Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title

Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Responsible to

Medical Director and Director of Patient and Clinical Services

Professionally Accountable to

Primary Location

Nightingale House Hospice

JOB SUMMARY

As an advanced nurse practitioner you will work within the medical team at Nightingale House


Hospice to provide a high standard of care to patients admitted to the inpatient unit for symptom


management, end of life care or respite, as well as patients attending outpatients or the wellbeing


programme. This post offers an opportunity to develop palliative care experience and skills, within a


culture of learning and developing professionally. You will also have the opportunity to participate in


audit, teaching of GP registrars, medical students, nursing staff and disseminating knowledge to the


wider team.


The medical team consists of the medical director/GP, 2 speciality doctors, and another GP. We work


with palliative care consultants from SCUK who remotely review the patients twice a week, at a board


round. You will work alongside the nursing team, pharmacist, patient flow, rehab, family support


team, chaplain and complementary therapist to deliver care to patients with life limiting conditions.


You will deliver individualised, holistic care to patients and their loved ones, with empathy,


compassion and kindness, respecting patient's dignity and with an aim to empower them to live well


with a palliative diagnosis.

Scope of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner Role at Nightingale House

Working as an independent practitioner and non-medical prescriber the ANP is accountable and


responsible for their own actions or omissions in line with the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Code


and current guidance on advanced nursing practice. You will always work within the scope of


professional practice and guidance on advanced practice, adhering to all relevant professional, legal


and regulatory guidelines.


You will assume responsibility for own professional development and updates and maintain your own


clinical skills as appropriate with support and guidance from the medical director and director of


clinical and patient services as required for the role. You will work within the boundaries of the role


as it develops within Nightingale House and as agreed by the Medical Director and Director of Clinical


and Patient Services in conjunction with the Chief Executive Officer.


There are opportunities for career development and progression to a nurse consultant depending on


interest and experience.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

Medical director


Director of clinical and patient services






Review Date: 01/09/24 Reviewed by: Medical Director / Clinical Director


Palliative care consultants


Hospice doctors (speciality doctors and GPs)


Patient flow team


Ward manager and deputy ward managers


Wellbeing team


Family support team


Pharmacist


Physiotherapists


Occupational therapist


Chaplain


Complementary therapist


Ward Clerk/ clinical administrators

External

General practitioners


District nurses


Secondary care teams at local hospitals


Specialist clinical nurses


Specialist palliative care team

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

o Work autonomously to admit patients to the inpatient unit and care for them during their


admission for end of life care, symptom management or respite.


Along with the rest of the medical team, nursing team and consultants, provide care for inpatients, outpatients and patients attending wellbeing or rehab appointments if needed,


including initial assessment, daily reviews, planning and management.


To identify and address the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of patients and
the emotional, spiritual and psychological needs of their families and friends.
As an independent prescriber, prescribes medicines for patients in accordance with local
policies, national standards and formularies relating to independent prescribing.
Work closely with and support the nursing team and wider MDT, maintaining positive working
relationships and close team work.
Communicate compassionately with patients and their families regarding their condition,
treatment, prognosis and advanced care planning.
Participate in on-call rota (1:4 or 1:8 weekends), being on-site Saturday morning and available
to attend from 9-5 Saturday and Sunday (1 day off in lieu provided following the on-call


weekend).
Participate in clinical meetings as part of the MDT. Maintain clinical records and complete administrative tasks arising from medical work -
discharge summaries, GP letters following outpatient appointments, referral letters etc.


Identifies and reports issues and incidents that may affect the quality of palliative care services. Works with the team to ensure the delivery of a safe and effective service.


Liaise closely with external partners - such as GPs, SPCT, district nurses, specialist clinical nurses and secondary care.


Develop and maintain high professional standards within the service and promote multidisciplinary team working


To promote and participate in teaching and educational activity, teaching nurses, medical students, GP registrars, colleagues, patients and families.







To participate in clinical governance activities e.g. quality improvement activities and ensure
implementation of best practice guidelines.
Promote the ethos of audit in the organisation and identify, support and participate in clinical
audits and evaluation of work to improve care and service delivery.
Ensure that effective governance arrangements are implemented and maintained. To maintain personal development through personal development reviews, monthly 1:1
meetings, clinical supervision, training and appropriate courses, which the hospice will support.


Provide supervision and mentoring to non-medical prescribers and trainee ANPs There will be opportunities to develop a special interest or lead on programmes depending on skills and interests.


Lead the development of ideas and specialist practice within the scope of the role. Innovates through exploring ideas with others and takes action, thus contributing to different ways of


working.


Develop services in conjunction with the service leads, medical and clinical directors and wider
team that will improve services for users and contribute to the advancement of palliative care


at local, regional and national levels.
Participates in maintaining the profile of Nightingale House Hospice through the presentation
of quality improvement initiatives at local, regional and national conferences as appropriate.
Work with the senior nursing team to complete personal development reviews of the nursing
team and provide support and mentoring.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Competence

You are responsible for limiting your actions to those that you feel competent to undertake. If you


have any doubts about your competence during the course of your duties, you should immediately


speak to your line manager / supervisor.

Risk Management

It is a standard element of the role and responsibility of all staff of the Hospice that they fulfil a


proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment


of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and


hazards. It is a requirement that you adhere to Nightingale House Hospice Policies, Procedures,


Protocols and guidelines at all times.

Health and Safety Requirements of the Hospice

All employees of the Hospice have a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of


others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. Employees are required to co-operate with


management to enable the Hospice to meet its own legal duties including attendance at mandatory


training updates and also to report any hazardous situations or defective equipment.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

The post holder must treat all information, whether corporate, staff or patient information, in a


discreet, secure and confidential manner in accordance with the provisions of the current data


protection legislation and organisational policy. Any breach of such confidentiality is considered a


serious disciplinary offence, which is liable to dismissal and / or prosecution under statutory


legislation and the hospice's disciplinary policy. This duty of confidence continues after the post


holder leaves the organisation.

Records Management

As an employee of the hospice, the post holder is legally responsible for all records that they gather,


create or use as part of their work within the organisation (including patient health, staff health or







injury, financial, personal and administrative), whether paper based or on computer. The post holder


should consult the IG Lead if they have any doubt as to the correct management of records with which


they work.

Flexibility Statement

The content of this represents an outline of the post only and is therefore not a final


list of duties and responsibilities. The is therefore intended to be flexible and is


subject to review and amendment in the light of changing circumstances, following consultation with


the post holder.