Stroke Specialist Nurse

• To provide specialist nursing within the stroke survivor pathway consisting of assessment, liaison and treatment of patients following stroke.
• To manage autonomously a significant caseload with supervision from senior staff members.
• To participate in the patient's multi-disciplinary rehabilitation goals ensuring a functional approach to rehabilitation.
• To work within defined specialist department and national protocols/policies for stroke care such as the NICE clinical guidelines and National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stoke Service.
• To also work within the professional code of conduct as outlined by professional bodies.
• To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work and to ensure that work is within professional standards and clinical guidelines.
• To ensure that patients, families and carers are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their stroke rehabilitation care plans.
• To work collaboratively with other services that may be involved in the care of the patients for instance, social services and the volunteer sector.
• To attend and contribute to relevant multidisciplinary meetings and client reviews as appropriate.
• To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures relevant to stroke, in particular regard to own profession.
• To provide supervision, specialist advice and support to Therapy Assistant Practitioners and students within the team, as well as other members of the Integrated Community Stroke Service, community colleagues and service users.
• To conduct multi-disciplinary initial contact assessments as a member of the Integrated Community Stroke Service.
• To provide emotional support to patients and families including those with complex needs, with support from clinical psychologist and senior colleagues (as available).
• To liaise with and support the wider Integrated Community Stroke Service team on discharge of patients from the service, when agreed objectives have been reached, or treatment is no longer appropriate. This may require planned referral onto other appropriate agencies/services.
• To work in a variety of settings including patient's homes, care homes, and clinics.

• To use appropriate methods of communication with patients, families, and carers, to maximise rehabilitation and understanding of the condition.
• To communicate effectively and collaboratively with colleagues in health, social and third sector services to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary integrated stroke service.
• To provide specialist advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals.
• To communicate complex information to patients, families, carers, other professionals, and other members of the multi-disciplinary team involved in the treatment of the patient.
• To gain valid informed consent and work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment and to contribute to capacity assessment with support from senior colleagues.

• Interpret clinical guidelines and adapt local service needs based on specialist knowledge.
• To communicate to professional lead and team leader on issues of service delivery including shortfalls, potential risks and service pressures.
• To use specialist clinical reasoning to provide guidance to Therapy Assistant Practitioner staff and staff members of other professions, to assist in case management.
• To act as a stroke specialist nursing resource and provide advice and support to other members of the stroke team, service users, community colleagues and professionals from external agencies.
• To assume delegated tasks as requested by professional leads and service managers related to team management and service development.
• To work collaboratively with colleagues across the Integrated Community Stroke Service and support professional leads to improve patient care and share best practice across the service.

• To represent ECCH with regards to stroke care.
• To act as a positive role model.
• Support Therapy Assistant Practitioner staff members in providing comprehensive holistic assessment of patients and re-evaluation of their needs, to determine priorities of care and provide effective management of emotional, psychological and spiritual support.

• To continue to develop competencies through reflective practices, clinical supervision and performance reviews.
• To assist in the development of specific Evidence Based Competencies in collaboration with professional lead, other members of the Integrated Stroke Services as well as external agencies.
• Work collaboratively with other peers in the other elements of the integrated stroke service to identify training needs and contribute to an across service training program for staff.
• To provide regular specialist training on a range of topics to service users, doctors, nurses, therapists, students and care staff.
• To attend relevant training and development to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a specialist nursing working in stroke.
• Provide clinical placement supervision to students within own profession.
• Act as a role model by offering support and work shadowing to other professionals, Therapy Assistant Practitioner colleagues and students.
• To conduct professional development reviews of Therapy Assistant Practitioner team members.

Essential

• Current first level NMC registration (adult)
• Post graduate education to degree level or equivalent relevant to clinical area
• Teaching and assessing qualification

Essential

• Evidence of post registration experience at band 5
• Working in an NHS multi-professional setting
• Managing and working autonomously using initiative
• Supervising others

Essential

• SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE
• Ability to lead and manage a team
• Ability to organise a workload and to delegate and prioritise
• Good knowledge of health and safety, risk management and safeguarding
• Computer literate
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Up to date professional portfolio which will demonstrate reflective practice and evidence of on-going professional development/education
• PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
• Willingness and ability to work across different sites and travel to alternative sites and across the community as required.
• Ability to embrace our Culture, Values and Signature Behaviours: (Compassion - We Listen, We Learn, We Lead| Action - My Accountability, My Responsibility | Respect - Respect Our Resources: People, Time and Money | Everyone - Work Together, Achieve Together).

Desirable

• SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE
• Knowledge of organisational structures and relationships in health and social care
• Knowledge in the management of stroke
• Knowledge of national requirements and directives related to speciality
• Understanding of the management of patients with stroke