Clinical Nurse Specialist

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Heart, Lung, and Critical Care Clinical Group at Harefield Hospital for an experienced and innovative nurse to join our team, led by the Consultant Nurse in Cardiology.

This clinical role will enable you to develop your skills across a range of cardiology nursing activities, including pre‑admission clinics for elective procedures, outpatient management of patients following elective and primary PCI, and nurse‑led discharge of patients from the day‑case unit.

• Clinical
• Manage the outpatient follow‑up care for patients who have undergone PCI, including assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of that care.
• Arrange admission dates for procedures and follow‑up appointments as per the PCI follow‑up protocol.
• Use expert judgement and analytical and problem‑solving skills in the surveillance of patients, referring to senior or medical staff as necessary.
• Independently manage a caseload of patients and associated responsibilities.
• Ensure accuracy of documentation and maintain an efficient and accurate record system with relevant information in agreement with the cardiology team.
• Maintain patient confidentiality, privacy, dignity, and respect religious and cultural needs at all times.
• Interpret blood results, ECGs and other non‑invasive tests and act accordingly.
• Maintain an environment for safe and effective patient care in accordance with the Trust Risk Management Policy.
• Act as an advocate for cardiology patients, enabling them to express their needs to the multidisciplinary team.
• Management
• Develop and maintain clinical skills and knowledge of the speciality of cardiology, aiming to achieve a 'best practice' principle.
• Act as a role model and clinical expert for staff, providing appropriate education.
• Work in partnership with colleagues, having accountability for decisions made in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
• Develop professional practice through reflection, participation on post‑registration courses and attendance at meetings and conferences.
• Identify and be responsible for own professional and managerial development in liaison with the Consultant Nurse and Lead Nurse.
• Contribute to the development of positive staff morale and team cohesiveness.
• Co‑ordinate departmental activities, ensuring adequate cover for annual leave and study leave.
• Maintain high standards of nursing care within own practice and monitor the performance of junior staff.
• Act as a professional representative of the Cardiology department and the Trust.
• Participate in the Trust appraisal and personal development plan schemes by meeting with the manager at least annually.
• Abide by the Trust's core behaviours for staff and all other Trust policies.
• Service Development
• Ensure the constant provision of effective, high quality nursing care to all cardiology patients.
• Plan and lead local audits as required, ensuring findings are disseminated and recommendations implemented.
• Support and work with the cardiology multidisciplinary team in the introduction of clinical changes.
• Be actively involved in the development and implementation of cardiology‑related protocols and procedures in conjunction with other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Keep up to date with new advances, treatments and developments in cardiology research, actively seeking ways of implementing new ideas into clinical practice.
• Participate in the production of departmental and divisional reports.
• Contribute to departmental and multidisciplinary meetings and committee meetings as requested.
• Develop and maintain operational policies, standards, guidelines, and procedures and ensure those are kept up to date and monitored as per Trust procedure.
• Represent the Trust nationally and internationally.
• Quality and Patient Safety
• Assist with the development and implementation of quality assurance programmes.
• Participate in departmental and divisional audit activities.
• Implement changes in care practices as indicated by audit results and current research findings.
• Be aware of and act in accordance with the Patients Charter, the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, NICE guidelines, and Trust Cardiology guidelines.
• Participate promptly and effectively with the investigation of complaints and incidents in line with Trust policy and procedure.
• Identify clinical risks and ensure appropriate action is implemented in accordance with the Trust risk management policy.
• Research
• Maintain an active awareness of clinical and professional developments within cardiology and disseminate that knowledge to all colleagues.
• Identify and suggest relevant areas for research within cardiology nursing that will benefit patient care.
• Lead on nursing research, including publishing papers and speaking at conferences/meetings.
• Encourage other staff to recognise the need for nursing research.
• Assist in introducing and applying research findings along with members of the cardiology team.
• Participate in research studies as appropriate.
• Teaching
• Mentor pre‑ and post‑registration students and health support workers as requested.
• Participate in the in‑house adult education programme and undertake informal teaching of colleagues and ward nursing staff as required.
• Be actively involved with conferences and meetings, developing presenting skills in the national and international setting.

The successful candidate will need to be highly self‑motivated, possess advanced management, communication, interpersonal and organisational skills, and be able to work autonomously as well as within the Cardiology team.

We provide in‑house training and study leave to help you develop your potential.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a CNS role related to managing patients with coronary disease is required.
• Qualification in clinical assessment and as a non‑medical prescriber would be advantageous; training can be provided.
• RGN Cardiac experience.
• ALS/ILS Professional related BSc.
• Post‑registration cardiac certificate.
• Evidence of continuing professional development at post‑graduate level.
• Mentorship in practice qualification or equivalent.
• Extensive post‑registration experience in cardiology/CHD.
• Experience of change management.
• Evidence of the development of advanced nursing skills.
• Experience or research and audit.
• Previous experience as a CNS running nurse‑led clinics.
• Leadership skills.
• Proven teaching and assessing skills.
• Ability to apply research to practice.
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