Job Description

Surrey Downs Health & Care



We are looking for an enthusiastic Diabetes Specialist Nurse to join our friendly Diabetes team within Surrey Downs Health and Care, who are continuing to develop and deliver advances in diabetes care and provide several specialist services. As a team member, you will be working closely with the diabetes specialist nurses (DSNs), and diabetes dietitians, and our diabetes consultants, who provide care and support for our community diabetes service.



The post holder will ensure that high-quality nursing care is delivered within their designated clinical area.



The post holder will assist in setting the standards of clinical practice, in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team, and will monitor patient outcomes.



The post holder will have ongoing responsibility for the operational effectiveness of their designated clinical area, being present in their clinical area, in conjunction with the Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse.

Principle Duties to include:

The post of a qualified nurse is characterised by six principle role functions:



Clinical Practice



Advanced Clinical skills



Professional leadership and management



Education research training and development



Evaluation of care and research



Human Resource



The balance between practice and management will vary according to day to day priorities, but will be negotiated overall with the Matron and Head of Nursing.



Surrey Downs Health and Care delivers care closer to people's communities through our Primary Care Networks, Community Hospitals, Specialist Services, and our innovative partnership with local NHS organizations.



Surrey Downs Health and Care has a track record of providing person-centered care that goes beyond organizational boundaries to do what is best for the individual. This partnership includes:



The three GP federations GP Health Partners, Dorking Health Care, and Surrey Medical Network representing practices that operate in the Surrey Downs area



CSH Surrey



Epsom and St Helier's University Hospitals NHS Trust



Surrey Council County



Historically, there have been boundary lines between the organisations that provide care to people in their homes, in GP surgeries and in hospitals, but we have always been united in our mission to provide great care to the people who need us.



It's on those grounds that the Surrey Downs Health and Care was formed - we want local people to receive the care that they need in the right environment. By bringing together our expertise, we can improve patient care and enable local people to access the right support, care and treatment more easily than ever before.



In bringing this partnership together, we are working to the same set of values that will translate into better care for our residents.



Clinical Practice



The post-holder will ensure that all areas of practice adhere to all current NMC guidance.



Establish standards of nursing assessment and care and ensure these are delivered at all times by regularly monitoring and evaluating patient outcomes.



Ensures that clinical competencies within assessment are developed and evidence of ongoing clinical competency is adhered to.



Ensure that nursing care is patient focused and that patient dignity and privacy are maintained at all times.



Ensure due regard is given to the customs, values and spiritual beliefs of patients and colleagues and that equal opportunities are practiced.



Support the Diabetes team in maintaining effective communication both written and verbal with all disciplines, patients and relatives.



Be responsible for the holistic assessment of individual patient care.



Initiate planned evidence based assessment and care, including health promotion and education.



Ensures that all clinical and legal nursing documents are completed accurately and legibly, and that junior staff understands their relevance.



Represents and supports patients, relatives or carers within a multidisciplinary forum, ensuring that their needs are represented and that appropriate care packages are developed.



Liaises and works in collaboration with nursing and other healthcare professions to support the patient pathway and flow through the assessment process.



Will use reflective practice as a method of ensuring that appropriate effective nursing care is delivered to each patient.



Ensure that prescribed medications are safely administered and to monitor, report and investigate all medication errors.



Ensure competency in use and safe maintenance of all medical devices within the sphere of responsibility.



Reports all incidents and near misses promptly and appropriately, investigates and implements remedial action to reduce the risk in the future



Ensures that all complaints are listened to and that issues identified are addressed, with the aim of resolving all complaints locally. The focus on prevention and local resolution of complaints must be part of the diabetes team philosophy.



Adheres to the infection control policy and promotes the policy with the assessment setting with all professional who are interacting in patient care.



Promote a professional image at all times and be accountable for own clinical practice.



Responsible for Quality Improvement strategy, planning and implementation within their clinical area in conjunction with the Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse



Clinical Skills



To hold relevant post registration course.



Undertake diabetes specialist nursing duties without direct supervision, but liaising with the Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse and Consultants should the need arise.



Deliver a diabetes nursing service to patients and their carers' in nurse led diabetes clinics, providing specialist care to patients in order to improve day to day quality of life and minimise risk of future complications.



