Special School Nurse in Lancing

The post holder will be required to primarily provide cover for schools within the locality spanning from Shoreham-by-Sea to Chichester. The post holder will work as a Specialist School Nurse across the Special School Nursing portfolio, as part of each school's requirement to ensure that arrangements are in place to support children with medical conditions. The post holder will provide clinical and associated public health nursing of children and young people in the special school setting, in partnership with Community Paediatricians and other health professionals to ensure the provision of high-quality health care. The post holder acts as an advisor within the children's community nursing team for training in mainstream school. They will liaise with clinical experts for the provision of specialist knowledge, skills and leadership as required. They will protect, safeguard and promote the wellbeing of children in accordance with 'The Children Act' (1989 & 2004) and 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' (2013).

Main duties of the job:

• Provide clinical children's nursing and public health advice within the school setting.
• Develop and implement care plans for children and young people with complex health needs and disability.
• Identifying and providing child specific health care procedures training for school staff, including competency based assessment where required.
• Use professional knowledge to provide evidence-based practice.
• Contribute to single and multiagency safeguarding of disabled children, young people and young adults.
• Make a positive contribution towards the development and implementation of child health improvement programmes.
• Demonstrate highly skilled and innovative practice and support new ways of working.
• Demonstrate robust assessment skills and recognise the timely need for appropriate action and onward referral and involvement of other agencies.
• Initiate and provide health promotion packages appropriate for a Special School setting.
• Support education staff in providing health promotion.
• Promote best practice and act as a change agent by motivation and development of staff.
• Contribute to the development and review of clinical policies and guidelines.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection process of new staff as required.
• Provide nursing support to multi‑disciplinary clinics e.g. nutrition/enteral feeding.

Job responsibilities:

• Contribute to the School Health Care Plans and emergency care plans.
• Advise on and where appropriate implement child specific health education and promotion interventions.
• Facilitate the health care teaching and learning of staff in the school, students and any other staff during community placements.
• Act as a role model to provide health care leadership and support to school staff.
• Deliver and help maintain excellent health care and practice standards within the school setting and children's community nursing team helping to review where needed.
• Contribute to Children's / Young Peoples Community Nursing service and School inspections and/or reviews as appropriate.
• Ensure health records are maintained and compliant with Trust policy and keep accurate, legible, contemporaneous records and written reports as required.
• Assist the Head Teacher, Team Lead, Safeguarding Team and Head of CCN Service in co‑ordinating child protection processes in accordance with Trust policy and the Local Safeguarding Board (children and adults) procedures whilst supporting junior staff in understanding and exercising the Trust safeguarding policy and Sussex procedures.
• Maintain and assist in analysing relevant service data which will demonstrate activity of the role/team and assist with identifying service needs and possible developments.
• Regularly evaluate the clinical effectiveness of care and in consultation with Team Lead and senior nurses in the wider CCN service and Community Paediatrician, make adjustments where appropriate in order to make the best use of team and SCT resources.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate guidelines/teaching tools for children/families/colleagues, healthcare professionals for use within the CCN service for care of identified health needs and promotion of well‑being.
• Ensure when aware of clinical incidents in practice that these are reported via the correct channels and assist with the implementation of relevant recommendations.
• Initiate and influence the development of health related policies, procedures and guidelines ensuring they are evidence based, to ensure pupil safety and safe delivery of care in the school setting.
• Work collaboratively with professionals across the health economy in universal and specialist services and other agencies to ensure the needs of children and families are met.
• Implement and maintain the Trust's quality initiatives and assurance programmes as relevant.
• Actively involved in the orientation, induction, preceptorship and supervision of junior staff.

Person Specification:

• Qualifications and/or professional registration: Registered Nurse- Child or Learning Disability or Specialist Public Health School Nursing qualification. Current registration with the NMC Registered Nurse. Degree in Community Specialist Public Health (School Nursing/Community Children's nursing) or other appropriate degree qualification. Candidates working towards a relevant nursing degree and have a breadth of experience working with children/young people with complex needs and disability - minimum 50% complete to allow application. Practice Supervisor / Practice Assessor / ENB 998 / 997 / Degree level mentorship module or equivalent or willingness to undertake.
• Experience: Significant experience of children's nursing post registration. Considerable experience of working with children who have complex health, disability and palliative care needs appropriate degree qualification. Experience of a range of clinical competencies appropriate to the role e.g. enteral feeding, airway management, complex bowel and bladder management, tissue viability and pressure management, seizure management, recognition of the deteriorating child or willing to learn/achieve competence. Experience of planning, managing and helping co‑ordinating programmes of care in collaboration with other allied health, social, education and volunteer agencies. Able to teach/provide health promotion. Able to undertake clinical audit. Experience of School nursing.
• Skills and knowledge: Proficient clinical assessment and care planning skills. Able to recognise, take appropriate action and contribute to the child & adult protection process in order to safeguard children and young people. Understanding of Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberties as it applies to children and young people. Broad and comprehensive knowledge of the developing child. Working knowledge of relevant legislation and national guidelines. Ability to communicate effectively complex and sensitive written and verbal information. Ability to prioritise own workload and maintain quality care in times of pressure. Ability to develop, implement and evaluate new working practices across education and health domains. Ability to delegate skills appropriately including competency and capability assessment. Working knowledge of IT and new technologies. Evidence of implementation of risk assessments. Able to work collaboratively within a multi‑disciplinary interagency team and liaise effectively with a wide range of stakeholders. Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance. Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex and sensitive information.
• Other requirements: Ability to travel as required to meet the needs of the service. Ability to multitask.

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.

Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Term time hours

Job locations: Unit 3, The Quadrant 60 Marlborough Road, Lancing Business Park