Band 6 Senior Staff Nurse – Overnight Intensive Recovery

Our Unit is looking for you! Want to work in a fast paced, dynamic clinical environment? Would you like to develop specialist surgical intensive care and pathway-based high dependency nursing skills and knowledge? Do you like to be challenged and think autonomously? If so, we have vacancies for band 6s on our OIR (Overnight Intensive Recovery). OIR is an 11-bedded unit that manages level three patients post operatively. These patients include elective cardiac, gastrointestinal, general surgical and vascular. They require highly specialist care including ventilation, pacing, inotropic support and advanced monitoring including spinal drains and Intra Aortic Balloon Pump.

What our staff say about us:

• “We are a friendly team and strive to provide a high standard of care for all our patients”
• “Lots of opportunities for professional development have been provided”
• “OIR offers a great opportunity to learn and the teamwork is amazing”

Please note to be considered for this vacancy you must have completed a critical care course and either have your results or be waiting for your results to be processed. Should you be successful at interview and you are unable to provide the recruiting manager with confirmation of a successfully completed critical care course within 2 months of being interviewed then your offer will be withdrawn.

Main duties of the job:

• Independently manage a group of patients within the specialty whilst working as part of the multidisciplinary team, delivering individualised and personalised direct patient care.
• Demonstrate appropriate practice and specialist advice in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care.
• Responsible for the correct administration of prescribed medication including transfusion of blood and blood products.
• Be responsible for assessing and recognising emergencies in the speciality.
• Ensure that patients receive high quality clinical care and a good patient experience, having regard for their customs, religious beliefs and doctrines.
• Provide leadership, support and guidance to staff in monitoring the planning delivery and evaluation of individualised care.
• Ensure safe and effective care for complex patients requiring advanced clinical skills and carry out specialist nursing procedures.
• Ensure that sensitive patient records are stored appropriately.
• Facilitate a high quality, cost effective specialist service through monitoring and audit and other quality initiatives agreed by the Trust.
• Identify and intervene where circumstances contribute to an unsafe environment for patients and staff.
• Ensure that the learning environment and specialist training is appropriate for both pre and post registration learners.
• Contribute to the Trust’s clinical supervision programme for staff.
• Act as mentor/assessor to unqualified staff and provide education, advice and support to a team of nurses.
• Utilise research findings in the delivery of specialist patient care, developing new ways of working and disseminating relevant information to staff.
• Maintain accurate records of the clinical service and ensure confidentiality of information is adhered to.
• Organise own work and manage own caseload and practice, identifying and maintaining supportive networks for self and other staff members.
• Take an active role in risk assessment, supporting implementation of strategies to minimise risk.
• Create an environment that fosters good communication between patient and health care professionals, that meets individual needs.

Person specification:

• Experience and competence in the management of patients within the speciality.
• Experience of teaching/assessing/supervising others in a clinical setting.
• Supervision of junior staff.
• Experience of coordinating a shift.

• Up to date knowledge of current clinical and professional issues.
• Knowledge of evidence based practice.
• Good communication skills and ability to deal with sensitive information.
• An understanding of audit and research based nursing practice.
• Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate specialist care delivered to patients/clients.

• Post registration qualification in or demonstrate relevant experience and competence (appropriate area of speciality).
• Mentorship/Teaching Qualification.
• BSC/1st degree (health related) or equivalent qualification/training and experience.
• Evidence of specialist course.
• Professional/Statutory Registration RN1/RN2/RN12 or RN Child Registered Nurse on the NMC register.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitably according to their needs.