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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Practice

This job description outlines the core requirements expected of a Band 5 nurse and is aligned to the Trust’s clinical nurse career ladder. The clinical ladder outlines the minimum requirements for progression against each of the nursing levels. The list below is not exhaustive and specific requirements related to any specialist area of practice will be outlined with the prospective post holder. These requirements will be included as an addition to these generic descriptors as role specific prior to employment together with the clinical skills ladder as a point of reference for development and progression.

Patient Care

• Demonstrate and promote a patient and family centred style of clinical practice.
• Be responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care from admission to discharge.
• Accurately document and report to other members of the nursing team, multi-disciplinary team and family/carers regarding the care given to patients, and communicating changes as they occur.
• Respond to emergency situations with composure, maintaining patient safety and seeking immediate support, and supporting the patient, family/carers and other staff as required
• Identify and discuss patient needs with the team/staff, patients, carers and the multi-disciplinary team. Be able to plan own workload.
• Demonstrate a problem solving approach to effectively execute planning, implementation and evaluation of individualised plans of care based on a person centred model of care.
• Communicate complex and sensitive information effectively to patients, carers and other staff, overcoming barriers to understanding and providing support during distressing or emotional events.
• Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality at all times.

Professional Practice

• Ensure clinical practice is evidence based or peer reviewed “best practice”.
• Develop and maintain clinical skills and knowledge necessary to provide person centred, evidence based nursing care.
• With supervision and assistance, take on increased responsibility (for example being a named nurse), recognising own limitations and seeking help appropriately.
• Set and maintain standards of practice, conduct and decision making commensurate with The Code (NMC 2015).
• Be competent in the use of all relevant Trust information technology (IT) systems including the use of electronic patient records (EPR), email and associated professional media ensuring that data is entered in an accurate and timely fashion, in accordance with Trust policy and procedure.
• Engage in and promote a paper light approach to information management.
• Maintain use of email and other modes of communication in order to keep abreast of information disseminated across the Trust.
• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of accountability, responsibility and duty of care. Work towards the provision of support and education for less experienced and non-registered staff on the implications for practice.

Leadership and Management

• Ensure compliance with the Health and Social Care Act regulations 2010 by adhering to the Care Quality Commission standards at all times raising concerns to the Sister/charge Nurse or an appropriate senior person, (CQC 2010 Guidance about compliance: Summary of regulations, outcomes and judgement framework).
• Contribute towards quality and improvement initiatives being undertaken in the department, as directed by Ward Manager or deputies.
• Ensure the appropriate management of clinical and general waste.
• Ensure staffing resources are used appropriately when prescribing and implementing care and treatments.
• Report near misses and untoward incidents, complaints, clinical emergencies, injury or medicine administration errors as detailed in departmental and Trust protocols and procedures, assist the Sister / Charge Nurse in investigating incidents as required. Be proactive in seeking a response to the issues raised in order to disseminate the actions identified and provide own account of events if asked to support an investigation.
• Demonstrate an awareness of and compliance with Health and Safety Regulations that apply to staff and patients. To escalate concerns to senior staff in an appropriate and timely manner.
• Be familiar with the Oxford Model of Exemplary Nursing and Midwifery Practice and ensure that all key performance indicators are me as agreed.
• Maintain and contribute to the development of standards of practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction immediate line manager.
• Discuss personal and professional development needs during an annual appraisal, developing, agreeing and documenting action points in the electronic recording and personal development plan.
• Ensure that a smart, professional image that enhances the public perception of the Trust and the professionalism of its staff is portrayed.

 Education and Training

• Be actively involved in, and support departmental and Trust wide education programmes as agreed.
• Complete or be working towards any local and Trust competency frameworks within a time frame agreed with the Sister/ Charge Nurse and with the support of a named mentor.
• Take all opportunities to contribute to the education and practical training of learners and less experienced staff in order to provide uniformity and promotion of professional standards.
• Develop the skills to supervise, mentor, support and educate less experienced and non-registered staff in the clinical practice setting
• Undertake all relevant Statutory and Mandatory (SM) training using the Trust E-Learning packages and study opportunities.
• Demonstrate a commitment to research based practice and clinical excellence and play an active part in the introduction of research-based change to improve patient centred care.

Improving Quality and Developing Practice

• Comply with post-registration education and practice (Prep), requirements for NMC Revalidation, identifying own learning needs and ensuring own professional development is maintained by keeping up to date with practice developments.
• Utilise skills to work collegiately to promote innovation and work within the nursing team in the provision of an excellent standard of patient care in line with Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) values and The Oxford Model of Exemplary Nursing and Midwifery Practice.
• Develop and share own clinical knowledge with other members of the multi-disciplinary team and as relevant with practitioners locally.
• Act as a role model for the nursing/midwifery team promoting consistent professional and clinical excellence.
• Provide guidance to less experienced staff to improve quality and develop practice.
• Engage in Clinical Supervision in order to gain an appreciation of its value in clinical practice.
• Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice through appraisal, the Trust’s clinical development ladder and other available resources.
• Understand and contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies/protocols/guidelines relevant to the specialist area.
• Participate in the OUH culture of audit and research in practice.
• Keep up to date and reflect upon professional issues that influence nursing practice relating to the area of clinical practice, management, education and research.
• Promote and practice, evidence based nursing care, embracing new ideas and changes for the benefit of patient care.

Openly question and challenge nursing practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved.