Staff Nurse (Band 5) McElwain Ward

The Oak Centre for Children and Young People at The Royal Marsden is one of the largest comprehensive centres in the UK treating and delivering the highest quality of care for Children, Teenagers and Young People with cancer. Our patients are undergoing investigations and treatments involving chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as managing patients and families undergoing stem cell transplantation. With our large portfolio of treatment options and advances in cancer therapy and care our reputation and patient outcomes speak for themselves.

Main duties of the job

• To plan, document, deliver and evaluate evidence‑based nursing care for patients in a responsible and efficient way, which has been drawn up in conjunction with the co‑ordinator of the shift.
• To develop a greater awareness and understanding of the needs of patients with cancer and the different treatment modalities administered within the unit.
• To develop an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of managing a shift with the guidance of the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse.

Working for our organisation

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world‑leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on‑going achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To complete the first level assessment of the patient’s needs to gain an understanding of the physiological, psycho‑social, spiritual and cultural needs of the patients with cancer and their families and to develop a positive, realistic and supportive attitude to ensure that the needs of the patient and family are met.
• To assist with teaching patients in preparation for investigations, treatment and home care.
• To be aware of the side effects of any treatment in progress, and adopt a problem‑solving approach to minimise the potentially adverse reactions.
• Be involved in the direct delivery of skilled specialised nursing care with supervision until competent, e.g. wound dressings, removal of drains, and insertion of urinary catheters.

Person specification

• Education
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.
• NMC registration (Newly qualified nurses without Pin are fine).
• Qualification in oncology or speciality.
• Diploma or Degree level study (or equivalent).
• Recognised teaching qualification.
• Experience
• Experience in intravenous drug administration.
• Sufficient post registration nursing experience in oncology or speciality to be confident and competent in using the required skills to do the job.
• Experience in chemotherapy administration.
• Experience in Clinical Management.
• Evidence of relevant teaching experience.
• Skills
• Venepuncture and/or cannulation skills.
• Evidence of effective negotiating and influencing skills.
• Ability to lead a team.
• Ability to motivate others.

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the utmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient‑facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.

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.