teaching skills
• Participate in the annual training needs analysis for their area
• Participate in any local or related research projects, clinical trials etc
• Apply and encourage others to utilise evidence based practice and relevant research findings in practice
• Identify areas of nursing / midwifery research within their area that will be of benefit, and encourage and educate other staff to recognise the importance of research
• Participate in clinical supervision / acting as supervisor
• Professional development:
• Maintain professional registration
• Ensure mandatory training and a satisfactory appraisal is in date
• Undertake a professional development plan and demonstrate achievement of objectives
• Ensure adherence to Trust policy and guidelines at all times
• Role model Trust values at all time
• Specific skills / Competencies for the Intensive Care Unit

Essential

• Registered Nurse
• Diploma in Higher Education
• Post registration qualification relevant to area of specialty or equivalent experience
• Experience of teaching and supporting learners / new staff

Essential

• Relevant post reg experience at Band 5 level or equivalent
• Wide variety of clinical experience
• Experience of excellence in leading all /part of a clinical team in practice.
• Experience of teaching and supporting learners / new staff etc

Essential

• Proven clinical knowledge linked to area of specialty, and excellence in care delivery Computer literacy skills
• Proven knowledge of safety issues through clinical governance and risk management
• Proven leadership and deputising skills in clinical area
• Knowledge of current challenging and issues in nursing
• Commitment to teaching and learning for self and others
• Clinical decision making skills and ability to prioritise workload

Desirable

• Commitment to quality initiatives and research
• Ability / experience of managing change personally and as a facilitator
• Experience of data collection for quality monitoring / audit
• Experience of risk management / assessment
• Knowledge of budgets