Clinical Nurse Specialist (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) in Exeter

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Eastern Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Nursing Team as a Band 6 Clinical Nurse Specialist, based at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Eastern Service). This role would suit a dynamic, motivated, and enthusiastic nurse with a keen interest in IBD care. It offers an excellent opportunity to work alongside an established team of IBD Clinical Nurse Specialists and a large multidisciplinary IBD team across both the Eastern and Northern services. The successful candidate will play a key role in delivering high-quality, patient-centred care to individuals living with inflammatory bowel disease, while contributing to the ongoing development of the service. Informal visits and discussions are welcomed and encouraged.

As an IBD Nurse Specialist you will be expected to provide specialist IBD advice to patients (including transition) and their families/carers, other healthcare professionals and students. You will take responsibility for your own patient caseload/workload within the designated clinical area and for the assessment and treatment of patients on a day-to-day basis. You will be responsible for organising your own workload within the requirements of the specialist team activities and work plan.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Day-to-day management and clinical delivery of the Gastro Day Unit (based at Whipton Community Hospital), including new patient review, consenting, appointment scheduling, delivery of IV and subcutaneous treatment, venepuncture & cannulation, clinical assessment and monitoring of patients on immuno-suppressive, biologic and advanced therapies.
• Undertaking nurse-led clinics for patients in routine follow-up, newly diagnosed, in transition from paediatric care, having flare-ups and those undergoing immuno-suppressive and biologic therapy.
• Working within the guidelines and protocols in place to provide expert assessment, management, education, information and support for both inpatients and outpatients with IBD, ensuring patients receive therapy in a safe and timely manner.
• Developing the skills to assess and interpret specialist information, including blood results and taking appropriate action, acting as patients' advocate when necessary.
• Triage and act upon information from the advice lines, in line with guidelines and protocols in place, to be available for early access to clinics, to expedite consultation for treatment and admission in acute relapse.
• Elevating concerns to IBD CNM / IBD AP / Consultant Gastroenterologist in a timely fashion.
• Working closely with other IBD CNSs and the wider multidisciplinary team to contribute towards the development of effective networks and liaison within IBD locally, regionally and nationally.
• Providing teaching in practice to other healthcare professionals and students through clinical supervision/facilitation.
• Acting as a positive role model and clinical resource for other healthcare professionals and students.
• Contributing to the development of staff and patient education/information, specific to IBD.
• Maintaining awareness of relevant research evidence related to the specialty and working with others in applying this to practice.
• Identifying areas of potential research relating to the specialty and participating in relevant national and local research activities, audit projects and service evaluation in order to improve standards of patient care.
• Using reflection to identify and prioritise education/development needs and pursuing an ongoing programme of professional education/development relevant to the specialty.

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday 30 hours - hours between 8 am and 6 pm.

As a key member of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, you will be joining an exceptional team working together to help our patients to stay healthy, when they need it most.

As an inclusive employer, the Royal Devon values diversity and is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We believe in fostering a sense of belonging and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities.

Looking after you is important to us. We strive to help our staff create a healthy work-life balance through flexible working schemes and our family-friendly policies. If you're starting out in the NHS, you'll start with 27 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 33 days plus bank holidays.