Job Description

The post holder will be a junior practitioner aiming to become a diabetes specialist nurse. The post will involve training, to deliver evidence-based care and information to people with diabetes and their families who are being seen within Whittington Health trust.



The post holder will be expected to cover inpatient diabetes reviews and education, outpatient clinics and group education sessions. Additionally, the post holder will be an integral part of the wider multi-disciplinary team.



1. To support the senior diabetes specialist nurses to be a resource in diabetes to healthcare professionals, people with diabetes and their carers



2. To work in collaboration with all members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team to promote excellent standards of care to people with diabetes in line with evidence-based practice



3. To facilitate self-management principles



4. To facilitate the shift of diabetes care from secondary to the community care



Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.



1. CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES



a. Post training to demonstrate an appropriate band 6 diabetes specialist nurse clinical competence level in diabetes management



b. To support senior diabetes specialist nurse to plan and manage nurse-led diabetes clinics in partnership with key Allied Health Professionals, working in conjunction with primary and secondary services for people with complex needs and uncontrolled diabetes.



c. To support the senior diabetes specialist nurse when responsible and accountable as a Named Nurse for a caseload of new and complex patients, working in tandem with colleagues in acute and primary care.



d. Provide evidence based clinical advice on diabetes management to people with diabetes, their careers and health care professionals.



e. To support the senior diabetes specialist nurse to promote good practice in diabetes care when offering leadership, guidance, education and mentorship to health care professionals.



f. Support people with diabetes and their carers to achieve individualised goals and care planning to maintain their physical and psychological wellbeing, encouraging self-management.



g. This role can involve frequent walking and standing for long periods of time. The post holder must have the physical capability to use manual handling equipment i.e., hoists, trolleys and wheelchairs.



h. The post holder will be required to work flexibly and be prepared to work in the inpatient and outpatient setting.



2. EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES



a. To support senior diabetes specialist nurses when acting as educational resources to support and facilitate heath care professionals across the Whittington Health Trust.



b. Support the senior diabetes specialist nurse when planning, delivering , and evaluating diabetes courses at different levels for trained and untrained staff with particular emphasis on improving the quality of diabetes care.



c. Participate in group education programmes for people with diabetes at different times in their disease process i.e., newly diagnosed Type 1, insulin initiation and ongoing care, to ensure that both physical and psychological aspects of diabetes self-management are addressed.



d. To support senior diabetes specialist nurses to develop appropriate material to facilitate the education programmes for people with diabetes in different languages thereby reaching the maximum amount of people and reducing inequalities and access to diabetes services.



e. Maintain own knowledge and expertise by attending conferences, workshops, and study days.



f. Always act in accordance with the NMC, Codes of Professional Conduct and Scope of Professional Practice.



3. LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES



a. Ensure accurate and timely recording of all workload activity via patient information systems to inform analysis of service delivery and continued service development by submitting statistical returns and compiling reports as necessary or when required.



b. Contribute to the compilation of reports and presentations with regard to the service and present to appropriate groups.



c. Promote the quality of the services to our local population and colleagues through leadership, evidence -based practice and clinical governance.



d. Share responsibilities for the day-to-day running of the Diabetes Service clinics and ward cover ensuring adequate service provision.



e. Promote a healthy working relationship within the diabetes team.



f. To contribute in the development of strategies, protocols and policies that impact on the future service provisions and care in line with national policy.



g. To develop and maintain a network of contacts involved in diabetes care both within and outside the organisation.



h. Establish and facilitate a process of audit to ensure high quality diabetes care is being delivered locally to patients.



i. Participate in the process of audit and evaluation for the Diabetes Service. Identify gaps in service provision and discuss steps to manage any identified problem areas with the Diabetes specialist Nurse (Operational Lead).



CONTINUING EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT



a. Undertake the Trust Corporate, directorate and local Induction and competency programmes.



b. Ensure own compliance and compliance of others with regard to mandatory training and NMC Professional re-registration requirements.



c. Responsible for keeping up to date with individual skills, knowledge and competence and awareness of professional issues, relevant to role.



d. Undertake specialist education training and successfully complete a competency based programme related to the role as required that will allow health care to be delivered to the user through new ways of working.



e. Take a lead of responsibility for a specific function or area of knowledge/clinical skills within the team e.g. speciality focused link nurse, student link nurse. Responsible for health promotion within the department and the education of staff within the diabetes department.



f. Accepts designated responsibilities of other team members and actively contributes to performance review and the appraisal and personal development planning (PDP) process within the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF).



CLINICAL GOVERNANCE, REDUCTION OF RISK, AUDIT AND RESEARCH



a. Ensure that the delivery of care for all patients meet the standards determined by the service.



b. Adheres to Trust policies, procedures and clinical guidelines and ensures compliance of others.



c. Promote and practice the highest standards of Infection prevention and control at all times.



d. Continually monitor standards of nursing care and contribute to improvement of care, through benchmarking, audit and research.



e. Participate in and contribute to patient and public involvement activities.



f. Promote patient dignity, equality, diversity and rights.



g. Ensures self and all nursing staff practice at all times in accordance with NMC Code of Professional Conduct and raise any concerns with senior nurse.



MANAGEMENT AND USE OF RESOURCES AND INFORMATION



Responsible for the effective and efficient use of clinical, physical and financial resources.



Use health related information only for the purposes of what it is intended for and in accordance with the Data Protection act.



Ensure confidentiality is always maintained and information relating to patient / users and personnel is used only in connection with authorised duties.



MAINTAINING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY



a. Take responsibility for maintaining own and others Health and Safety and Security.



b. Ensure own actions assist with maintaining best practice and Standards for Better Health.



c. Carry out duties in accordance with the Health and Safety at work Act 1971.



d. Move and handle patients and goods in ways that promote the health of the patient and care team and are consistent with legislation.



e. Responsible for the maintenance of a clean and safe environment adhering to infection control policies procedures and best practice.



f. Assist and maintain safe and hazard free area of work.



g. To assist in the collection of patient/carer feedback.



h. To support other health care professionals to manage people with diabetes and on insulin safely with the Trust and raises issues with senior staff within the team.



KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS



Senior lead nurses Nurse in charge The wider multidisciplinary team Consultants and their team Nursing Directorate Infection control Patients Advocacy and Liaison Service; Other Nurse Specialists and Directorates * Professional Development Team