Job Description

To act as team leader for clinical staff. To be responsible for clinical and non-clinical management of a ward area in the absence of the Senior Sister / Charge Nurse Key Duties: Clinical Responsibilities Assist in the management of the department on a day to day basis and manage the department in the absence of Chemotherapy unit manager including coordination of patient, allocating staff breaks and being a key link with the consultants and pharmacy team. Assess patients for chemotherapy to ensure their physical condition and blood parameters are satisfactory to safely receive treatment according to treatment protocols / regimes and liaise with medical staff as appropriate. Administer and dispose of intravenous and chemotherapy safely in accordance with Trust and National Guidelines.



Provide information regarding treatment and side effects to ensure each patient is prepared for their specific treatment and elicit informed consent. Provide one to one and telephone advice to patients and their families regarding treatment side effects and management of side effects to ensure each patient receives care which is specific and appropriate to their needs. Use good communication skills to enhance and augment patients understanding and adapt information to their specific needs as they progress through treatment. Liaise with other appropriate health care professionals within both hospital and community settings regarding individual patient care to ensure seamless transfer of care between disciplines (or ensure patients needs are being adequately met).



Recognise and provide the psychological and emotional support needed by individuals and their families whilst undergoing treatment and refer on to other professionals sensitively and appropriately in order to adequately meet patients needs. Assess patients with difficult venous access and make recommendations for alternative access to ensure patients receive treatment safely and with minimum risk. Ensure safe administration of chemotherapy regimens according to trust protocols Provide follow-up care / maintenance of central venous lines for patients and advise other health care professionals involved as appropriate, to ensure the patients line is safely and adequately cared for in accordance with Trust policy. Administer other intravenous therapies i.e.



Blood, bisphosphonates, to patients according to protocols / regimes to ensure therapies are delivered safely and with minimum risk Monitor and instigate care to address / prevent reactions to and complications of treatment including administration of prophylactic agents. Discuss with senior nursing and medical colleagues developments and changes, which affect patients both directly and indirectly. Operational Responsibilities. Responsibilities for establishing and maintaining communication and relationship both internally and externally.



Establish and maintain effective communication and foster good working relationships with all multidisciplinary teams, both internal and external. Provide and receive complex and / or sensitive information from patients and staff. For example, breaking bad news to patients, giving complex information about procedures and their outcomes, dealing with performance issues, holding staff meetings. Able to support and talk to distressed patients, visitors, and staff members.



Responsible for cascading information to unit staff and chairing staff meetings from which minutes are provided. Be aware of Trust financial position and target objectives and ensure that ward area is as effective as possible in meeting these objectives. Be involved in practice development and patient experience issues. Ensure that safe and effective nursing care is delivered, this to be in accordance with Trust policies and best practice guidelines, also Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) Codes of Practice and guidelines.



Act as a role model when carrying out and demonstrating nursing care and procedures. Represent clinical area at forums and meetings as requested by Senior Sister / Charge Nurse. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in staff appraisal and the progress of staff while completing goals and development plans. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in the formulation of induction and training programmes and assist in the delivery of these to staff and learner nurses.



Undertake agreed mandatory training and to seek out opportunities to enhance knowledge, skills and develop practice. Participate in the teaching and development of staff and ensure records kept. Ensure risk assessment of working environment and conditions, equipment, chemicals and activities is routinely carried out within the department. Responsibilities for Financial and Physical Resources.



Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse by ensuring supplies are managed in accordance with budgetary limits and constraints, including regular stock reviews, to ensure best value from supplies and to set stock limits. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse with staff training to ensure they are competent in the use and care of special equipment, maintain details on the Medical Devices register within the ward. Ensure that all equipment within the department is serviced and maintained on a regular basis and that records are kept. Contribute to the drawing up of department budgets, capital bids and new services.



Inform the Senior Sister / Charge Nurse of any changes, which affect the standards of care, the service delivery, or have an impact on the budget. Ensure the ordering, safe custody, usage, and recording of drugs within agreed Trust policy. Responsibilities for Human Resources. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in compiling duty rosters and ensuring allocation is organised appropriate to staff experience and skill mix to effectively manage workload and patient dependency.



Participate in staff recruitment and retention, training and education. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in ensuring an appropriate learning environment, which meets university requirements, and that systems are in place to allow all levels of learner to be taught, supervised and assessed appropriately. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in development of staff induction programmes and ward teaching programmes. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in ensuring that systems are in place for maintaining practical schemes for mentorship, preceptorship and clinical supervision.



Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in ensuring all staff undergo competency assessments both initially (when new to ward) and update these regularly in line with Corporate Nursing recommendations. Ensure these appraisals are carried out using the appropriate KSF profile and Proforma. Report performance difficulties with staff to the Senior Sister and initiate performance Management / goal setting according to capability or disciplinary policies as appropriate. To support Junior Nurses with their NMC revalidation acting as a confirmer to maintain their professional registration.



Assist Senior Sister in ensuring annual leave for all staff is managed in accordance with local and Trust policy and in order to meet the needs of the service. Assist Senior Sister in ensuring that the staff absence at work policy is used to manage staff and maintain accurate records. Maintain an up to date understanding of clinical and professional developments within nursing, particularly areas pertinent to the speciality requirements. Provide guidance and teaching for nursing staff, who are not experienced in the specialty / to set, implement and monitor patient care plans.



Act in a supportive role to other senior staff and their staff by providing education and information to assist them in caring for trauma / other speciality outliers. Responsibilities for Information Resources and / or Systems. Work with the team to ensure written patient information is current, evidence based and available for patients and their relatives. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in ensuring internal staff records are updated on a regular basis e.g.



staff absences. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in entering all the required key performance indicators (KPI) (e.g. commode audits) onto the web based system on a regular basis. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in ensuring reviewing incidents that occur within or relating to the ward and produce reports as required Disseminate the learning that arises from the reports and subsequent actions.



Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in ensuring all staff have basic computer literacy and are able to access results, admit and discharge on PAS, enter data onto the electronic handover sheet. Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in ensuring all clinical area resources are up to date, organised and available for inspection during assessments and visits e.g. CQC,SHA, Commissioners etc. Assist in implementation of e rostering and use of the new format to produce the monthly rota.



Responsibilities for Informal and Formal Research Development Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse with auditing and monitoring of all activities within the clinical area to ensure services are delivered effectively within a safe environment. Assist Senior Sister in ensuring audit documentation is kept up to date and collated as required. To include all the current audits for the KPI and CQuins such as timely saving lives assessments, hand hygiene and mandatory training matrix. Recommend any necessary policy changes following audit by discussion with Senior Sister / Charge Nurse and once agreed to ensure their implementation.



Assist Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in ensuring that staff participate in agreed research to benefit the departments development and patient care. Support the Senior Sister / Charge Nurse by providing regular reports on standards of cleanliness, quality of food provided for patients and staff, essence of care standards.