Acute Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
This is a rare opportunity to become part of a team working in the Acute Oncology Service (AOS). The AOS provides urgent assessment, rapid initial management, and appropriate specialist input (ensuring access to appropriate disease site specific advice) for any patient presenting acutely with problems relating to cancer or its treatment. The essence of an AOS is to accelerate, coordinate, and signpost patients on to the correct assessment and treatment pathway and ensure consistent access to oncology expertise, wherever the patient presents.
The Acute Oncology CNS, working alongside the Acute Oncology team, will ensure patient-centred care. They will provide individual expert advice, support, and complex and sensitive information from the time of diagnosis through surgical intervention and/or oncological treatments/therapies. This service extends to families and significant others at the patient's request.
Main Duties of the Job
The aim of the service is to provide rapid identification and appropriate prompt management of patients that present with:
* Previously undiagnosed cancer.
* Complications as a direct consequence of their cancer e.g. metastatic spinal cord compression, hypercalcaemia.
* Acute complications following cancer therapy e.g. neutropenic sepsis.
The CNS will provide clinical support and expertise in acute oncology assessment in the emergency admission areas, provide early input of Specialist Oncologist assessment, and clinical management advice for unscheduled oncology emergency admissions regarding the following:
* Complications related to chemotherapy.
* Complications of cancer.
* Suspected unknown primary cancer.
* To take the lead with regard to MSCC, Neutropenic Sepsis, and Cancer of Unknown Primary.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
About Us
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is part of the NHS Wales family. Our Health Board provides primary, secondary, and community health and wellbeing services to around 450,000 people living in three County Boroughs: Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
We live by our core values:
* We listen, learn and improve.
* We treat everyone with respect.
* We all work together as one team.
We are a proud local employer; around 80% of our 15,000 workforce live within our region, making our staff not only the lifeblood of our organisation but of the diverse communities that we serve.
Job Responsibilities
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.
Clinical Duties
* Assess patients admitted as an emergency and ensure they are receiving appropriate care and investigations as per agreed pathways whilst actively integrating theory into practice.
* Exercise professional autonomy and make critical judgements using knowledge and skills in order to provide the highest standards of holistic patient care.
* Ensure the patient and, if appropriate, their relatives, are involved with decision making and aware of proceedings.
* Deliver evidence-based individualised and personalised care through holistic needs assessment, planning, and evaluation of care; act as an advocate for the patient.
* Advise clinical teams of the appropriate investigations, diagnostic tests, and imaging according to patient presentation, care pathways, and clinical competence.
* Respond to situations involving oncological emergencies using clinical judgement and decision making to initiate appropriate management.
Service Management
* As part of the Cancer MDT, assist in the development of care pathways for the Acute Oncology Service.
Service Improvement
* To develop services in order to meet local/national objectives and standards.
* To assist in the continuing development and audit of the role to develop relevant changes in patient or departmental needs, ensuring a quality service is provided and maintained and implementing service improvements from the results.
* Contribute to Peer Review and ensure that services are compliant with Cancer Standards.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Evidence of continued professional development.
* Sound clinical knowledge and experience of oncological emergencies.
* First level degree in related subject or undertaking a Degree Pathway.
* Post-basic qualification in cancer/palliative care or relevant subject.
* Advanced Communications Skills Training.
Experience
* Evidence of good communication skills.
* Experience of Audit and Research.
* Experience of caring for patients and families of people with a newly diagnosed malignancy.
* Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, and as such, it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Salary: £37,898 to £45,637 a year per annum pro rata.
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