Community Services Registered Nurse in Shrewsbury

At Severn Hospice, we provide compassionate and specialist care for people living with incurable illness, and we are looking for a dedicated and empathetic Registered Nurse to join our community team. As part of a supportive multidisciplinary team, you will play a vital role in delivering high-quality, holistic and person-centred palliative care to patients in their own homes. Working with hospice colleagues and wider primary care teams, you will support patients with complex and changing needs, enabling them to remain safely at home wherever possible.

Using your clinical expertise, you will undertake palliative assessments, symptom management and timely interventions in response to immediate patient need, providing care with dignity, respect and kindness at a crucial time in people's lives. You will build supportive relationships with patients, families, GPs and community professionals, ensuring effective communication and coordinated care. You will contribute to the planning, development and evaluation of community palliative care services, supporting the avoidance of unnecessary or unwanted hospital or hospice admissions, particularly in the last days of life. The role includes participation in a rotational triage service, receiving and responding appropriately to incoming calls to ensure timely support and escalation where required.

Main duties of the job

The Hospice Community Service is based in Severn Hospice, Bicton, Shrewsbury. The post holder will provide advice and support to patients and establish supportive relationships with GPs and other community teams. The post holder will demonstrate palliative assessment skills, and will be able to support, illustrate, and disseminate such skills to other practitioners while benefiting patient care.

• To function as a competent clinical practitioner to deliver direct patient care in response to an immediate need.
• In conjunction with Day Services and the Hub Leads, the post holder will participate in the planning, development and evaluation of palliative care services provided to patients in the community.
• The post holder will take a supportive role in the provision of specialist palliative care education, promoting evidence-based practice.
• Support the avoidance of unnecessary and unwanted admissions to hospital or hospice, particularly in the last few days of life.
• The registered nurse will be one of a team, providing care and support to the patient within the home environment.
• They will ensure effective liaison and communication with both the Hospice Nurse Practitioners and key professionals involved in the patient's care.
• To support the provision of a triage service on a rotational basis, receiving incoming calls, taking messages, and responding accordingly.

About us

Caring is what we do best - and that includes caring for our staff. You will work in a friendly, fulfilling and supportive environment, with access to clinical supervision, strong peer support and a culture that values compassion, respect and excellence. We are also committed to your development, offering excellent professional and personal learning opportunities via our on-site Skills Lab and education team.

We offer a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits including:

• Excellent professional and personal development opportunities with our on-site Skills Lab and Education team
• High inpatient staff to patient ratio
• Continuation of NHS pension scheme
• Free on-site parking
• Health and wellbeing support framework
• Clinical supervision
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Death in service
• Use of hospice canteens including designated outside spaces

Job responsibilities

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• To adhere to the NMC Guidelines for Professional Practice and with the Severn Hospice policies, procedures, and standards, therefore retaining accountability for own professional actions and omissions while working autonomously and without supervision.
• Ensure that quality standards of care are maintained.
• To develop and maintain effective communication networks with other professionals.
• To comply with Information Governance requirements.
• To support the delivery of comprehensive, skilled, and evidence-based nursing care to patients in the community setting.

SCOPE OF PRACTICE / MAIN DUTIES

• Undertake a role in palliative care through partnership with health care professionals and other agencies throughout Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Powys, providing support on all aspects of clinical palliative care.
• Work autonomously as a competent nurse who uses evidence-based skills and translates expert knowledge directly into individualised holistic therapeutic patient care in the full range of settings across primary care.
• Develop clinically effective and therapeutic working relationships with patients and relatives using persuasive, negotiating and motivating skills to communicate complex, contentious and sensitive information.
• Demonstrate highly developed communication skills in order to share sensitive and complex concepts with other professionals and relevant organisations about a full range of palliative care issues.
• Make clinical judgements which require analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options, therefore recommending appropriate evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic interventions to patients and health care professionals.
• Refer to nursing and medical professionals, and appropriate statutory and voluntary agencies.
• Working with the Hospice Community team to continually improve palliative care services.
• Maintain reflective practice through individual clinical supervision and peer review.
• Record and submit accurate and timely data, as required.

EDUCATIONAL

• In conjunction with Day Services / Hub Leads, identify personal development and educational requirements through yearly review / appraisal.
• Provide educational placements for healthcare professionals, sharing knowledge and advice.

RESEARCH AND AUDIT

• In conjunction with Community colleagues participate in clinical audit requirements - collecting and collating data and presenting findings.
• To review and evaluate palliative care related research on a continual basis to maintain best and evidence-based practice.

This job description is a summary of the main responsibilities of the postholder, and not an exhaustive list of duties to be undertaken. The duties may be redefined in accordance with the demands of the service. Any redefinition will be subject to discussion between yourself and your manager and be within your level of competence.

Supplementary Information and Requirements

All new permanent Hospice employees are on a 6-month probationary period. A DBS Disclosure will be requested in the event of an individual being offered the post.

Health and Safety

In accordance with the Hospices Health & Safety Policy all employed persons while at work are required by Section 7 of the Health & Safety at Work Act to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. All employees are required to participate in the Hospices appraisal process.

Person Specification

Experience

• Palliative care in the community experience

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse

Aptitudes and Attributes

• Ability to demonstrate a commitment to teamwork
• Ability to work autonomously
• Ability to show empathy when working with complex emotional situations and to remain calm under pressure
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills

Skills and Knowledge

• Competent in symptom control and syringe drivers
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent nursing skills
• Good understanding of palliative care philosophy
• Good listening skills
• Good counselling skills
• Awareness of wider palliative care issues
• Awareness of NICE guidelines
• Awareness of issues around non-cancer patients

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.