Band 6 Cardiothoracic Surgery, Surgical pre-assessment Team London

We are looking for an enthusiastic nurse who is keen to work at the leading edge of cardiothoracic practice. You will need to be a highly motivated nurse who is committed to delivering high standards of care and can demonstrate excellent clinical and communication skills. You will also work closely with the surgical and multi-disciplinary team members to monitor and maintain excellent clinical standards of nursing practice within a dynamic team of expert practitioners. If you are looking to develop your career in Cardiothoracic nursing, this is your chance to join a friendly and supportive team at Royal Brompton Hospital.

Main duties of the job

• The post holder will be expected to hold a high degree of personal professional autonomy and make clinical judgements to satisfy the expectations and demands of the role.
• Responsibility is held for the pre-operative management of patients awaiting surgery for a range of cardiothoracic conditions from the time they are accepted for surgery until admission.
• Triage of symptoms, assess severity and escalate appropriately.
• Remote monitoring of patients whilst on the waiting list developing clinical protocols and patient pathways in response to changing health care demands and new evidence, in co-ordination with senior management and the multidisciplinary team.
• The post holder will be expected to observe and develop skills in history taking to be able to complete the medical clerking in preadmission clinic.
• To develop clinical confidence in reviewing the results of clinical investigations and highlighting any concerns to the relevant surgical and Multi-disciplinary teams.
• Participate in initiatives to continually improve the service and embrace service change as appropriate.

About us

Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals joined Guy's and St Thomas' in February 2021 and is the largest specialist heart and lung centre in the UK and among the largest in Europe. We provide treatment for people with heart and lung disease, including rare and complex conditions, offering some of the most sophisticated treatment that is available anywhere in the world.

Department Information

The Pre-assessment team consists of 10 staff of which 8 are registered nurses and 2 are healthcare assistants. There is an administrator who supports the team in patient pathways. The team have responsibility to monitor patients on the waiting lists and to prepare them for surgery. They have responsibility for both acquired and congenital cardiac conditions and Thoracic surgical patients. The team work very closely with Surgeons, Anaesthetists and pharmacy as well as the schedulers and specialist allied health professionals.

Job responsibilities

• The post holder will be expected to hold a high degree of personal professional autonomy and make clinical judgements to satisfy the expectations and demands of the role.
• The CNS is responsible for developing clinical protocols and patient pathways in response to changing health care demands and new evidence, in co-ordination with senior management and the multidisciplinary team.
• 50% of the role will be managing a case of patients (currently via an application called ORTUS) who are on the waitlist for surgery to detect any deterioration needing to be escalated to the surgical team.
• Able to triage symptoms, assess severity and escalate appropriately.
• Identify clinical opportunities and liaise with the MDT to optimise patients whilst on the waitlist to prepare them for surgery.
• Triage patients for relevant preoperative investigations, request and book investigations.
• Take developmental opportunities to observe and develop skills in history taking to be able to complete the medical clerking in preadmission clinic.
• To develop clinical confidence in reviewing the results of clinical investigations and highlighting any concerns to the relevant surgical and Multi-disciplinary teams.
• Where abnormalities are found in patients pre-op tests to communicate with the relevant professionals for advice and accurately document and communicate back to patients' consultant.
• To assist in auditing the ORTUS service to make improvements.
• Participate in initiatives to continually improve the service and embrace service change as appropriate.
• On behalf of the Lead nurse and operational lead set goals and benchmarking standards of care.
• Ensure that the documentation is maintained to the Trust standard including Electronic records.

Person Specification

Experience

• Essential: Excellent clinical skills and medical history taking skills, managing a specific patient case load, managing patients via protocols and pathways, experience of care of cardiothoracic surgical patients or relevant acute/critical care, experience in the supervision of junior staff/others.
• Desirable: Conducting nurse led clinics.

Skills

• Essential: Proven communication skills both orally and written, proven leadership skills, able to manage difficult situations, flexible to change, able to prioritise and meet deadlines, able to use initiative.
• Desirable: Phlebotomy and cannulation.

Education

• Essential: Relevant post-registration working in a Cardiothoracic setting, university accredited post registration qualification in Cardiology or cardiothoracic surgery, 1st level degree, first level Registered Nurse with the NMC.
• Desirable: Nurse specialist course/physical assessment course, SLICE 1 and 11 or equivalent level teaching and assessing course.

Personal Qualities

• Essential: Reliable work record, enthusiastic, kind and compassionate, calm and objective, good interpersonal skills, self-motivating and able to motivate others, ability to work within a multidisciplinary team.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.