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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

General requirements

Registration with NMC

Principle duties

The post holder will focus and lead on the following key areas, within the organisation’s governance framework:

1. As an individual practitioner:

• ensure that comprehensive nursing assessments are carried out for all assigned patients to identify individual care needs.

• ensure that each allocated patient has a comprehensive, clear and up-to-date collaborative plan of care with specified objectives designed with and to meet the individuals’ identified care needs.

• ensure that comprehensive and up to date risk assessment and management plans are available and accessible to the Team in support of patient care, that encompass all areas of risk, but paying particular regard to harm to self and others, vulnerability and potential for absconding

• as an identified Named Nurse, ensure that care planning and management is delivered in a collaborative approach with the patient and their carers, in line with existing care pathways and the care programme approach

• ensure that patient care is delivered in a manner consistent with available local guidelines relating to care pathways

• ensure patients are aware of the content of their care plans, and have contributed to their development and evaluation

• ensure positive approaches to patient engagement. Where undertaking specific observations of patients, to do so in line with the available policies and guidelines

2. To ensure that decision making is appropriate in relation to the Mental Health Act, and Code of Practice with regard to patient care, for both detained and informal patients as influenced by risk assessments.

3. To take a positive approach to responding to patients in acute distress, adopting principles of diffusion and de-escalation. Where physical interventions or restraint are required, to approach in line with available guidance and approved techniques, providing for the safety and dignity of the patient(s). To direct the actions and interventions of staff in responding to the incident, ensuring that expected practice is delivered

4. To ensure that an appropriate therapeutic environment is maintained within the Ward

5. To ensure that practice in relation to medicines is in line with local guidelines, individual professional requirements and responsibilities, and ensures individual patient involvement, engagement and concordance

6. To ensure appropriate and accessible advice and support to ex-patients of the Service is maintained, in line with guidelines relating to the provision of 24-hour accessible advice and support to mental health service users

7. Ensure arrangements are maintained to provide a quality environment for patients in relation to safety, dignity, comfort and day to day activities

8. To use relevant information in support of patient care and care planning, including available electronic information systems

Professional

9. Monitor and actively role model positive and high standards of nursing practice and professional behaviour of staff on the ward, through demonstrable leadership, in order to ensure agreed standards are met. Take corrective measures as necessary.

10. To ensure that care plans delivered by their team are appropriately audited on a regular basis using a range of established audit tools, focusing on key policies, guidelines, practice issues and care pathways

11. Maintain and promote accurate clinical records of interventions and contracts with patients. To lead the ward audits.

12. To take a lead role, in support of the Ward Manager and MD Team in establishing, setting, monitoring, evaluating and auditing of standards of nursing clinical practice on the Ward.

13. To ensure that the care given through their team is regularly and thoroughly evaluated against the identified care objectives in order that the effectiveness of care plans can be maintained.

14. Ensure that their practice, and that of their team, remains within the boundaries set by local and national policy, the NMC and statute law.

Learning & Development

15. To take a leading role in the promotion of an active learning environment in order to maintain and develop high standards of professional and clinical practice.

16. To ensure that agreed approaches to support the development of junior staff and learners, through effective role modelling, mentorship (for students/ learners), supervision and professional leadership are implemented individually and by members of their team　

17. To positively participate in own supervision, annual appraisals and personal development planning, promoting existing approaches to members of their team

18. To undertake necessary essential training, (for example life support, general health and safety, prevention and management of violence and aggression) over a suitable period of time, and additional training as identified in support of clinical and professional development

19. To ensure that the development needs of their team are reviewed, identified and planned for on a regular basis in conjunction with the Ward Manager.