Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assesses, develops and implements specialised programmes of care providing highly specialist advice on all aspects of Endocrine management relating to both in patients and outpatients
• Provides education to all health care professionals/carers who look after patients with endocrine conditions.
• Organise investigations with PIU, laboratory and radiology ensuring results are collated and followed through.
• Undertake regular audit of their practice e.g., patient satisfaction surveys.
• Advises medical and nursing staff on appropriate treatment regimes for patients and is responsible for the continued management of complex cases in nurse run clinics.
• Establish and maintain effective communication with various individuals and groups on complex potentially stressful topics in a range of situations.
• Contributes to the development of specialist evidence-based protocols for use within their own area of care.
• Raise communities and populations awareness of health and well-being and the actions that can be taken to address issues.
• Prioritise and monitor workload within own specialist area, recognising change in priorities and implementing corrective actions where necessary.

Key results from the job holder

• Analyse and rigorously review all aspects of the patient’s programme of care interpreting information and using knowledge and judgement to highly provide specialist advice to recommend new course of action where necessary.
• Explain clearly to patients the diagnosis, the benefits and risks of different interventions, the alternative approaches available and the role of individual members of the team.
• Communicates empathetically comprehensive and detailed sensitive information to patients with endocrine conditions who are considering pregnancy regarding the risk of exacerbating long-term life-threatening complications.
• Utilise highly developed physical examination skills where accuracy is important. eg in assessing thyroid states.
• Support patients encouraging them to promote their own health and well-being and to express their interests and concerns.
• Identify potential communication difficulties, relevant contextual factors and the risk of not communicating information at an appropriate time. (e.g. providing individualised patient education at level and appropriate timing for them, taking into account barriers to communication such as language, physical disability and environment.)

Communications and Key Working Relationships

• Communicate with other health professionals in a timely manner through the production of letters from own Nurse Led Clinic/telephone reviews.
• Assisting in the development of communication systems with all staff, patients, and relatives to promote understanding.
• To provide management information and data relating to workload activity and resource usage as and when required to the DSN Manager.
• The post holder will be responsible for all records (including patient health, financial, personal and administrative) that they gather or use as part of their work within the trust. 

Responsibility for Finance

• Ensure efficient and effective use of material resources/supplies within the team
• Monitor, control, and store resources/supplies according to the requirements and specifications of the clinical environment
• Identify any problems with resource use/availability and make recommendations for corrective action which are consistent with team objectives and organisational policies
• Ensure patients valuables and belongings are documented and managed according to trust policy.

Responsibility for Human Resources

• Maintain own professional development whilst evaluating own specialist knowledge and practice through a system of appraisal and personal development planning.
• Undertake annual mandatory training updates and other relevant courses in line with Trust and local policies.
• Act as a role model providing mentorship and/or clinical supervision to other staff/learners supporting them in applying theory to practice.
• Accountable for own professional actions undertaking all duties having regard to the NMC ‘Code of Professional Conduct’ for the nurse, midwife and health visitor and their professional contribution to Clinical Governance.

Responsibility for Health & Safety

• Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – the post holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.  

Responsibility for Teaching

• Identify the wider benefits, and influence and prioritise the development of knowledge, ideas and work practice in self and others to meet the demands of the job
• Establish with others goals and methods for developing knowledge, ideas and work practice within endocrinology across primary and secondary care (e.g., teaching sessions, education forums)
• Take an active part in sharing achievements and developing knowledge, ideas, and work practice (organising and contributing to departmental, trust, local and national education forums)
• Promote awareness for national policies and other initiatives related to endocrinology, e.g., Society for Endocrinology, NICE Guidelines, and local Guidelines