Childrens Palliative Nurse in Maidenhead

Job summary

As part of the Alexander's Care Team, you will provide holistic care to babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and support their families both in the hospice and across the community.

"Our Band 6 Nurse role is a fantastic opportunity to develop skills and knowledge you may not gain in other clinical settings.

From long-term ventilation and catheterisation to complex symptom management, you'll be supported to grow through on-going specialist training and hands-on experience."

Helen Gray, Practice Educator

Main duties of the job

Working within our flexible 24/7 service, you'll deliver respite, palliative and end-of-life care, building meaningful relationships while working alongside a dedicated multidisciplinary team.

With the support of our experienced Practice Education Team, you'll have access to ongoing learning, development and specialist training that will help you thrive in children's palliative care.

If you're an experienced nurse looking for a role where you can continue to learn, grow and make a lasting difference every day, we'd love to hear from you.

Employee Benefits

• Competitive salary: £39,059 to £47,730 per annum.
• Generous annual leave, two Alexander Days, and your birthday as an additional day off.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Death in Service Cover.
• Private Medical Insurance.
• Free on-site parking at our hospice.
• For an informal discussion, please contact Emma Mc Keever, on
• For an application pack, please email

About us

Alexander Devine Childrens Hospice Service (Alexander Devine) is a local charity that provides specialist care and vital support to babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and their families, across Berkshire and into surrounding counties.

We individualise our approach to meet the unique clinical, emotional and practical needs of each child and their family, ensuring they receive the best possible care and support.

Our comprehensive range of care services include Respite care, Specialist play, Symptom management, Family support, End of life care and Bereavement support.

We provide care from our childrens hospice in Maidenhead as well as in the family home and across the community, including hospitals and schools.

Our hospice facilities offer opportunities for children and their siblings to experience fun, joy and adventures, and help families make precious memories for as long as they have.

These include a hydrotherapy pool, sensory room, music room, games room, outdoor playground and sensory garden, six childrens bedrooms and two self-contained family flats.

We also have a dedicated bereavement suite with its own garden.

Job responsibilities

The post will involve a flexible, needs led approach to care delivery, contributing to a 24/7 rota by the Alexanders Care Team.

The post holder will assess children and families and identify the need for short break respite provision, palliative and end of life care in the childs home or other community setting and in the hospice, working both autonomously and in collaboration with other agencies.

Clinical

• Holds own defined caseload and Works flexibly to support 24/7 rotas, emergency and end of life care.
• Communicates complex, sensitive information effectively and empathetically to patients and relatives, managing difficult situations and maintains the highest standards when communicating with children, families and the wider public.
• Completes and maintains up to date records in line with principles of best practice.
• Actively manages assessment, evaluation and the delivery of care, promoting all elements of high quality care planning.
• Leads on developing the health component of the care package for the family working with other agencies to develop a holistic package.
• Supports families throughout the care pathway including initial diagnosis and discharge planning form hospital to community.
• Works flexibly to plan appropriate intervention where there may be escalation of symptoms or family difficulties and offers support to families as needed.
• Checks and administers medication to children in their own home in line with ADCHS Medicines Management policy.
• Works as an expert practitioner in palliative care acting as a resource for other healthcare professionals.
• Assumes a central role in problem solving and service co-ordination to ensure patients and carers receive high standards of seamless quality care.
• Works with non-specialist interdisciplinary practitioners to complement their care, and the quality of the service provided.
• Actively participates in interdisciplinary meetings.
• Acts on clinical incidents pertinent to area, to reduce clinical risk.
• Is familiar with ADCHS safeguarding policy and report any concerns accordingly.

Please refer to the attached job description for comprehensive information regarding the responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations associated with the position.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RSCN or RN (Child) degree or diploma level.
• Evidence of continual professional development and education.
• NMC Registered.

Desirable

• Relevant specialist course eg palliative care and/or advanced communications.
• Community qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Significant post registration experience.
• Experience of needs assessment/care planning. Caseload management.
• Experience of interagency working.
• Experience working in community setting.
• Experience of provision of training/education to a range of staff and patients.
• Experience of caring for children and families with LL/LT conditions including assessment and symptom management.

Desirable

• Experience caring for children with complex health needs.
• Caring for children at the end of life.

Skills

Essential

• Demonstrates ability to place patient and family at centre of care.
• Excellent personal and communication skills.
• Good facilitation/ presentation, teaching and assessing skills.
• Excellent organisational ability.
• Motivated and enthusiastic.
• Creative, resourceful and imaginative.
• Excellent role model.
• Ability to critically analyse research and evidence based practice.
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding.
• Familiarity of systems for quality control, clinical governance and clinical audit.
• Other

Essential

• Car driver - vehicle available for working.
• Flexible working hours contributing to 24/7 rotas.
• Commitment to the mission and ethos of Alexander Devine Childrens Hospice Service.
• Able to work within and uphold our core values : determined, empowering, valuing others, integrity, nurture and empathy.
• Ability to work alone and as a member of a team.
• Able to assess risk to maintain personal safety in a variety of settings.
• Ability to cope with the physical demands expected of the role e. g. shift work, moving and handling, clinical and caring procedures.
• Good IT skills.
• Enhanced DBS.
• Passed fit to undertake the duties of the post by Occupational Health.
• Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Alexander Devine Children's Hospice Service is an equal opportunities employer.