Palliative Care RGN (SMH Band 5) - IPU in Basingstoke

We have an exciting opportunity for a Registered Nurse (Adult) to join our wonderful Hospice Inpatient Unit. You will have a passion and enthusiasm for palliative care and all that a specialist hospice service can provide to its community. Ideally with experience already within a hospice ward setting role but applicants with experience in other areas of palliative and end of life care settings should apply.

Closing Date - 23rd February 2026

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will be part of a multi-disciplinary team, providing expert and highly specialised palliative and end of life care to patients and families accessing our Inpatient Unit. You will have an exciting opportunity to join our inpatient team and shape the delivery of care that we provide. You will be a key member of the nursing team responsible for role modelling good care. We encourage continual learning and improvement and use Quality Improvement methodology that you would play an active role in. You will have access to a range of training and development opportunities (both internally and externally) and will be welcomed as a valued member of an experienced and supportive team. Newly qualified Registered Nurses are welcome to apply and if successful would be supported in their new role.

This role involves working shifts across long days, including both day and night shifts. The 37.5 hours per week are worked over a 4-week roster period including weekends and nights. The shift times are 07:30-20:00 and 19:30-08:00.

St. Michaels Hospice is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults, children and young people. All staff are expected to share this commitment. Successful candidates will be required to undergo relevant background checks, including a DBS check and provide satisfactory references before starting the role.

About us

St. Michaels Hospice is a registered charity providing specialist palliative and end of life care services since 1992, for the people of North Hampshire. We are dedicated to providing care to people throughout North Hampshire who are affected by life limiting illness to attain the highest possible quality of life by providing a choice of specialist care and support. As a charity, we depend on the kindness and support of our local community to continue offering our services free of charge. This care is made possible by supporters donating, taking part in fundraising events and activities, playing our lottery, shopping in our retail outlets, leaving gifts in their Wills or giving freely of their time to volunteer.

We offer a competitive salary with attractive benefits, including free parking, life assurance, 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, and an extensive health and wellbeing plan and company pension.

Job responsibilities

• Utilise highly competent nursing skills to provide expert care of patients and their families and carers.
• The post holder is expected to carry out all relevant forms of care without direct supervision and to supervise, where necessary, more junior nursing staff.
• The post will involve day, night, and weekend shifts.

Clinical

• Assess, plan and provide skilled, high quality, evidence-based nursing care for patients with palliative care needs, including the terminal phase, and support the family prior to and immediately after death.
• Anticipate and respond to changing patient needs whilst maintaining their independence, privacy and dignity.
• Critically assess clinical situations, interpret information, prioritise needs and plan appropriate care.
• Work with all disciplines involved in the total care of patients and their families, integrating physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs.
• Explore emotional issues including the insight of the patient and family regarding diagnosis, prognosis and preferred place of care and death.
• Ensure the safe delivery, storage, administration, and documentation of drugs in accordance with the St. Michaels Hospice Medicines Management Policy and the NMC Code.
• Complete accurate and timely documentation relating to patient care and help to develop and improve nursing documentation within the team.
• Assess the information required by the patient and family/carers. Produce and use appropriate formats to ensure optimum understanding of identified holistic care needs.
• Enable the patient and family/carers to participate in the planning of care, where appropriate. Assist with teaching and provide support in preparation for all palliative care treatment needs.
• Support and respond to the needs of the Multi-Disciplinary Team by imparting knowledge of the treatment and nursing care for patients.

Learning and Development

• Maintain awareness of current medical advances and research and use educational opportunities to achieve the highest standards of specialist palliative care.
• Participate in creating and supporting a positive learning environment for student nurses, other qualified staff and support workers and assist in the assessment of their competencies.
• Proactively participate in your Continued Professional Development (CPD) and ensure that a professional portfolio is kept and updated in accordance with NMC recommendations.
• Participate in educational programmes and specifically attend teaching identified to meet your development aims and objectives.
• Positively commit to annual staff appraisals and regular performance/competencies reviews to ensure personal professional development.
• Engage in reflective practice and assessment of professional competencies.
• Undertake all statutory and mandatory training, as required.

Management and Leadership

• Maintain a skilled nursing presence to facilitate a team approach for nursing interventions and Multi-Disciplinary Team working.
• Promote professional standards of behaviour and ensure all staff are aware of their personal accountability and responsibilities.
• Act as a mentor, provide support and encourage a learning environment to new and junior staff and student nurses.
• Follow all St. Michaels Hospice policies and procedures and collaborate with the Multi-Disciplinary Team to ensure that these are followed and always observed.
• Work closely with the multidisciplinary team to ensure that the highest clinical standards of care are achieved.
• Participate in audits as directed.
• Promote a safe clinical environment for all patients, visitors, and staff.

Professional

• Work to maintain the values, vision and aims of St. Michaels Hospice.
• Ensure personal registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is maintained and up to date.
• Follow and observe the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and Scope of Professional Practice.
• Be responsible for developing self-awareness through reflective practice, demonstrating a commitment to disseminating information and sharing experiences.
• Contribute to a climate where team members openly discuss and challenge standards of individual practice and where decision making can be ratified as a team.
• Take responsibility for day-to-day monitoring of risks, incidents, accidents, and near misses in order to minimise risk to patients, families, carers, visitors and staff.
• Practice and promote patient confidentiality at all times.
• Demonstrate efficient time management and a flexible attitude to working patterns.
• Work flexibly to provide a 24-hour, 7 day a week service for patients.
• Work within the limits of your own competency and responsibility and refer areas that are outside of your competency to the nurse in charge.
• Treat everyone with respect and dignity.

Communication

• Communicate respectfully in an open, accurate, straightforward and confidential way with colleagues across the organisation.
• Communicate any urgent or sensitive matters to your line manager or escalate to the appropriate level.
• Proactively share information to identify and reduce risk to patients and staff.
• Keep clear and accurate written clinical records which are timely and identify any risk or problems that have arisen with details on responses taken.
• Display a good level of competency in using computer software for record keeping, report writing and communicating.

General Responsibilities

• Work to maintain the values, vision and aims of St. Michaels Hospice.

Additional Duties

• In discussion with the line manager undertake work, as and when required, in support of St. Michaels Hospice as an organisation.

Public Relations

• Represent St. Michaels Hospice in the community and public domain as appropriate.
• Undertake all statutory and mandatory training, as required.
• Be conversant with and adhere to St. Michaels Hospice Policies and Procedures.

This is an outline job description and may be subject to change, according to the needs of the service, in consultation with the post holder. Take responsibility for own personal safety and of others whilst at work. You will take appropriate action or report any concerns to address any health and safety issues that you or members of your team may be aware of.

This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time, due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse
• Evidence of continued professional development, as a Registered or Student Nurse
• Willingness to undertake additional specialist study

Experience

• Experience of working in a general nursing environment, as a Registered Nurse.
• Experience of working effectively in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Understanding of the nature of palliative care nursing.
• Experience of working with end of life patients in a generalist or an acute environment.

Skills, knowledge, abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Good IT literacy
• Able to take the initiative
• Be able to reflect upon clinical skills
• Lead by example in a professional role
• Able to undertake full internal rotation of shifts.
• Demonstrate a flexible and adaptable approach
• Able to work autonomously and in a team
• Efficient time management
• Respectful and supportive of all colleagues
• Professional, friendly and positive nature

Other requirements

• Be physically able to undertake all nursing duties and responsibilities
• Car Owner
• 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.