HealthJobsUK

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Specific Responsibilities
1. Clinical
1.1 To initiate appropriate work, accepting referrals and be able to work autonomously with the child and family in the community setting. 
1.2 To be based from and regularly attend and liaise with acute hospital colleagues to enable timely and safe discharge from hospital and appropriate follow-up in the community setting e.g. care of children with viral wheeze needing inhalers and observation at home, fluid challenges for children with diarrhoea and vomiting and children requiring intravenous/ intramuscular antibiotics.
1.3 Recognise and monitor acute exacerbations of illness and initiate appropriate interventions. 
1.4 To provide a holistic, autonomous and clinical nursing service as an expert practitioner using high levels of decision making and clinical judgement and evidence based practice. 
To carry out initial assessments/home visits and plan, implement and  evaluate nursing care for all patients for whom he/she has continuing responsibility. Act in partnership with the child and family when assessing a child’s needs and planning. To provide advice contributing to the well-being of the patient and participate in health promotion. (feeding advice, management of fever in child). To provide high quality nursing care to meet 
agreed pathway standards of care.
1.5 To ensure medical needs and instructions are carried out in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) guidelines and ensure accurate record keeping (PAS system used for client records). To create reports for specific formal meetings such as child protection case conferences. Ensure confidentiality of information is adhered to always.
1.6 To liaise with, and receive referrals from other disciplines and make decisions regarding client treatments/outcomes without direct supervision. 
1.7 To carry out specialist procedures in the community settings e.g. administration of intravenous antibiotics, care of central venous access devices, insertion of peripheral cannula and phlebotomy.
1.8 To use clinical judgement and expertise in assessing and implementing change during clinical visits e.g. assessment of respiratory condition and management of any changes.
1.9 To use clinical knowledge and expertise in deciding appropriate administration of drugs, route to be administered and dose of the drug, within a set of defined parameters prescribed by medical colleagues e.g. inhalers.
1.10 To use clinical knowledge.
1.11 To teach, support and guide patients and those with parental responsibility.
1.12 To be familiar with practices regarding the management of hazardous/ biological substances and follow local policies regarding their disposal.
1.13 To undertake individual risk assessments to support children and families within their own homes.
1.14 To be familiar with safe manual handling practices and implement within the practice setting when both working with clients and service equipment.
1.15 To recognise and respond to safeguarding issues as they arise.
2. Research
2.1 Facilitate a high quality, cost effective service through undertaking research, surveys, audits in connection with own work.
2.2 Utilise research findings to develop new ways of working and disseminate relevant information to staff.
2.3 To assist the Clinical Lead and Team Leader with updating or writing new care plans, policies, guidelines and competencies.
2.4 Set, monitor and review standards of care on a regular basis and initiate corrective action plans.
3. Work force
3.1 To manage client caseload and have the ability to work autonomously.
3.2 Act as a professional role model and mentor at all times.
4. Financial
4.1 To demonstrate accountability in the use and management of all resources including financial.
5. Partnerships, Communications and Relationships
5.1 To participate in working parties in order to propose changes to policy, procedure and guidelines within child health.
5.2 To liaise, make and receive referrals from other disciplines and make decisions regarding client treatments/outcomes.
5.3 To attend Willow Children’s Inpatient Ward and PAU on a daily basis to ensure all appropriate referrals are made and to provide seamless care from hospital to the community setting. To be involved in the providing and receiving of delicate and sometimes complex information during these visits. 
5.4 Identify and intervene where circumstances contribute to an unsafe environment for patients and staff and bring to the attention of the Team Leader.
5.5 To be responsible for the demonstrating of safe use of expensive and complex pieces of equipment. To be responsible for ensuring that medical supplies are ordered from an agreed list in order that the team remain within budget.
5.6 There is a requirement for the post-holder to be flexible with their working hours and cover over weekdays, weekends and/or Public Holiday, to ensure a high quality continuous service between 0800-2200 seven days a week.