Job Description
Job title: Senior Respite Nurse
Reports to: Nursing Manager
Location: Kites Corner, Gloucester or inside a family home within Gloucestershire
Position Summary
As a proactive senior member of the Nursing Team you will support the Nursing Management Team in the smooth running of the day and night respite care provision within Kites Corner. You will practice and promote supportive family-centred care and encourage a holistic approach to the care of the child, with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition, as well as their family. You will act in the best interests of the child and their family at all times by maximising the use of the nursing team to plan, deliver, evaluate and maintain safe, compassionate and effective care.
As a Senior Nurse, you will be required to provide clinical leadership by demonstrating leadership qualities to ensure the safe running of Kites Corner. This is in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of Practice and James Hopkins Trust’s vision, mission and values. You will be able to refer to a more senior member of the clinical team (Nursing Lead and Clinical Lead) for advice/guidance during a shift.
Leading by example, you will ensure that Kites Corner maintains a caring, supportive and safe environment for the children and infants you and the nursing team look after. You are self-motivated and can work either independently or as a team player and will be responsible for supporting the Nursing Management Team to supervise and support the Nurses and Health Care Assistants (HCAs). You will encourage staff feedback and involvement in development of care plans and other documentation along with encouraging attendance and participation in staff meetings.
You will assess/monitor yours and the nursing team’s practice and competence through the use of existing audit processes. You will provide regular supervisions to ensure the nursing team deliver outstanding and safe care; which in turn demonstrates James Hopkins Trust’s compliance with CQC & Ofsted’s regulatory requirements.
You will have an insight and understanding of the issues facing families where there is a baby or young child with a life-threatening or life-limiting condition. While interacting with the carer or parent you will show the family kindness and compassion as you assess their child’s nursing and care needs while evaluating the wellbeing of the whole family. You are committed to always delivering exceptional family-centred care, either at our respite centre or in families’ homes around Gloucestershire.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Nursing and Family Care
- Actively encourage a family atmosphere within Kites Corner.
- Contribute positively towards the maintenance of a child and family-focused environment when either working within Kites Corner or the child and family’s home.
- Recognise the skills and experience of the family in meeting the individual care needs of their child and work in partnership with them to provide holistic care.
- Use a systematic and individualised approach to plan care of the child and family both within their homes and Kites Corner to deliver quality care that is consistent with care delivered by other providers.
- Assess, maintain and evaluate agreed standards of care in partnership with family carers and the child
- Ensure all medication is accurately and safely administered, recorded and stored.
- Give total care to the child during the agreed period of respite.
- Identify and follow the child’s care routine and established pattern of care, negotiating any canges with the child and family.
- Attend, as necessary, multi-professional meetings or similar for the child and family as agreed by the Nursing Management Team and liaise with other relevant professionals as appropriate.
- Ensure that regular contact is made with the Nursing Management Team updating them of any changes in a child/family circumstance that may necessitate a review of the family’s respite allocation.
- Where appropriate, inform other relevant professionals of changes to the child’s care/management.
- Facilitate outings, play and activity that is appropriate to the age and development needs of the child as supported by the Play Leader.
- Use evidence to underpin practice by adhering to James Hopkins Trust’s policies and maintaining an awareness of new and developing care options.
- The safeguarding of children and young people is everyone’s responsibility and you are expected to pass onto the appropriate manager any child safeguarding concerns that you may have that arise in the course of your work.
- Every staff member has a responsibility to maintain confidential, accurate and timely records.
- Maintain an awareness of the diversity of families supported by James Hopkins Trust and ensure that the cultural needs of the children and families are met appropriately.
- Ensure professional boundaries are maintained and that due attention is paid to confidentiality, privacy and dignity at all times.
Professional Development
- Identify and at all times work within your own professional competence and expertise whilst adhering to the NMC Code of Conduct.
- ake advantage of training opportunities to further develop your skills and expertise to enhance your role within the James Hopkin Trust Nursing Team including mandatory training sessions.
- Maintain professional registration with the NMC.
