Job summary
This is an exciting new opportunity to join our established CCOT to deliver expert clinical care to patients with acute oncology issues relating to their treatments or disease progression.
The successful candidate will be highly motivated and clinically credible and although oncology experience advantageous it is not essential and we welcome applicants from acute care, critical care, A & E experience as you will be supported with an extended supernumerary period to develop the required clinical skills.
This unique opportunity requires you to be committed, organised and have excellent interpersonal skills which is paramount for this post together with confidence to engage and work with a range of colleagues at all levels and from all professional groups.
The successful candidate will have completed formal ACP training and have achieved a master's in advanced clinical Practice, enabling them to work autonomously in the planning and delivery of care for this complex group of patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
The post will comprise of 80% clinical, 20% non-clinical hours to allow for service development, audit and research and professional development opportunities within the four pillars of advanced clinical practice.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be an integral member of our team CCOT and provide clinical assessment and support to the care and treatment of a diverse caseload of patients requiring specialist acute oncology/critical care. Demonstrating highly developed specialist knowledge and skills, the post holder will be integral in the early identification of complications and the treatment management of acutely unwell oncology patients. Responding quickly the advanced clinical practitioner will formulate clinical decisions to manage acute illness and escalate to specialist teams appropriately. They will order investigations, make appropriate/ timely referrals and maintain relevant clinical records. Non-medical prescribing is fundamental in supporting this role. The post holder will provide clinical expertise for developing and enhancing the service and alongside their clinical responsibilities will lead for the Trust a training and education programme for resuscitation and deteriorating patients.
The post holder will work alongside the medical and nursing teams, maintaining good communication and collaboration between the various multidisciplinary teams. Therefore, the post holder will be a highly visible and approachable role model. Evidence based care will be inherent in their practice, ensuring that best practice is disseminated throughout the clinical areas.
About us
The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
Job description
Job responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Clinical Practice
- To participate in the direct clinical management of acute oncology patients from first presentation at the hospital, until discharge. This will include history taking, systematic physical examination and formulating clinical management plans.
- Assess and initiate care for critically ill patients using critical care expertise and skills to assist in prevention, identification, and proactive management of current and potential problems.
- To plan and deliver research/ evidence-based care and treatment in partnership with other health professionals; this may include prescribing medication and actively monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.
- To request and/ or undertake investigations to augment patient assessment and care.
- To monitor and review the effectiveness of interventions with the patient and colleagues and modify this to meet changing needs and established goals of care.
- To delegate/ refer to other practitioners when this will improve health outcomes, or when risks and needs are beyond own competence and scope of practice.
- To attend and participate, leading where necessary, in resuscitation attempts or clinical emergency situations as part of the team and provide expert clinical advice to the resuscitation team and team leader (where required).
- Provide post cardiac arrest debriefing of staff and relatives.
- Review and interpret all information available utilizing a systematic process of reasoning to make a working and differential diagnosis.
- Develop and record a treatment plan consistent with the outcome of assessment and most probable diagnosis.
- Prescribe drugs within the capacity of non-medical prescribing, adhering to Trust policy and existing frameworks.
- Communicate complex clinical and supporting information/ findings to patients and significant others according to individual situations. Ensure patients receive appropriate information and support in relation to their illness and treatment.
- Arrange or refer the patient for appropriate diagnostic test, investigations, other professional colleagues. Check and interpret, acting as clinically appropriate.
- Ability to self-manage, plan and adjust priorities to meet the dynamic demands within the CCOT team.
- Undertake medical procedures such as, arterial line insertion, Igel insertion, and authorising blood products, this is not an exhaustive list.
- Provide advanced transfer skills and competence in care of critical and acutely unwell patients.
Leadership & Management
- Work within professional codes and policies both nationally and by the Trust
- To demonstrate an up-to-date knowledge of critical care/oncology/ acute medicine practice and responsibility for ones own professional development.
- To maintain a portfolio to fulfil requirements of the NMC in maintaining effective Advanced Practitioner registration.
- Maintain safe practice and development through regular peer review of evidence-based practice with medical Consultant supervisor.
- Liaise and collaborate with multi-professional disciplines and outside agencies.
- Participate in clinical audit in respect to evaluating service effectiveness and future developments within the role.
- To develop clinical protocols, standards, and guidelines in own area.
- Contribute to wider issues in the trust, such as committee membership, clinical progression, and policy development.
- To actively contribute to the process of clinical risk management.
- Act as a role model in developing advanced clinical practitioner roles at local, regional, and national level.
- To inspire others and encourage them to seek advice and solutions to problems.