Clinical supervision of Practice Nurses and GP's to help develop their skills in diabetes service provision.



To instigate and order haematological and biochemical blood investigations, and recognise abnormal results.



To be able to administer medications as a non-medical prescriber or under Patient Group directives



To undertake comprehensive assessment and complex analysis of all aspects of the patient's clinical condition and lifestyle, to enable formulation of an individualised treatment plan using a problem solving approach to optimise outcome.



To initiate treatment with oral hypoglycaemic agents according to agreed team protocols. This will involve extensive knowledge of all types of oral hypoglycaemic agents and regimes; their action, side effects and suitability according to the patients' lifestyle.



To give specialist advice on alteration and titration of insulin and oral hypoglycaemic agents, and to educate the patient to adjust their own treatment in order to manage their diabetes control.



To act as specialist resource on diabetes and related issues for community and hospital based health professionals.



To provide ongoing psychological support and reassurance for patients with newly diagnosed and existing diabetes, and refer to psychology services where appropriate.



Be responsible for a patient caseload, implementing programmes of care, and evaluating and scheduling the need for future visits.



To act as a clinical expert in the care of their patient cohort



To communicate with health care professionals and patients by personal, written, telephone or electronic contact to ensure treatment plans lead to agreed outcomes.



To deliver and further develop the range of NICE accredited patient education programmes for different client groups



Professional Leadership and Managemen



Responsible for the management, supervision and support of all members of the diabetes nursing team, always acting as a professional role model.



Report all serious untoward clinical incidents in the appropriate manner to the Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse or General Manager (or other appropriate Trust manager). Facilitate or lead any investigation and implement remedial action in the clinical area



Ensure staff have a clear understanding of the assessment pathway during meetings.



Responsible for the most effective management of team resources, this includes all pay and non-pay expenditure, ensuring that accountability can be demonstrated for all financial actions.



Demonstrates the ability to support the needs of the service by allocating resources effectively.



Ensure that when clinical practice or patient pathways are changed that the financial implications are monitored and reported.



As an active member of the multidisciplinary team, develop specialist clinical protocols for use by the diabetes nursing team as required.



To act as a specialist resource in relation to the development and implementation of guidelines / policy pertaining to diabetes and diabetes management.



To participate in and encourage team involvement in Clinical Governance and Risk Management initiatives.



Ensure all staff to have an appraisal



Ensure confidentiality of all patient and staff information at all times.



Act in a professional manner and ensure self and other staff adhere to the work wear policy at all times.



Deputise as appropriate for the Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse



To ensure the effective and efficient organisation of rotas using the E-roster system where available. Ensuring the appropriate deployment and use of all grades of staff within the post holder's span of control and be accountable for the level of temporary staffing usage and the associate expenditure.



To manage the adherence to the Trust policy for booking and taking annual leave/time owing/training to enable adequate levels of cover within the team at all times.



Be responsible for the deployment of HR policies within your sphere of responsibility including the proactive management of sickness and unauthorised absence.



To undertake the recruitment and selection of staff to the team, assessing the skill



Education, Research Training and Development



Maintain own statutory and mandatory training requirements, and monitor those of their team.



Provide a positive learning environment for all staff.



Act as a mentor and assessor for pre-registration, post registration and unqualified staff



Maintain own professional and personal development as agreed in appraisal.



Ensure that performance feedback is provided for all staff, and that professional and personal development plans are agreed for the mentor team.



Participate in Student Nurse Education and assessment in accordance with the university requirements.



Act responsibly in respect of colleague's health, safety and welfare following safe work practices and complying with the Trust's Health and Safety Policies



To ensure student learners on clinical placement are appropriately supervised and assessed and have an effective learning experience



Liaise with the Deputy Head of Nursing on the preparation of annual Education plans (NMET bids)



Use all opportunities to advocate Health Promotion.



Advise Participation in Clinical Supervision.



Maintain personal records of continuing professional development in order to meet revalidation requirements.



Continually monitor standards of clinical care and lead and facilitate improvements of care, through benchmarking, audit and research.



Responsible for identifying ongoing training and updating needs, and for maintaining own and others up to date evidence based skills, knowledge and competence for the role requirements.



Provide teaching and lecturing to medical, nursing and allied staff on diabetes, both in primary and secondary care