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Clinical Skills:

The post holder will provide specialist stoma care support to patients undergoing or have undergone stoma formation surgery or ileoanal pouch surgery within the hospital and community setting.

The post holder will review current literature and evidence pertaining to stoma nursing care, ensuring that interventions reflect the current research evidence available, and is appropriate to needs, context and culture.

The post holder will utilise counselling skills to provide empathetic support for patients and their families/carers who are experiencing a potentially life threatening and life changing illness and who may be distressed by the changes in their body image; utilising excellent communication skills when breaking bad news and explaining treatment options.

The post holder will have the confidence to act as an advocate for their patients, assisting them to make informed choices concerning treatment.

The post holder will use evidence-based practice and their professional expertise to mark the patient’s abdomen pre-operatively to enable the surgeon to place the stoma in the best possible position thereby enhancing the patient’s quality of life.

The post holder will utilise assessment and diagnostic skills to develop planned programs of care, ensuring physical, social, psychological, and spiritual needs are met.

The post holder will be responsible for implementing the program of care and evaluating the treatment given, including health promotion, required by patients and in conjunction with other nursing and specialist staff and with the co-operation of the patient and their relatives/carers.

The post holder will monitor patient’s compliance against treatment plans through patient feedback, interpretation of information from clinical findings and test results.

The post holder will manage high output stomas and fistulas acting as a resource to other healthcare professionals on such management.

The post holder will contribute to the management of complex wounds when requested and if appropriate.

The post holder will participate in nurse led clinics and community reviews for stoma patients under the direction of the patient’s consultant and the Stoma Care Nurse Specialist.

The post holder will be responsible for recommending the prescription of ostomy products, ensuring that the patient has adequate supplies of equipment and understands how to use the products enabling their independence.

The post holder will work alongside the Colorectal Cancer Multidisciplinary Team, the Gynaecology Multidisciplinary team, the Gastroenterology Multidisciplinary Team, and the Integrated Care System ensuring a seamless service for patients and their families/carers.

The post holder will receive and make direct referrals to and from General Practitioners, Consultants and other specialists and members of the multidisciplinary team.

The post holder will clearly and accurately document the outcomes of consultations either electronically or handwritten in the paper clinical notes; with letters, communicating the outcomes of outpatient and community consultations, to other appropriate healthcare professionals; and maintain an accurate record of all interactions with individual patients on the Stoma Care Team database.

Education and Professional Development:

The post holder will participate in the annual appraisal process and plan future personal development and competencies to be achieved.

The post holder will take responsibility for meeting the necessary requirements for revalidation and maintaining their nursing registration. 

The post holder will actively participate in the theoretical and practical teaching of stoma care to all health care professionals within the acute and community setting.

In conjunction with the Lead Stoma Care Nurse Specialist the post holder will cascade information to front line nurses through formal means, for example in service training and lectures.

The post holder will adhere to the NMC Code, (NMC 2015) and future Codes as published and always work within their own scope of professional practice following Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust’s own policies, procedures, and guidelines.

General Responsibilities:

 The post holder will promote and maintain good working relationships with ward, clinic, and community staff, establishing effective communication pathways enhancing the patients’ healthcare experience.

The post holder will support and understand the need to monitor clinically effective and cost-efficient use of stoma care resources and equipment.

The post holder will participate in auditing standards of care, identifying best practice and areas for improvement as required

The post holder will work collaboratively with the other members of the stoma care team to plan their workload, defining day-to-day work priorities within the hospital and community settings.

The post holder may be required to use their own autonomous judgement when prioritising their workload against the needs of the patients and service requirements.

The post holder is required to adhere to the Lone Worker Policy in the Primary setting.

The post holder will comply with all Health and Safety regulations, particularly COSHH, and report, act upon any accidents, incidents, or hazards in accordance with agreed protocols.

The post holder will have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment of all kinds, promoting equality and diversity in the workplace.