IBD Clinical Nurse Specialist

We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL. We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and self-motivated individual with experience in the management of patients with gastrointestinal conditions. The post holder will work within an established service, work autonomously and within the multidisciplinary team with the support of Gastroenterologists and other nurse specialists.

The IBD Nurse Specialist will have a caseload of patients and would run Nurse-led clinics. They would also manage a caseload of in-patients and would be expected to have close communication with community health services. New developments within the service include the need to safely switch patients to bio similar drug therapies. The IBD Nurse Specialist would provide expert care including patient assessment, clinical examination and developing clinical management plans. The role would include independent prescribing and the Nurse Specialist would review patient management plans, fine-tune drug therapy, monitor patients on therapies and encourage drug compliance.

The role would include patient educational support, psychological support and good communication skills which is essential in improving quality of life and helping with disease control. You should have knowledge of the gastro-intestinal system with at least 6 months experience in working with patients with inflammatory bowel disease at band 6 or higher. You will work alongside other IBD Nurses and will case manage patients referred into the IBD service.

Main duties of the job:

• To improve disease management, concordance and patient satisfaction by providing a specialist nursing contribution within the multi-disciplinary team to patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
• Care may be provided jointly by Gastroenterology and Surgery and the IBD Nurse will develop an understanding of all aspects of medical and surgical care for patients with IBD in order to play an active role in providing care within both specialities.
• Responsible for the assessment of care need and the development, implementation and evaluation of complex programmes of evidence based patient care.
• Assessment may take place in outpatient clinics, wards or via the telephone.
• Delivers enhanced nursing skills within complex patient care pathways.

Working for our organisation:

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites. We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

Our Services:

• Acute Care: Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
• Primary Care: Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
• Community Services: Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire.
• Specialist Regional Services: We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

CLINICAL:

• To provide specialist nursing expertise and work alongside the multi-disciplinary team to develop clinical practice.
• Manage a case load in IBD nursing service, responsible for planning and prioritising own workload as an autonomous practitioner in response to service needs.
• Liaise with, refer to and advise a range of professionals regarding ongoing care and management of patients.
• Support staff within a range of clinical areas to ensure that patient needs are assessed, care planned, implemented and evaluated and that there is consultation and involvement of patients / carers.
• Responsible and accountable for accurate management of nursing records to ensure patient documentation meets agreed standards, ensuring the quality of record keeping is within the NMC Code of Conduct.
• Develop and implement specialised patient care pathways using advanced clinical reasoning skills.
• Provide highly specialist advice concerning the treatment of IBD / complex gastroenterology patients and families.
• Initiate patient referrals to other healthcare professionals and outside agencies as appropriate.
• Work in collaboration with medical staff when assessing the patient and refer appropriately if the patient's clinical condition changes or new concerns arise.
• Provide intensive support, information and advice in times of crisis - diagnosis, first hospital admission, and change in condition, terminal care and bereavement.
• Provide diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the Endoscopy Unit.

MANAGEMENT:

• Design, develop and implement clinical protocols, guidelines and information leaflets for use locally and nationally.
• Responsible for managing, arranging, recording and monitoring own activity and practising effective time management.
• Initiate and lead discussions in weekly multidisciplinary gastroenterology team meetings.
• Evaluate the ongoing needs of the IBD nursing service and plan / shape for future expansion in agreement with the direction of the lead nurse.
• Work within all Human Resources policy frameworks.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

• To assess the level of patient’s knowledge and understanding of IBD and provide personal or small group education programmes for patients and families indicated thus empowering them to take a greater part in the management of their disease promoting independence.
• Organise or participate in the delivery and evaluation of teaching programmes for ward and departmental staff involved in caring for patients with IBD.
• Teach on and consult on content of courses and modules relating to IBD and its management as required.
• Act as a resource for IBD within the Trust, for the PCT's and other external agencies.
• To be responsible for ongoing personal development displaying expertise working at a level to enable the post holder to identify a clinically significant professional, educational and research strategy for the IBD nursing service.

RESEARCH:

• Initiate and lead own audit research studies relating to nursing and multidisciplinary care within the specialist area of practice, presenting findings through presentation and writing for publication.
• Actively participate in research initiatives associated with service.
• Ensure clinical nursing practice is evidence based.
• Collaborate closely with other members of the Gastroenterology Network to keep up to date with emerging thinking and findings.

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT:

• To continually update and develop own clinical and theoretical knowledge of IBD and lower GI disorders and other areas of nursing and research by attending relevant conferences and reviewing the relevant literature on a regular basis.
• Work closely with the multidisciplinary team to ensure the IBD service is developed in line with the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) recommendations for this patient group.
• To maintain own personal and professional profile.
• To be flexible and adaptable to the needs of the service and develop the role accordingly.

Person specification:

• Qualifications: Registered Nurse Specialist qualification / post registration training in speciality, Evidence of ongoing professional development, Masters Degree.
• Knowledge & Experience: Experience nurse with proven advanced clinical assessment skills, Experience of conflict and complaints handling, Experience of policy development, Knowledge of management of recruitment, selection, appraisal, discipline, grievance, absence and performance systems, Knowledge and awareness of interagency structure and its workings, Track record in mentorship and preceptorship, Research experience, Teaching experience, Knowledge of control of infection systems, health and safety systems, risk assessment systems and child protection systems.
• Skills: Up to date clinical skills in order to ensure quality of services being provided by ward, Excellent organisational skills, Able to act as a leader, effectively managing & motivating staff on the ward, Ability to act as a change agent, Ability to co-ordinate & liaise with MDT members.
• Other: Enthusiastic approach to work, Ability to work independently & as a team member, Be seen to be confident & inspire confidence, Be effective in implementation of best practice.

You must have appropriate UK professional registration. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.