Trainee Clinical Nurse Practitioner - Pre-Operative Assessment NHS AfC: Band 7

Job overview

An opportunity has become available for a Trainee Clinical Nurse Practitioner. You will be responsible for ensuring immediate care to the relevant patient group and will work within the Pre-Operative Assessment and admission service. We are a busy department assessing all patients undergoing surgery, many with multiple co-morbidities.

The post holder will work closely with a wide MDT, including other hospitals and GP services to ensure a smooth, safe and positive journey for all our patients. We also support weekly Anaesthetics clinics, for complex patient assessment and planning.

This is an Annex 21 training post, the successful candidate will be supported through learning and will develop the skills required to become a fully qualified Clinical Nurse Practitioner.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be expected to work in clinic both in formal and Health check setting, seeing patients and having regular documented 121’s on what is required to become a Nurse Practitioner.

You will eventually build up a cohort of patients and perform mini case studies which will co inside with your university attendance. You will be expected to complete the level 7 qualification and link theory to practice to enable you to become a Band 7 Nurse practitioner.

You will work autonomously and be a team player who works flexibly in order to deliver the highest quality care to our patients.

You will be enthusiastic, innovative with excellent communications skills along with a willingness to contribute to the improvement and development of services within pre op.

Working for our organisation

St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the BEST acute Trusts in England for the THIRD year running!

The Trust is the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside, and is one of few in the entire country, to achieve the title of OUTSTANDING, rated by CQC.

We provide a range of acute adult services to our local population of circa 350,000 and provide tertiary services across the North West, North Wales and Isle of Man. We are also a Major Trauma Unit and the Mersey Regional Burns Unit.

Our ’5 Star Patient Care’ strategy is at the heart of all that we do; supporting our vision to provide world class services for all our patients by getting it right for every patient, every time.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To become a Clinical Nurse Practitioner through attending University to complete clinical examination and diagnostics at level 7

You will attend university to complete a level 7 Clinical examination and diagnostics. You will have a designated mentor and be fully supported throughout this process. You will be provided with a structured programme which will ensure you will attend university, shadow relevant MDT as required and perform “Mini OCSE’S after each module. The sole aim is to link theory and practice you will be fully supported along every step which the aim to become a Clinical Nurse practitioner.

Once Qualified you will work within a multidisciplinary team and provide high quality specialist nursing expertise, which is relevant to the speciality in which employed. The post holder will be expected to take the lead on advising primary and secondary care clinicians as appropriate about the current health status, and treatment required for patients being clinically assessed for planned surgical procedures. In addition, the post holder will be expected to provide a service in accordance with national, regional and local guidance, standards, protocols and policies to ensure the most positive outcome for the patients are achieved.

The post holder will abide by legal requirements and statutory rule relating to practice and promote and maintain standards of professional practice in accordance with the NMC guidelines

• Provide first contact assessment, confirm diagnosis and reason for surgery and comprehensively assess patient with complex/advanced conditions and co-morbidities where more specialist assessment is required.
• Order/undertake, interpret and act upon diagnostic tests and investigations.
• Clinically assess patients to determine need for preoperative anaesthetic assessment.
• Liaise with Anaesthetic Leads based on agreed protocols for patients graded high risk for anaesthetic.
• Liaise with other clinical teams regarding abnormal findings within agreed protocols, to offer a differential diagnosis and ensure patient clinical safety.
• Act as advanced practitioner exercising judgement, discretion, and decision making in clinical care.
• Ensure compliance with specific regulations with regard to drugs/omission of drugs prior to surgery, and record keeping within area of work.
• Document patient’s clinical conditions and action plans in preoperative assessment notes, communicating with relevant medical/nursing staff and ensure all documentation is directed to the appropriate department for electronic scanning, or direct to ward in event of imminent patient admission.
• Take active role in nurse led clinics, developing and advancing service.
• Refer complex cases to Anaesthetist for further discussion, assessment and action as appropriate.
• Liaise with primary and secondary care Clinicians as required.
• Prescribe medication in accordance with current legislation and trust policy.
• Active participation in collection and collation of research and audit data as appropriate, presenting the outcomes to clinical audit.
• Active participation in the reporting of clinical incidents/concerns and take appropriate action to address any safety and quality issues raised.
• Adhere to policies, procedures and protocols relevant to area of work.
• Monitor standards of care and participate in the improvement of care through ad hoc benchmarking/audit/research.
• Maintain clear, concise, legible and contemporaneous records at all times, in line with Trust Policy and the Standard for Record keeping (NMC Act 1993).
• Demonstrate understanding of evidence based care, including where to obtain evidence.
• Provide verbal and written advice to patients/carers about discharge planning, equipment needs, etc.
• Ensure decisions regarding consent and mental capacity are taken in accordance with Trust protocols.
• Impart high level knowledge, advice and support to colleagues, patients, carers and relatives; in relation to planned surgery and recovery.
• Raise awareness of specialist conditions and their specific requirements for surgery/anaesthetics, by development of protocols for practice.
• Assist in the provision of an appropriate learning/practice environment for nursing students allocated to the department.
• Establish effective communication with patients, carers and relatives attending the department.
• Provide sensitive, complex information to patients, carers, relatives and professionals across multidisciplinary and multi-agency boundaries, as appropriate to the patient’s specific needs.
• Support patients, carers and relatives in their understanding and acceptance of their diagnosis and surgical treatments, and provide education and support in their postoperative needs.
• Liaise with consultant surgical/anaesthetic team as appropriate to ensure preoperative needs are met and to ensure effective planning for postoperative care package.
• Provide leadership support to Department Manager and Pre Op Lead Nurse in the continued development of preoperative assessment department.
• Take lead of development projects as appropriate.
• Continually promote equality and diversity, undertaking equality impact assessments when appropriate.
• Ensure effective uses of physical and financial resources within the service.
• Promote patient and public involvement activities in specialist area to promote service improvement.
• Develop and maintain specialist clinical skills in assessment, diagnosis and investigation request/interpretation within the preoperative service.
• Attend annual appraisal to identify and agree training and development needs as part of a Personal Development Plan.
• Participate in clinical supervision sessions and provide leadership to colleagues, arranged by the team Leader/Clinical Supervisor.
• Deputise, if required, for Pre-Op Manager maintaining smooth running of the clinic

Be responsible for own development, including attendance at mandatory training and continually keep up to date with changes to legislation and current best practice.

• Support nursing colleagues in their continuous professional development including peer supervision.