Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Specific Duties & Responsibilities
• Assist with the service of meals and support patients who may need
assistance with eating and drinking in line with their plan of care.
• Assist with the safe moving, handling and mobilisation of patients
ensuring that care plans are followed to minimise risk.
• Communicate effectively with kindness, warmth and compassion
recognising when there are barriers to communication where
support may be required.
• Act as a patient and staff advocate, escalating concerns and
challenging poor behaviour or practice appropriately.
• Maintain accurate records of care within area of responsibility.
• Observe and report any changes in a patient’s condition to the
Nurse in Charge.
• Involve patients and carers/relatives in delivery of care.
• Provide reassurance and support to patients, carers/family.
• Support the maintenance and cleanliness of the clinical environment
by attending to general tidiness of the area including unpacking and
storage of stock deliveries. Report any estates issues appropriately.
• Support clinical teams to fulfil cleaning responsibilities as identified
in the National Cleaning Standards framework.
• Assist and contribute to the movement and treatment of patients to
achieve physical comfort and minimise the adverse effects of
pressure according to the plan of care.
• Contribute to minimising the effects of disruptive abusive behaviour
and the protection of individuals from abuse.
• To answer the telephone and relay messages appropriately.
• In the absence of administrative support, support administrative
functions as directed by the nurse in charge.
• Develop own skills and knowledge and contribute to the
development of others.
• Once experienced assist with the induction of new Health Care
Support Workers.
• Recognise and respond appropriately to urgent and emergency
situations.
• Ensure the effective and efficient use of resources and contribute
ideas to cost improvement programmes.
• Report any incidents, concerns, complaints or accidents to the
Nurse in Charge completing adverse incident forms as required.
• Attend and participate in team/ward/department meetings.
• Support the psychological and emotional wellbeing of patients,
carers and families

Clinical Duties
• Must be able to undertake other tasks appropriate to the clinical
environment with necessary training and as directed by the Ward
Manager or Department Lead:
• Recording of patient information e.g., completion of fluid balance
and food charts, stool charts, and recording on physiological
observation charts (vital signs)
• Support the Registered Nurse in the delivery of end-of-life care and
care of the deceased
• Attend training in the use of equipment and devices appropriate to
role and reports faulty equipment promptly
• Record all care provided in the Trust standard format
• Beds made & changed in a timely manner to keep patients clean
and comfortable and bed areas correctly prepared for new
admissions
• Ward equipment cleaned and labelled e.g. commodes, medical
devices
• Participate in regular patient checks known as Intentional rounding.
Ensuring that patient comfort is maintained, skin checks are
undertaken and recognising, reporting and recording changes to
condition of skin
• Order equipment as directed by the registered nurse using
appropriate system eg: Use of E-trace for ordering appropriate
mattress
• Completion of property checklists and disclaimers
• To undertake physiological observations recording blood pressure,
pulse, temperature, respirations and oxygen saturations.
• Calculation of National Early Warning Score (NEWS) score,
reporting any abnormalities to the Nurse in Charge.
• Empty drainage bags such as catheter bags, stoma bags using
appropriate infection prevention and control precautions
• Test patient blood glucose levels from capillary samples recording
results and escalating when required
• To collect specimens of urine, sputum or faeces as requested and
according to ward/ department procedures
• To assist patients in completing ward menus
• To accompany patients to other departments as deemed
appropriate by the nurse in charge in line with Trust transfer policy
• Remove cannulas and apply dressings as directed by the nurse in
charge
• Provide patients with appropriate activities and stimulation to
promote wellbeing and recovery in particular when providing
enhanced care.
• Participate in audit activities at the request of the Ward manager /
Department lead
• Act as a chaperone to support privacy and dignity of patients during
intimate cares and examinations