Qualified Nurse Associate

• County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
• Qualified Nurse Associate

This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified Nursing Associate currently employed within CDDFT to develop specialist knowledge in Sexual Health, while developing a range of enhanced clinical skills that are transferable across healthcare settings.

This secondment opportunity offers 7.5 hours per week and provides an excellent platform for professional development.

Bridging the gap between health and care staff, the registered nurse associate will perform duties as appropriate to the Standards of Proficiency for Nursing Associates (NMC, 2018).

Main duties of the job

The postholder will deliver high-quality, person-centred sexual health care, review clinical assessments and undertake screening, health promotion and a range of nursing procedures, including venepuncture, pregnancy testing, urinalysis and genital examinations.

They will safely administer medications and vaccinations, promote sexual wellbeing, monitor patient health, and recognise when to seek advice or escalates concerns to ensure safe and effective care.

About us

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham.

We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le‑Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients’ homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under‑represented.

• Job responsibilities
• Contribute to the assessment of patient needs, develop and implement programs of care recognising when it is necessary to refer to others.
• Undertake a designated range of patient assessments such as reviewing a medical, family and sexual history and updating as required.
• Act within the scope of practice, seek advice and escalates care to the appropriate professional as required including reassessment of care in all circumstances.
• Provide holistic care which recognises people at risk of abuse, self-harm and/or suicidal ideation, referring as per local policies, taking immediate action to provide adequate safeguarding and escalating concerns to the appropriate person.
• Safely administer and optimise medications in accordance with local/national policy, and scope of practice acting in compliance with the law.
• Recognise and respond to the effects of medications, allergies, drug sensitivity, side effects, contraindications and adverse reactions.
• Display the knowledge, skills and ability to perform a range of nursing procedures relevant to practice and manage devices, to meet peoples' need for safe, effective and person‑centred care, including venepuncture, microscopy, pregnancy testing, urinalysis, genital examinations and cryotherapy.
• Offer and undertake sexual health screening to all patients.
• Promote safe sex practices, offering C‑card to appropriate patients.
• Undertake a designated range of interventions to promote patient wellbeing e. g. smoking cessation and alcohol intervention and refer where appropriate.
• Undertake, monitor and record height, weight, blood pressure/Body Mass Index and report any readings outside of normal parameters.
• Administer medicine including injectable within the limitations of the role, in line with scope of practice in accordance with NMC code and trust policy.
• Administer Hepatitis A/B, HPV and IM/SC injections where prescribed by a clinician.
• Manage and maintain own treatment list and routine contraceptions under direction of Patient Specific Directions.
• Demonstrate the ability to recognise the effects of medicines, allergies, side effects, drug sensitivity, contraindications and adverse reactions.
• Demonstrate and apply understanding of how and when to escalat[e] to the appropriate professional for expert help and advice.
• Demonstrate and apply an understanding of how peoples’ needs for safety, dignity, privacy, comfort are observed.
• Demonstrate the ability to recognise when a person's condition has improved or deteriorated by undertaking health monitoring, interpret, promptly respond, share findings, and escalare as needed.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to support people with commonly encountered symptoms including anxiety, confusion, discomfort and pain.
• Assist the health advisor with contact tracing and treatment compliance as well as support with partner notification.
• Manage recall of patients such as Hepatitis A/B, HPV vaccinations, follow up testing and Depo Provera injections.
• Chaperone as required including assistance in LARC clinics.
• Must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or cannot complete pre‑employment checks.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience working unsupervised and ability to effectively manage own workload.
• Experience of working as a qualified Nurse Associate for CDDFT.
• Experience of providing and receiving complex sensitive information.
• Experience of working within a sexual health or contraception setting or a similar setting.
• Experience of escalating safeguarding concerns appropriately.
• Experience of working with young/vulnerable patients.
• Statutory Registration
• Registered Nursing Associate on the NMC register.
• Special Skills & Knowledge
• Understands and acts in line with NMC professional standards for practice contained within the code.
• Understands requirements for NMC professional revalidation.
• Ability to take part in reflective practice and clinical supervision activities.
• Knowledge of when to seek advice and escalates to the appropriate professional for expert help and advice.
• Awareness of the principles of confidentiality and relevant policies.
• Knowledge of policies and procedures surrounding care of young people under 16.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Competent use of IT.
• Demonstrate the ability, after training and supervised practice, to undertake venepuncture, microscopy, genital examinations, safe collection and handling of specimens, administering cryotherapy and basic clinical observations/procedures as directed by Doctor or Nurse.
• Able to provide vaccinations and IM/SC injections.
• Able to demonstrate a high level of enthusiasm and commitment.
• Able to work flexibly under pressure, rapid pace, and with an unpredictable work pattern.
• Ability to plan and organise own workload to ensure safe service provision.
• Ability to support, supervise, assess and act as a role model to nursing associate students, other learners and health care support workers as required within the clinical setting.
• Team player.
• Knowledge of the methodology used for partner notification and how to action them appropriately.
• General sexual health, contraception knowledge.
• Knowledge of the Chlamydia Screening Programme.
• Ability to vaccinate.
• Knowledge around sexually transmitted diseases and basic contraception knowledge.
• Understanding of referral pathways for substance misuse services and offer health promotion.

Qualifications

• Good standard of general education, 5 GCSEs or equivalent.
• Registered Nursing Associate on the NMC register.
• Nursing Associate Foundation Degree Qualification.
• Training that includes the principles of Delay.
• C-card training.
• Immunisation Training.
• Special Requirements
• The ability to work in a flexible way, including evenings and weekends.
• Ability to travel independently to fulfil the requirements of the post.
• Driving posts must have valid Full UK driving licence.
• 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.

£28,392 to £31,157 a year per annum, pro rata.

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