Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Corporate Responsibilities

Meet clinical objectives as set up with the ward manager and the wider clinical teams.

Supporting Clinical Excellence

Will participate in regular staff and directorate meetings.

Be a leader, maintain good morale, with open communication between all disciplines of staff.

Act as an effective role model and resource/advisor to colleagues, in the delivery of nursing care.

Able to interpret situations and make an informed decision on the best way to proceed within the scope of practice.

Supporting Patient Excellence

Provide clinical nursing expertise and supervision of all grades of staff within the department, to ensure a high standard of care is delivered.

Undertake when required and supervise the assessing, planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care, thus providing high standards of patient care at all times.

Use effective communication skills, supporting people in making decisions, planning care or seeking to make positive changes to promote person-centred approaches in health and care.  This may include communicating complex and/or sensitive information, ensuring that the message has been understood if there are communication difficulties.

Ensure that the care given reflects the hospital and departmental philosophies, standards and protocols.

Promote a healthy, positive and safe environment for patients and staff.

Advise patients, relatives and friends as appropriate on the promotion of health and prevention of illness.

People/Management Excellence

To participate and assist the Ward Manager for the recruitment and selection of all staff who work in the clinical area, i.e. RN band 5 and HCAs, including orientation and local induction of the new staff.

Assist the Ward Manager in monitoring and appraising the performance of staff within their sphere of responsibility.

To monitor, manage and support the team during sickness absence episodes as outlined in the Sickness absence policy; keeping the ward manager informed of patterns and trends and action plans implemented in their absence.

To assist the Ward Manager in monitoring the workload and skill mix, planning off duty and ensuring the department operates effectively and safely.

Assist the Ward Manager in facilitating the teaching, mentoring and assessment of staff and students

Supporting Financial Excellence

Be aware of the budgetary requirements within their clinical areas of nursing.

Act as an authorised signatory for timesheets or similar in the absence of the Ward Manager.

Professional Responsibilities

Be responsible for their own development, maintaining a professional portfolio and keeping themselves updated on current nursing issues.

Will be responsible for their own actions and be bound by the NMC’s Code of Professional conduct and all approved Trust policies.

Will maintain own skills and knowledge and demonstrate clinical excellence and high standards of practice to other staff.

Quality Assurance and Monitoring

To undertake audits within the ward regarding all aspects of care (IPC, Medicines management etc).

Help to develop methods at ward level to monitor standards of care in liaison with the Ward Manager. Policy and Service Development Responsibilities: contribute to the development of Trust and directorate policies, procedures, standards and guidelines and ensure compliance of self and others.

Act as a change agent to promote innovation and high standard of practice.