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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The postholder:-
Main Tasks
A highly specialised nurse working as part of the team to deliver the nursing service for patients with diabetes in an in-patient setting. 
Provide the nursing lead within the context of the multidisciplinary team throughout the patient journey. 
Have a primary clinical responsibility for patients with diabetes. 
To be the primary link in the coordinating of patients with diabetes between hospital services including surgery, medicine, paediatrics and community services. 
To be the point of direct contact providing assessment, advice and clinical judgment on future patient management. 
Demonstrate highly specialist knowledge and skills in the specialty of diabetes. 
Actively manage and maintain responsibility for a defined patient caseload in collaboration with medical staff. 
Participate in development within the service and contribute to achieving performance targets,  meeting capacity and demand required.
Play an active role in research and evaluation of the diabetes service and ensure best use of evidence based health care. Contribute to a wider national agenda within the field of Diabetes.

Clinical Duties 
Deliver direct specialist nursing care in primarily in-patients across both acute sites. 
Should be able to initiate oral and injectable therapies within their scope of competency. 
Should be able to run specialist clinics and have a case-load of managing type 1 and type 2 
diabetes. 
Demonstrate specialist knowledge and skills through nursing practice. 
Maintain own expert levels of clinical competence.                                      Promote and facilitate research and evidence based practice in Diabetes Nursing. 
To support in establishing, implementation and monitoring of nursing practice guidelines, standards, policies and protocols/care pathways. 
Maintain a high profile in the clinical area, acting as a role model for other health care professionals. 
Be aware of ethical and legal issues.

Professional Duties
Act as a role model for quality nursing care at all times, promoting the need for effective evidence based interventions.
Act as patient advocate at all points of the care pathway. 
Maintain a professional portfolio. 
Adhere to the Trust Policy & Procedure.
Act always in accordance with NMC code of conduct and guiding documents.

Advocate
Ensure that high standards of nursing care are given and maintained and act when standards are not being met.
Involve patients and carers in the planning and delivery of the care. 
Act as the patients advocate.
Support and enable patients to make informed choices.
Recognise, prevent and diffuse potential areas of conflict and where required take a key role in  the management of the outcome.
Be proactive in the development of practice/services in the clinical area through the business planning process/service development and in conjunction with Team leader, Matron, General Manager and clinician.

Clinical Governance/ Quality
Ensure compliance with policies, procedures and clinical guidelines for self and others and participate in the development of the same. 
Continually monitor standards of care and contribute in the improvement of care through benchmarking, Clinical Audit and Research.
Support and facilitate research evidence- based practice in the specialist area.
Disseminate good practice by pursuing opportunities to present work at national conferences, MDT meetings and journal publications.
Promote patient and public involvement activities in the specialist area leading to service improvement.
Promote people’s equality, diversity and rights.
Identify clinical issues and incidents within the Trust that reduce the quality of care within the specialist services.
Take part in activities to counter these to ensure the delivery of safe and effective care. 

Education/Training 
Takes responsibility for own continuing professional development and performance, including identifying own development needs and maintain own portfolio.
Participates in supervision and the teaching of pre-post registration students, new staff members and junior medical staff.
Provides education and training related to the speciality.
Supports the ward/development sister in ensuring the clinical environment is conducive to effective learning.
Complete all the mandatory training as per the trust requirements. 

This job description is an outline only and is not definitive or restrictive in any way. It will be regularly reviewed and may be amended in the light of changing circumstances following consultation with the post holder.