- Keep a Personal Professional Profile and ensure that all mandatory training is updated as appropriate.
- Every member of staff has a professional responsibility to maintain an up to date knowledge and awareness of issues required to deliver quality palliative care within Kites Corner or the family home.
- Every member of nursing staff has a professional responsibility to maintain an up to date knowledge and awareness of issues around care of children and young people with complex needs including LTV, TPN, Tracheotomies, Central Lines and any other complex care required.
- You will be expected to guide and support Nurses and Health Care Assistants and encourage professional development through individual performance reviews, clinical supervision, mandatory training sessions and staff meetings
Responsibility for Clinical Governance and Quality
- Participate in quality control monitoring and auditing processes to ensure the safe delivery of care and maintain high standards through best practice
- Be proactive in identifying ways of improving practice.
- Contribute positively to the development and audit of standards and, when appropriate, taking responsibility for identified project work
- Identify ways of continued quality improvement, using reflective practice through clinical supervision
- Actively complete clinical incident documentation in line with a “no blame” approach and James Hopkins Trust’s whistle-blowing policy
- Adhere to and comply with all James Hopkins Trust’s policies and procedures
- Complete risk assessments within James Hopkins Trust as requested
- Undertake research as appropriate to your area of work
Management and Supervision
- To take responsibility for the appropriate delegation of duties to other members of the nursing team
- To participate in the safe and smooth coordination of a shift, reporting to the senior clinical lead on duty when required
- Take responsibility for ensuring good teamwork and a flexible approach are maintained within the nursing team and the wider Organisation.
- To participate in ‘on the job’ training programmes and teaching sessions
- To participate in the orientation of new staff, students and volunteers.
- Act as mentor/sign off mentor as and when required
- To act as a clinical supervisor and participate in ongoing training
- To act as an appraiser for other members of staff in your team
- Lead the shift at Kites Corner as required
- Deal with first level complaints or concerns relating Nurses and Health Care Assistant, liaise with the Nursing Management Team, as needed, in order to resolve them
- To help with the organisation of James Hopkins Trust events for the families
- Actively guide and supervise volunteers working with the children.
- Liaise with the Administration Team regarding ordering and purchasing requirements as necessary for day-to-day running of James Hopkins Trust’s services.
- Inform the relevant line manager of incidents and concerns using agreed processes.
- Contribute to the mentorship of students on placement at James Hopkins Trust, using up to date knowledge of university requirements.
- Carry out any reasonable additional duty as agreed by the Clinical Lead, or Nursing Lead and to meet the changing requirements of the service.
Communication
- In line with James Hopkins Trust’s vision, mission and values; encourage the philosophy of James Hopkins Trust with acts of kindness and helping to make magic memories.
- Always present a good public image
- Take responsibility for using the appropriate channels to ensure good communication is maintained within the Organisation at all times
- Liaise closely with all professionals and volunteers working with the child and family to ensure a seamless service
- Attend or lead staff meetings and team briefings and participate in other meetings as appropriate (including external meetings)
Health and Safety
- Ensure that infection control guidelines and policies are strictly adhered to.
- Undertake risk assessment and management to ensure that children, families, visitors and colleagues are safe.
- Be aware of and work within James Hopkins Trust’s lone working policies.
- Be aware of all Health and Safety issues and adhere to all the James Hopkins Trust policies.
- Be aware of all Fire, Health and Safety regulations at Kites Corner and maintain a safe working environment at all times.
Ways of working and collaborating
- Make a positive contribution to the team and the wider Organisation by playing an active role in growing successful working relationships within all areas of James Hopkins Trust, such as families, volunteers and staff members.
- Demonstrate a strong commitment to creating an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace.
- Work within all of James Hopkins Trust’s policies, processes and procedures at all times.
- Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current and planned activities.
- To carry out any additional tasks and projects as reasonably requested in line with the general responsibility of the role.
Lead by example and be an inspiring role model for others, building trust and living by our Vision, Mission & Values; always keeping children at the heart of what we do.
James Hopkins Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.