Paediatric Liver Clinical Nurse Specialist

Job overview

The paediatric liver service is looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual with specialist skills in liver disease, transplantation, and immunosuppression management. The unit is the largest paediatric liver transplant centre in the world, performing in excess of 60 transplant a year. The service enjoys national and international reputation for delivering research based paediatric liver management. The aim of the service is to provide comprehensive care and support for paediatric patients and their families in need of liver transplantation and liver disease management; to optimise patient’s outcomes, and improve quality of life. The Clinical Nurses Team also provides shared care and transitioning to adult services by working closely with colleagues across the system. For this role you will need to demonstrate experience and knowledge in paediatric liver management and be an excellent team player who is dynamic, forward thinking and has ambition for self-development and service improvement. If you have a real passion for providing an outstanding service to our patients, have excellent communication skills and are comfortable working autonomously and as part of a team, then this might be the job for you. As part of this role you will have the opportunity to work closely with a multidisciplinary team. You will have the opportunity to support your colleagues and patients clinically via teaching, role modelling, and research activities.

Main duties of the job

The appointee will work within Child Health - Paediatric Liver Service at the Denmark Hill site as part of Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as a Paediatric Liver Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS):

· To work as an advanced practitioner and effectively deliver an expert nursing service to defined client group.

· To manage a caseload of patients / clients within a supra regional service.

· To ensure that patients and their parents / carers are fully informed and supported by providing clinical and social support.

· To assist in the development of evidence based clinical nursing practice in line with current research and guidelines.

· To establish and maintain clear lines of communication within the speciality team to ensure cohesive multidisciplinary management of patients.

· To establish and maintain clear lines of communication with primary care teams in order to increase knowledge and facilitate the care of this group of people in the community.

· Setting up and coordinating shared care management of patients and carers.

Working for our organisation

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.8 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

To provide the delivery of an advanced specialist nursing service for people with specialist needs.

To provide highly specialist nursing advice and support of patients and families and other healthcare professionals following diagnosis and through treatment.

To ensure continuity of a high standard of evidence based nursing care, assessing health, health related and nursing needs of patients, their families and other carers by identifying and initiating appropriate steps for effective care. This can include: managing a caseload, ordering diagnostic tests, making and receiving referrals, admitting and discharging patients for specified conditions and within agreed protocols and running clinics

To accept responsibility for own caseload, ensuring all patients have an accurate plan of care, which reflects the assessment undertaken and incorporates the issues and recommendations made using clear documentation in the patients records and hand-held records.

To be actively involved in in-patient care, liaising with the ward staff to ensure a high quality of nursing care.

To attend outpatients, ensuring nurse consultation with all newly diagnosed patients.

To follow-up patients as appropriate and ensure all relevant information is available to enable patients/carers to make an informed choice about their treatment

To attend and co-ordinate MDT meetings ensuring all patients are represented

To deliver a seamless service through the development of enhanced Multidisciplinary team (MDT) processes and communication

To participate in the identification and development of clinical protocols and strategies to enhance both the continuity and standard of specialist care whilst ensuring equity of access to the service

To contribute in the process of operational policies review annually in accordance with national standards.

To ensure all care is given in accordance with agreed protocols.

To work with key staff members to maintain nurse led follow-up services. Providing detailed baseline patient assessment, education, and support to patients and their families.

To liaise with the discharge coordinator and ward staff to ensure appropriate and timely discharge/follow-up arrangement in place for patients

To maintain a suitable mechanism for MDT referrals to the Clinical Nurse Specialists

To work with the MDT to develop, implement and evaluate integrated care pathways and systems of MDT documentation

To liaise with local community, social services, educational services and voluntary organisations in order to develop existing services for clients, carers and health professional

To actively involve service users in providing feedback of their experience of the current service and suggestions for improvements.

To participate in the development of appropriate patient group directives to facilitate/enhance the discharge process

To participate in relevant fora at Care Group, Trust or PCG/PCT Level to represent the specialist service or generic child health perspective

To be aware of the Trust’s Safeguarding children policies and procedures and demonstrate ability to effectively raise concerns and work with other agencies to protect children

To set up and co-ordinate shared care management of patients

Communication & Interpersonal Relationships

Highly developed interpersonal skills to communicate with all members of the MDT both within the trust, regionally and nationally to achieve a coordinated specialist service for patients, communicating specialist and highly complex or sensitive information verbally, formally written or electronically as appropriate.

To actively involve service users in providing feedback of their experience of the current service and suggestions for improvements.

