Line Practitioner

Job overview

The role holder will be expected to work as an expert paediatric emergency nurse delivering emergency or urgent care within the emergency department. The role holder is expected to line manage the team with the aim of providing a high standard of care to emergency, critically ill or injured children or young people, or primary care patients and their relatives within King's College Hospital. In addition, they will also be expected to manage team sickness and performance related issues as they arise. The role holder will have direct managerial responsibility for the Emergency Department in the absence of or as delegated by the Modern Matron or Head of Nursing.

Main duties of the job

The main roles and responsibilities are to work clinically in the paediatric emergency department, providing a high standard of care and demonstrating safe clinical knowledge.

To lead and manage the shift and provide support and development for staff members and students.

To ensure the department is safely staffed and to manage staff in accordance with the trust policies.

To have a good understanding of safeguarding and the processes involved to maintain children and young people's safety.

To promote MDT working.

To adhere to infection control standards.

To ensure that the Kings values are upheld.

Working for our organisation

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history, and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Practice
• To demonstrate advanced clinical expertise in the care of patients receiving emergency or urgent treatment in the department.
• To assess, plan, implement and evaluate the needs of patients in the department on an ongoing basis, co-ordinating the care given by all members of the clinical team.
• To accurately assess and interpret clinical information about the patients’ condition prior to medical intervention.
• To instigate appropriate emergency treatment and promptly report changes. To ensure appropriate prioritisation and streaming of emergency patients.
• To act as a resource to others, providing accurate information, advice and support to the multidisciplinary team, patients and their relatives.
• To ensure that accurate records are maintained reflecting both changes in the patient’s condition and the treatment delivered.
• To ensure that patients and their relatives are updated regularly with accurate information, ensuring that this is presented in a sensitive way and one that they understand.
• To ensure that clinical guidelines are implemented and to be independently involved in auditing practice in conjunction with Matron and practice development staff.
• To ensure that practice is evidence based and with support assist in the development of policies and protocols within the clinical area.
• To uphold high standards of emergency nursing care, according to existing policies and standards within the trust both, Nationally & Internationally.
• To support the process of continuous quality improvement, by assisting in audits, evaluating standards of care and assisting in the implementation of changes in the light of such findings.
• To organise patient transfers both within and outside the hospital, escorting critically ill patients as necessary or delegating to other staff as appropriate.
• To contribute to the health education of patients and their families, ensuring that all patients and their families receive appropriate advice and support to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• To actively support the implementation of the Trust nursing strategy and uphold the ethos of the local philosophy.
• To fully understand business continuity management and your role in implementing its process.
• To be fully aware of your role in the Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) plan and the role of other staff within ED.
• To be fully aware of your role and the role of other staff in the event of a Major Incident.

• To be fully aware of the Trust’s Safeguarding Procedures and demonstrate the ability to raise concerns and work with other agencies to protect our patients

To accurately identify those patients at risk of neglect or abuse.

Education and Research
• To act as a mentor to both junior and senior staff, being responsible for the orientation, supervision and ongoing development of junior and student nurses, in conjunction with Matron and Practice Development staff.
• To act as practice supervisor, responsible for completing competency documents for junior and senior staff, within agreed timeframes.
• To act as a mentor to students undertaking further education as requested, ensuring a positive learning experience and facilitating the development of their clinical skills.
• And encourage the application of research and of evidence-based practices.
• To participate in any research projects conducted in the clinical area as appropriate. • To act as “link nurse“(e.g. for infection control, tissue viability) ensuring attendance at and contribution to Trust wide meetings.
• To be responsible for ensuring dissemination of relevant information from these to all staff within the unit.

Management
• To manage the clinical workload effectively, ensuring care is prioritised appropriately.
• To contribute positively towards the delivery of a cost-effective service, adjusting staffing levels to meet demand, and assisting Matron to keep within agreed resources.
• To monitor staff levels daily and move staff flexibly around the department.
• To be actively involved with the ongoing organisation of the department, including liaison with clinical site managers to ensure optimal bed usage at all times, PLN’s, medical teams and the ED management team facilitating timely admission and discharge of patients instigating escalation policies as necessary.
• To be a team leader with an identified group of staff, monitoring and documenting the development of their clinical skills, and recording workforce information (STARS).
• To assist Matron and the head of nursing in recruitment and retention, sickness management and performance management and develop own skills as required.
• To actively participate in the process of risk management and health & safety – upholding relevant policies to promote this and ensuring incidents are reported appropriately (in writing) and helping identify ways of preventing errors and accidents to both patients and staff.
• To make a positive contribution to service development affecting the clinical area by taking responsibility for a specific area of the department.
• To positively influence others to adapt to change.
• To actively promote customer care, assisting in resolving local (informal) complaints and supporting Matron and Head of Nursing to investigate formal complaints.

• To assist with the monitoring of stock levels of clinical stores and technical equipment, resolving any shortfall as appropriate.
• To maintain standards of hygiene and cleanliness within the clinical area, taking remedial action as appropriate and reporting deficits to Modern Matron, as appropriate.
• To communicate varied and complicated information (verbally and in writing) in a way that is understood and gets the important facts across.
• To resolve local problems/ conflicts, keeping managers/others always informed and maintaining positive team dynamics within the department.
• To take a leadership role in crisis situations, resolving problems across the Care Group as necessary.
• To maintain confidentiality regarding personal information pertaining to staff.
• To attend and contribute to departmental meetings as required. As nurse in charge to have knowledge of the Trust Major Incident plan and the role of the Emergency Department.
• To be fully aware of Trust Safeguarding Practices for both Adults and Children including mental capacity

Person specification

Education, Qualification & Experience

Essential criteria

• Relevant degree level studies or equivalent extensive clinical experience
• Educational / Mentorship Qualification / Experience as a Practice Supervisor and Assessor (NMC SSSA standards)
• Current APLS or EPLS
• Demonstrable clinical expertise, relevant to the Emergency Department.

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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