- Promotes the service and encourages the CCOT team to disseminate good practice both internal and external to the Trust.
- To identify own development needs and set own personal development objectives in discussion with their reviewer keeping abreast of any new trends and developments and incorporate them as necessary into your work.
- Undertakes annual mandatory training updates and other relevant courses in line with Trust and local policies.
- To raise quality issues and report related risks within the trust to address poor standards and incidents.
Research
- Initiate and support clinical audit with respect to evaluating service effectiveness and future developments within the role, developing, and managing strategies to address any shortfalls.
- Involvement in medical and/or nurse-led research within clinical practice in response to identified need. Disseminate results and implement findings appropriate to practice.
- Implement research findings appropriate to practice.
- To undertake the measurement and evaluation of your work and current practices though the use of evidence-based practice projects, audit and outcome measures, and lead others in doing so. Make recommendations for and lead change.
- Maintain accurate records and provide necessary data for statistical analysis.
Education and Development
- Identify own development needs in line with service requirements within personal development plan. Undertake continuing professional development to ensure that skills remain optimal and new elements can be added to the skills portfolio.
- Assist in the identification of the training needs of colleagues and participate in their continuing education, mentorship and skills development.
- Ensure personal, peer group support and clinical supervision needs are met.
- Contribute to the development and dissemination of new knowledge by submitting papers for publication and/or abstracts for appropriate conferences.
- Have a named mentor from within the medical team for continuing clinical support and development.
- Provide specialist training and education locally, nationally and internationally (, organising/hosting/presenting at meetings, study days, conferences etc.).
- To provide clinical and professional support and advice to all staff.
- Develop and deliver specific and relevant teaching programs for all disciplines.
- Support, supervise and assess clinical competencies of nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
Equality and Diversity
- To recognise and promote the importance of peoples rights and interpret them in a way that is consistent with Trust procedures, policies and legislation.
- Acts in a way that acknowledges and recognises peoples expressed beliefs preferences and choices.
- Respects peoples diversity and values them as individuals.
- To challenge behaviour that undermines the rights of others.
- To identify and act where necessary to address discrimination.
Health and Safety
- Be aware of the Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies which may be required to improve the safety of your work area, including the prompt recording and reporting of accidents to senior staff, and ensuring that equipment used is safe.
- To take immediate and appropriate action in relation to adverse incident reporting
- To comply with the organisational and departmental policies and procedures and to be involved in the reviewing and updating as appropriate.
- Monitors and maintains health, safety and security of self and others in own work area.
- Contributes to risk register.
This job description is an outline of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and is not intended as an exhaustive list. The job will change over time to reflect the changing needs of the Trust and its services, as well as personal development needs of the post holder.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. MSc Advanced Clinical Practice that includes history taking and clinical examination of patients
2. Independent Non-Medical Prescribing Qualification
3. Registered General Nurse or Registered Allied Health Professional
4. Teaching/ Mentorship degree module/ENB998/PGCE.
Desirable
5. Advanced Life Support Course.
Experience
Essential
6. Significant post registration experience.
7. Experience within acute care/ oncology/critical care specialties
8. Demonstrates highly developed specialist knowledge and expertise, that is underpinned by a foundation of theory and continues acquired knowledge and skills through CPDq
9. Effective communicator, able to communicate complex and highly sensitive information appropriately
10. Excellent clinical reasoning / clinical decision making
11. Experience of working autonomously and as part of a team.
12. Ability to work across professional boundaries.
Desirable
13. Experience in undertaking audit and management of change in practice related to audit results.
14. Evidence of proactive involvement in the mentorship and development of nurses and nursing practice
Skills
Essential
15. Excellent communication skills: interpersonal, written and verbal.
16. Confidence to adapt to an evolving and changing service.
17. Ability to assess and manage patient risk effectively and safely.
18. Excellent time management, organisational skills and ability to prioritise a busy/ unpredictable workload.
19. IT skills
20. Committed to professional development.
Desirable
21. Leadership and Management skills.
22. Innovative and motivated.
23. Ability to think strategically in relation to long-term service development.
24. Presentation skills.
25. Reflective practitioner.
26. Advanced communication skills
Knowledge
Essential
27. Working knowledge of clinical governance.
28. Ability to use research findings in clinical practice.
29. Knowledge of national standards and policy that inform best practice (for example: NICE/ Department of Health guidelines).q
30. Appreciate the accountability associated with advanced practice
Desirable
31. Evidence of involvement with research and audit.
32. Good Clinical Practice qualification
33. Experience of policy and procedure writing.
Values
Essential
34. Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
Other
Essential
35. Ability to work unsocial hours on a rotational basis.