To participate in relevant forums at Care Group, Trust or CCG Level to represent the specialist service or generic Child Health perspective

Ensure accurate records of patient care are maintained i.e. patient notes and referral letters.

To liaise with pharmaceutical companies and charitable organisations appropriately.

To establish and maintain individual and team communication networks within primary and secondary care settings to ensure multi-disciplinary and multi-agency communication.

To ensure all patients have an accurate plan of care that reflects the assessment undertaken and incorporates the advice and recommendations made.

To ensure clear documentation in the patient’s records.

To follow-up patients as appropriate and ensure all relevant information is available to enable patients/carers to make an informed choice about their treatment

Governance / Quality Control

To contribute in the process of operational policies review annually in accordance with national standards and agreed protocols

Develops protocols for the provision of care of patients with liver disease

To comply with measures to actively manage and reduce risk to patients. Ensuring the formal reporting and recording and investigating adverse incidents in line with Trust policy

To utilise and maintain information systems to aid audit and to provide regular activity analysis reports

Maintain contemporaneous and accurate treatment records, submitting relevant statistics, reports and activity data as requested.

To participate in the evaluation of the service in terms of clinical effectiveness, clinical excellence and value for money

To ensure the best use of available resources is used within agreed budget to provide a cost-effective service.

Community Relationships

Develop links with other areas within the trust and community including dietitians,  GP’s and district nurses, to facilitate continuity of care for patients.

To liaise effectively with all other disciplines within the Trust and at local level.

Provide clinical advice and support nurse specialists within the department and other nurse specialists within the trust.

Research, Education & Service Development

To ensure all patients are fully informed of the risks and benefits of proposed procedures / treatments, contributing to the process of securing informed consent

To produce and provide all patients with relevant and accessible written information regarding their treatment in accordance with Trust standard

To develop information for clients, carers and health professionals about all aspects of specialist care

To develop and update as appropriate, information and educational literature to assist parents / carers making informed choices as to their child’s treatment plan and continuing management

To develop and participate in programmes of education to enhance the nursing contribution and quality of care to patients across the trust, nationally and internationally

To supervise and participate in the delivery of programmes of education and training according to the identified needs of clients, carers and other involved in their care

To work with other clinical staff to identify knowledge gaps in relation to specialist patients and ensure staff are appropriately educated

To contribute to the development of nursing practice within the team. 

To attend meetings and conferences as appropriate ensuring that you are fully conversant with current issues both within the Trust and within the specialist services locally and nationally.

To promote and facilitate evidence based practice and clinical audit within the Trust, raising the profile and enhancing the contribution of nursing to patient care and informing business and service development plans.

To participate in and assist with any appropriate/relevant Trust approved research projects conducted within the department.

To identify, apply and disseminate research findings relating to specialist nursing practice

To promote nursing research and evidenced based practice relevant to the speciality 

Promote the role of the Paediatric Liver CNS within the directorate, Trust and national arena. Provide cover in the absence of colleagues within the team.

To collaborate with other clinical nurse specialists across the Trust as required, and act as a resource for newly appointed nurse specialists.

Participate in the specialist education and training of all levels of staff within the trust in relation to Paediatric Liver.

Responsibility for dealing with difficult situations

Act as a role model to ward nursing staff, providing clinical support and advice and demonstrating high standards of nursing expertise and patient care.

To participate in the management of change to improve standards and communication links from Acute Trusts through to Primary and community Care .

To actively contribute to any relevant initiatives within the care group and provide support to colleagues.

To contribute positively to the leadership of nursing within the care group acting as an effective role mode

Ensures compliance with the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy, supporting the delivery of the Trusts Race Equality Scheme and the Trust's duty to positively promote race equality and equality of opportunity for disabled people ensuring services are responsive to the needs of equality groups.

To forge effective links within primary, secondary and tertiary care to ensure effective communication.

Ability to work under pressure and meet agreed deadlines.

Able to deal with confrontation and deal with complaints effectively.

To achieve a range of clinical competencies as required within the Trust and Care Group

To keep up-to-date with current literature and research in the speciality.

To maintain your own personal and professional development in accordance with NMC Revalidation requirements, attending mandatory study sessions as required

To undergo and actively participate in your own performance appraisals

To keep up to date with NMC & Trust guidelines and protocols

To adhere to the NMC Code of Professional conduct working within and accepting responsibility for maintaining agreed levels of competence

Person specification

Skills

Essential criteria

• NMC Registration RN 1 (Child)
• Extensive experience pertinent to the area of expertise

Desirable criteria

• Experience of handling clinical incidents and complaints
• Previous experience as Band 7 / as Clinical Nurse Specialist

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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