Occupational Health Nurse

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a motivated and experienced Registered General Nurse who has an interest in developing a career in Occupational health medicine in an established NHS Occupational Health Department. The role will be primarily based at Bishop Auckland Hospital but there will be an expectation to also travel to other sites within the Trust.

You will be working in a multi-disciplinary team to provide services to employees of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust as well as external clients in the public and private sectors. This is a role for a Registered General Nurse who wants to utilise all their nursing, clinical, communication and organisational skills and has an interest in Health and Wellbeing.

Main duties of the job

• The post involves working autonomously and as part of a larger team.
• You will provide support to other members of the clinical team – e.g. Specialist Nurses, Nurse Associate, Nurse Assistants – in providing services to employees of CDDFT.
• The work in Occupational Health adapts depending on global and national health situations, which can make never two days the same.
• With appropriate training you will arrange and conduct your own vaccination clinics, pre-employment health assessments and perform telephone advice and signposting sessions.
• You will be involved in health surveillance and provide assessment, screening and support with blood borne virus exposures following a needlestick injury.
• Within the role you will be involved in contact tracing of infection control outbreaks and advising and supporting staff alongside the infection control team and other external agencies.
• There will be opportunities to participate in health promotion, health education and vaccination campaigns across the Trust alongside other professionals.

Job responsibilities

• Undertake clinical nursing procedures (with appropriate training) without supervision, which includes immunisation, venepuncture, and specialist health surveillance.
• Plan and implement immunisation clinics.
• Assist with the management of infection control issues including, when applicable, contact tracing and screening of staff.
• Screening for staff as part of Blood Borne Virus Exposure Policy.
• To undertake pre-employment health assessments and report significant health problems to the occupational health nurse advisor.
• To provide advice and support to staff on health and work issues.
• Be responsible for the accurate documentation and care of staff records.
• Take responsibility for cleanliness and stocking of nurse clinical environment.
• Take responsibility of ordering, storage and stock checking vaccinations.
• Take responsibility for checking emergency equipment within the department.
• Ensure equipment is in good working order, and calibrated according to the manufacturers recommendation and report appropriately when defective.
• Participate in audit, research and suggest any change to improve standards.
• To take responsibility for the health promotion displays in the Occupational Health & Wellbeing Department.
• To assist in identifying other opportunities to promote health and wellbeing activities to promote health within the workforce.
• To undertake contact tracing and screening where an infection disease outbreak has been declared.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered General Nurse (NMC).
• Evidence of continuing professional development and evidence of study and/or research.
• Health and Safety Qualification.
• Basic Counselling Qualification.

Special Skills & Knowledge

• Knowledge & Understanding of the role of occupational health.
• Works under guidance of established protocols and procedures at operational level.
• Proven effective communication skills written and oral.
• Able to demonstrate effective time management, organisational and prioritising skills.
• Able to work effectively with multidisciplinary team and employees at all levels across the Trust.
• Basic knowledge of current health and safety legislation.
• Basic knowledge of infection control guidelines.
• Basic knowledge of health and well-being strategies.
• Ability to give intramuscular/subcutaneous injections.
• Knowledge of Immunisations and Communicable Diseases.
• Knowledge / Experience of Occupational Health systems eg. OPAS G2.

Experience

• Experience within a general healthcare setting.
• Previous experience in an Occupational Health setting with NHS/Private Industry.
• Experience / knowledge of quality and audit initiatives e.g. SEQOHS.
• Delivery of routine Occupational Health services.

Statutory Registration

• Registered Nurse Adult on Part 1 of the NMC Register.
• Valid UK NMC Pin.

Special Requirements

• Professional in manner and committed to the delivery of a high standard of occupational health & wellbeing service to Trust employees and other internal and external clients of the service.
• Able to travel independently around the county to fulfil the requirements of the post.
• Driving posts must have a valid UK driving licence.

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.

£32,073 to £39,043 a year, pro rata.